I moved to California in 1989 and there was a severe drought. I had lived n Iowa on the Mississippi River where we watered our lawns all night long and the farmers had plenty of water. Between the frequesnt rains, snow, and the mighty Mississippi, I had no clue how to conserve water. I learned fast on conserving. Outr water bills in Iowa were about $20 a month. In Saratoga, California, they skyrocketed to over $100 a month. We quickly learned to do be more careful and keep our clothes cleaner longer before washing them. We washed the cars less. We did low water usage on the landscaping. We only flushed the toilet a few times a day. We washed dishes by hand to save water. When we took a shower we got wet, turned the water off while we scrubbed, and then rinsed. No water was served in restaurants unless you requested it.
Now we are 25 years later and they are saying we have to conserve. What happened to what we learned all those years ago? Will Californians learn to conserve again? Will they give up their swimming pools? Will they change their landscaping in their yards, medians, golf courses, and parks too to be drought resistant? Will the farmers learn to use less water too? I understand this is all a process, but I hope we have not waited too long to make very needed changes in our lives of water conservation in California.
Comments (0)Subscribe to CommentsComment