Drought in California

It's been the driest year in California in a long, long time. We've had the driest spring in the past 150 years, and while we've generally been enjoying the weather, paradise comes with a price. Water rationing has already started in Southern California, and the fear of wildfire is starting to ratchet up in Berkeley and Oakland, where empty lots still dot pricey hilltop neighborhoods -- lasting reminders of the devastating 1991 fires. So, what can we do about it?

This year will be time for many of us in California to rethink our green, water-intensive grass lawns in favor of something that's green through and through. (Moss, perhaps?) We could also save a tremendous amount of water by switching over to dual-flush toilets and waterless urinals in homes and businesses across the state.

For more on the drought, check out this article from the San Francisco Chronicle or this one in the LA Times.

Image: SF Chronicle by Lance Iverson

Comments (3)

Dual flush toilets, shorter showers, drought tolerant native species vs green grass, rock lawns, succulents, nix the swimming pool, harvest rainwater, low flow shower heads, these are just a few of the things we can all do to conserve water.

posted by http://badhuman.wordpress.com on May 6th 2008 at 11:47am
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..and get some goats to mow the hills to prevent fire. then make goat cheese. this is a total no-brainer and I don't understand why we make the goat heard pay to "lease" the land. s/he's doing us a favor by getting rid of dry brush.

posted by kaanswfm on May 6th 2008 at 1:57pm
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Will moss even grow in full sun (like the west-facing/tree-barren Oakland Hills)?

IMO - If the hills burn again, Oakland should simply stop development up there.

posted by bepsf on May 6th 2008 at 2:22pm
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