Water Scarcity and Simple Ways to Help
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| Photograph by George Becker | Source snapstock.io |
The drought from 2011-2017 that caused record levels of dryness in California has brought attention to the seriousness of water scarcity in the Western United States. While the 8-year drought has been proclaimed to be over, many areas of California still suffer from water scarcity. The Ojai Valley, part of the Ventura County, is a popular tourist and agricultural area that is currently dealing with issues of water scarcity and has remained in a serious drought. Lake Casitas in the Ojai Valley is one of the main sources of water for the Ventura County. However, "as of April 2 [2018], Lake Casitas was just 36 percent full. Water in the lake is predicted to last another four years."1 Without this lake the Valley will face extremely serious water scarcity levels.
California's recent drought is a powerful reminder that there are not unlimited water supplies in the Western United States. With such a huge issue and no clear solution, it is difficult to know what to do. However, there are simple ways to reduce water usage in daily lives that can have an impact on the local environment.
-Take 5 or less minute showers
-Turn the sink off while brushing teeth
-Decrease the amount of water used in the toilet with plastic bottles
-Only was full loads of laundry
-Use a basin of clean water to rinse dishes instead of running the faucet
-Check for an repair leeks on a regular basis.
For a full list and detailed instructions on how to save water everyday, click here.
Another way to help conserve the water usage in California is to buy local produce. California's water supply is primarily used for framing and agriculture. "Calculations by the Pacific Institute indicate that, by eating food grown in California, each American indirectly uses more than 300 gallons of the state's water each week."2 Simply buying locally can help California's water levels.
Sources:
Allison Nordin
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