When it Rains, We need it to Pour! Professor Ramos Blog

When it Rains, We need it to Pour! Water is one of the most important natural resources we have here on Earth. However, this natural resource is becoming less and less abundant. There are people around the world who do not have access to this essential source. And it can be frustrating to see how much water we here in the United States are wasting. We need more programs and educational information being out out in the world about how much water is being used and how we can use water wisely. With more information we would be able to save our beloved planet, and help make a better future for the next generation.   In southern California, it is not uncommon to hear a news story about the current weather. SoCal is known for being hot and its a running joke that when it rains in Los Angeles everything shuts down, because the locals are not used to the liquid substance that occasional falls from the sky. And while this is all very funny, the fact that we do not have water in southern California is not a joke. California is one of the most talked about places when it comes to draughts and water scarcity. California has been in a draught for about 376 weeks, and it has taken a real toll on the economy, and way of life for so many Californians. Many Californians have been penalized for watering their lawns, or having too high of water bills. While on the other hand, there are universities around this state who have lawns greener than the average St. Patrick’s Day party in Boston. California is so divided when it comes to its water usage and that is why we need Californians to understand how i mportant our water is. In the year 2017 I had an opportunity to live in the town of Muizenberg, South Africa for a few months. While I was there, I heard on the news, and from many locals, that Cape Town and the surrounding areas were literally running out of water. This was a huge problem for me and the whole South African community because not only was I basically living in the ocean for the months I was there, but this meant that drinking water from the faucet was 100 percent out of the question. Drinking water out of a plastic bottle has its own environmental problems, but when its the only water youve got, you take it without any question. Today South Africa is has made many new changes, that have helped it conserve more water. While their water supply is still lessing, but they are working on conserving. Here in California we could use some of the same techniques that have helped the South African communities.   South Africa has started to reduce their agricultural water usage by 60% (Flynn). Many restaurants have developed a â€Å"dry† menu, meaning that they have started to use paper plates in an effort to reduce the cost of doing dishes (Cotterill). There are so many different and unique ways that the locals have been able to help keep the water shortage from hitting â€Å"day zero†. Here in California we would take some notes on what the South Africans are doing to not only help their situation, but to help the world’s water shortage. If more people knew about the fact that the average American family uses around 300 gallons of water a day (EPA), they might be more inclined to help the situation out. There are so many ways we as just Californians can help our water situation, and most of it very simple. So what can we do help? The main fix, and probably the most effective, is getting all of your pipes and faucets checked for drips. Leaks account for about 12% of the water a family uses in a day (EPA). We can also work on watering our lawns for shorter hours durning the day, or figure out a more water conscious landscaping alternative. There are so many ways we can help get the water shortage under control, that do not mean we have to give up everyday comfortable lifestyle. I am not saying that we need to cut down on you daily shower routine, because trust me I believe that everyone should shower daily. I am just saying that, that cutting down the length you just letting water run down your body, or the length of time you are waiting for your shower to heat up, could be cut down.   If we had more educational information about how to cut down our water usage, we might be able to save our planet. Water is the setting for most of our favorite memories, and I would love to keep going to my uncle’s pool, and keep going to the beach to surf, but if we are not able to keep our good water clean and enjoyable, we may soon see a world with empty pools just like Los Angeles in 1990s. We need water to be around for the future generations, and for today’s way of life. If more people knew about how badly we need water, they might be more likely to help solve this global and California problem.   Work Cited https://www.ft.com/content/b9bac89a-4a49-11e8-8ee8-cae73aab7ccb https://pulitzercenter.org/reporting/how-cape-town-defeated-day-zero-now https://www.epa.gov/watersense/how-we-use-water