You do realize why, for instance, oil spills which used to be measured in "barrels" are now reported in "gallons"?
I think the evolution of reporting them in teaspoons is now overdue.
Think about it. Grants, funding, yada yada.
Who do you suppose will get the grant? The one who reports a million square meters for study or the one who claims merely one square kilometer?
My house is large --- over 1 million cubic millimeters! ;~))