The Conservation Report

Track Fay here.

In addition to the drought, heat wave, and record energy use, more than 800 fires are burning in California.

On the Net: US Drought Monitor
On the Net: Current United States Wildfire Map

IMAGE: Kathy Lohr, NPR

Clayton County’s water conservation planning is an example of the type of progressive policies and thinking we need in America and the world to solve environmental and resource use problems. From NPR’s Morning Edition:

But one community has not had to worry. Nearly two decades ago, Clayton County began building a unique water treatment system that includes wetlands and reservoirs.

“I like to say it’s raining everyday in Clayton County because we’re putting right now about 10 million gallons back in our water supply,” says Mike Thomas, general manager of the Clayton County Water Authority.

Thomas says the reservoirs here are full and have never been in danger of being too low. That’s because back in the 1980s, folks realized there wasn’t enough water to support the growth, so they decided to build a system of wetlands and reservoirs that would help them save water.

Image Found Here

Go here or click the image for the latest information on the North Carolina drought including drought and water restrictions, drought maps, water conservation tips, a detailed look at Triangle-area water restrictions and more!

@ News 14 Carolina, NC

but Durham will tap into a rock quarry to extend water to 600 million gallons or 30 days of water:

@ Water Technology Online

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@ All American Patriots (press release), Sweden.

The News & Observer during October of last month gave some insight into the drought and efforts to conserve water. Duke University insisted on watering the fake turf on its hockey playing fields. Apparently the fields need watering for better play and safety reasons. From the The News & Observer in Raleigh, NC:

It’s not just the way the ball bounces, athletics officials say, although field hockey balls do bounce better on saturated fields. When the turf is wet, coaches add, field hockey players have better grip on the surface and report fewer injuries.

Beth Bozman, Duke’s field hockey coach, said she understood why passers-by could get all worked up over sprinklers going full blast amid conservation pleas.

“I drive a hybrid, and I recycle,” Bozman said. “I’m as green as anybody. I understand.”

Durham, which has about 69 days left in its water supply at the current use rate, has banned all outdoor watering. Duke, which could not supply a number for the gallons used on turf watering, gets a business exemption to spray the field and other places on campus as long as overall consumption decreases by 30 percent.

IMAGE: Falls Lake, North Carolina on 21 October 2007

by Buck Denton

I am for people praying and being spiritual. However, I am also for people who conserve natural resources. I believe praying is necessary and a right but I believe the conservation of natural resources is necessary and should be the law. I believe God who is busy in other places like Iraq would like some ingenuity from his creations in other areas such as water conservation. Instead of blaming endangered wildlife, the endangered species act and the Army Corps of Engineers how about we become accountable for our own actions.

People can seek the worst short-term solutions. It is embarrassing.

I would be interested to know how early or late, proactive and aggressive water conservation and rationing has been in Atlanta or the South. In my opinion, I believe water conservation has come too late. Thankfully, the water bill which President Bush vetoed was overridden by our Senate. Water or the access to water will be a great issue of our time and the fact President Bush vetoed the water bill illustrates his disconnect from the issue.

People should wash their cars and water their green lawns less or plant appropriate grass species which are more adapted to fluctuations in weather.

As an observant person, I have seen people’s best and worst behaviors in action. Unless the government takes aggressive action at the appropriate time during drought a significant number of people will continue their negligent and reckless behavior, negating the efforts of those great citizens who do practice water conservation.

The situation in Atlanta and the world’s situation on climate change and relying too much on oil in addition to how quickly natural resources are consumed reminds me of the childhood fable by Aesop, which illustrates a “moral lesson about hard work and preparation” entitled The Ant and the Grasshopper. Enacting the moral lesson from The Ant and the Grasshopper is needed more than ever.

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Consuming natural resources at an unsustainable rate is one of the greatest issues of our time. I highly recommended the discussion between Tom Keene and Henry Vaux, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, about the costs of desalination versus better water conservation management practices. An excerpt of the discussion:

Tom Keene: We have an inalienable right to a green lawn. Is that going to be gone in 20 years?

Henry Vaux: Oh I think so….

Given the current discourse and oil prices, is it our right to drive an SUV for any other purpose than absolute necessity?

On the Net: LISTEN AT Bloomberg
On the Net: READ ON AT Bloomberg
On the Net: Eco-Lawn Grass Seed
On the Net: Eco-Lawns
On the Net: “Natural Landscape,” Minimalist Design, Formal Design

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A common sensical editorial on the San Diego fires and Atlanta drought can be found at the Dallas Morning News. I agree with the editorial completely. Here is a quote from the editorial:

Nobody likes to think about natural limits to growth, but San Diego and Atlanta offer a lesson in what can happen when wishful thinking and blind optimism overcome prudent planning, reasonable restrictions on development and plain common sense.

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