Throughout the West, strategies for a water crunch
The perspective of this article on MSNBC just rubbed me the wrong way, and so I would like to take this opportunity to make the following statement (OK, rant actually):
<rant>Look to the natural world around you cues for the way you build, landscape and live. If you live in an arid region, do not plant an overly lush garden and roll out a huge swath of sod in the front yard that serves no purpose since you will need to overtax the available natural resources in order to sustain this imported leafy luxury. And perhaps look at a period of drought not as a disaster, but as part of the natural cycle of the place where you live.
A novel idea may be to look to native plants. There is a particularly beautiful, low maintenance, flowering shrub native to southern California that any gardener would covet, but you would be hard pressed to find it in many yards... the reason? It will die if given summer waterings, and it is safe to say that nearly every yard in southern California is lavishly irrigated all year round. The plant is trying to tell you something...</rant>
Link: MSNBC
<rant>Look to the natural world around you cues for the way you build, landscape and live. If you live in an arid region, do not plant an overly lush garden and roll out a huge swath of sod in the front yard that serves no purpose since you will need to overtax the available natural resources in order to sustain this imported leafy luxury. And perhaps look at a period of drought not as a disaster, but as part of the natural cycle of the place where you live.
Walker, the Las Vegas landscaper, said he has obtained a contractor's license in California in case he is forced to relocate. "The only way we're going to solve this problem is water conservation," he said.Hate to tell you, buddy, but water is a precious resource in California too... you should try that conservation thing.
A novel idea may be to look to native plants. There is a particularly beautiful, low maintenance, flowering shrub native to southern California that any gardener would covet, but you would be hard pressed to find it in many yards... the reason? It will die if given summer waterings, and it is safe to say that nearly every yard in southern California is lavishly irrigated all year round. The plant is trying to tell you something...</rant>
Link: MSNBC