In a continuation of my previous post, I am gonna focus more on what we Texans can do to help solve this massive water issue we are facing. While there is no single or easy answer, if we work together as a community to do our part and push for big business to do theirs, we can really make a difference and get on the right path!
So what can we do as individuals and a community? The average Texan uses at least 72.5 gallons of water each and every single day. And this is considered conservative by many. This really adds up quickly given that there are roughly 26.06 million people in this state (as of 2012). Sadly, a lot of this water used is wasted due to outdated technology such as top loading washers, and outdated toilets. Purchasing a updated low-flow technology toilet, washing machine, and shower head can cut each and every citizens water usage by upwards of 40%. Another important thing to consider as a resident of Texas, is lawncare. Many people strive to have thick, lush yards of grass that isn't meant to grow in this particularly harsh climate. It is important to landscape using grass and plants that thrive in this climate, or even consider xeriscaping as an option. Drought is not stranger to Texas, and trying to live our lives oblivious to that fact is a dangerous game to play.
There are also updated technologies and agricultural practices that can be used domestically as well as commercially to help lessen the impact of the droughts this region faces while still promoting healthy growth. For instance, using drip irrigation and soaker hoses are much more effective and wastes less water than traditional watering methods. On a more commercial level, there are workshops available for farmers and ranchers who wish to learn how to conserve water while still maintaining their business. This however requires ranchers and farmers to be open to learning new practices and evolving the way they operate their businesses. As consumers, we can do our part to encourage this behavior by using our purchasing power to let them know what we want from our businesses.
Another very important thing we can do individually is to demand to our state lawmakers that policies be made to stop rewarding excessive water usage and update our terrible water rights laws. Right now, Oil and Fraking companies receive massive tax breaks and subsidies for their excessive water usage, and the more they use, the cheaper it is for them. What's worse is that over 50% of what they use is just wasted. There has been a push to get these companies to recycle the water they use, which has proven effective, but it is still cheaper to mine the water directly from the table below them so many are not interested in this avenue.
Like I said before, there is no easy solution to the monster we are all facing. But if we work hard, learn to adapt, and compromise, we can really make a difference. We are Texans, we deserve better and we need to fight for it!
As my final entry in this blog I will be responding to a post written by a fellow classmate, which can be found here.
ReplyDeleteThe issue at hand is water. As most people are aware, water is a dwindling resource in the central Texas region. I find it somewhat ironic that this issue has been put off by the public for so long, seeing how central Texas is an arid environment and, were it not for the extensive urbanization, would look like a simple desert, not the mecca of opportunity and economic wealth that it has become. Yet, in spite of our beautiful city, we cannot outrun or outspend the fact that we are running out of water.
My classmate brings up several good points on how to address this issue, including; drip irrigation, more personal responsibility, furthering education for farmers and watering techniques, and more penalties for poor fracking methods. I am in strong agreement with these ideas and I also was previously unaware that the average Texan uses 72.5 gallons daily. To me, this number seems outrageously high, yet I believe it’s accuracy.
In the end I believe that conserving our water will come down to the individual. I will drink on average .5 to 1 gallon of water every day... so where do the other 71 gallons come from. Dishes, bath, and hand washing make up the rest of my water usage. I am more than sure that I and other Texans can find ways to cut back on these elements of our every day lives.