"A state drought-busting campaign declaring "Brown is the New Green" encourages people to let their lawns die. But outdoor watering makes up just a tenth of California's water use; three-quarters of it goes to agriculture, and yet state officials haven't campaigned against water-intensive almond orchards and rice fields the same way.
"Homeowners should do their part, but the focus has been way too much on residents," said Maria Gutzeit, a member of a water district board in the Santa Clarita area. "You ask anyone here how they are going to sell a house with dead grass and dead bushes, and you'll bankrupt people for something that doesn't even significantly help the statewide water portfolio."
…Despite the ongoing drought, now entering its fourth year, the latest data show the message is resonating. Per-capita water use has been cut in half in the last six months, with Californians using an average of 67 gallons a day per person in December, compared with 140 gallons per person in June.”
No comments:
Post a Comment