esrosedotblog

California's water woes are fodder for a new discussion of priorities

The End of California?

Nope. He says. Not the end.

We came here 16 years ago to have the last chapter of our lives in a nice place. Like a lot of other people. Millions.

So, with the drought in place now 6-ish years, the wisdom of those moves is in question.

Egan supplies a lot of statistics and points his finger at agriculture. The wasteful expenditure of precious water for, say, almonds.

I know, in our small way, our condo association has already taken a grip on the problem. The crunching sound of my feet in the dry grass this morning is a good testament to this.

We will spend some money to turn some big grassy places into big small gravel places. A place for dogs to pee pee and people to walk that is permeable. I am not sure about the stench five years hence, but the sun is sanitizing to an amazing degree. A walk on hot gravel with one's bare feet will testify to that. Marcus will walk the edges.

And so on.

The drought and measures to take are already a part of every association meeting. The few people on the other side who were watering their little plot of grass with a hose have been chastened by neighborly disapproval. It is not even "their" grass. No one has any except inside the patio walls. Ours is fake. A little too green at first but now it is fading.

I still do a little watering every day. Not much. All desert plants. Soon, they may have to go too but not yet. We have already put some fake bushes, balls, inside the patio wall. Not bad. A little too green but wait.

We have a fountain that birds come to drink at. Gotta think of them.

So I am edging into drought thinking and acting. Small steps at a time. The bird drinks will be the very last to go and perhaps the little bit to stay. They don't drink much and the fountain which is recycled water babbles nicely.

Labels: drought