Stores like Home Depot and Lowes are great places for your parents or neighbors to shop to buy plants that are specific to the environment in which you live.
Now, I am young and do not own a home, but it is important to encourage your parents and their neighbors to conserve water. My parents live in a city that currently holds a water-conservation policy, because the city is in a temporary drought situation.
If you ever drive on roads where dozens of more stoplights have been popping up recently, stop and observe these at each light:
The center median on the road: Is it lush and pretty, full of a mix of forrest-type trees right next to pretty flowers?
I know this sounds like I have a lot of time on my hands. I don't. I just drive a lot. And I notice the backdrop of hills: hills with brush and weeds. Natural hills.
We do not have an endless supply of water. It takes a massive amount of manpower to clean and dilute the pollution, distribute water, and price our water.
Water should not be wasted on plants that aren't supposed to be in the desert - this water should be used in our homes, at least.
It seems as if most people would be able to understand that golf courses take a lot of water to keep the grass perfectly green.
But does anyone ever wonder, at least in Southern California, why our desert/Mediterranean landscapes are degraded and built over by contractors from who-knows-where?
I think it's funny how the natural landscapes are intercut with roads that are so-called "shortcuts." But then the shortcuts are intercut with other "shortcuts" and then the result is a stoplight every 20 feet. (Stop lights that, by the way, only stay green long enough to let one car go through.) Medians on the roads are created and planted with beautiul, tall mixes of trees and plants. Trees that sometimes look like they don't belong. Trees that look forest-y. Trees that are brought in from somewhere else to replace the trees that were just cut down.
Nature is demolished, and in turn, to compensate for the fact that buildings are built over the land, landscapers are hired to plant plants around the buildings. Plants that are too manicured-looking. Plants that don't go with the landscape. Plants that might not be drought-resistant.
Why does every city in SoCal let developers come in and completely degrade nature?? Places where I took child-hood and teen walks are no more.
It is quite sad how SoCal is a concrete jungle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDZ46EfCOW0
Check out this awesome video!
Surfrider Foundation included this in one of their emails they sent to me.
I am inspired to search and compile a list of senators, local councilman, etc to have on hand whenever I need to write about an issue I feel is important, such as water issues. I live close to the ocean and it's important that it stay as pollution free as possible!
And remember, plastic NEVER fully disinegrates and can be toxic to not only marine life, but to your health as well!
In a Sustainabilty Task Force Meeting on campus the other day, I was alerted to the fact that there is a mysterious brook near some NYU property called Minetta Brook which has disapeared! That's nuts! It is the source of many a blog speculation, but I am blown away!
Mostly I am tripped out by the fact that New York City used to have natural features like that. They tell me it used to be a forest. A forest! I am stoked nowadays when I see plants on fire escapes.Brooks mean that little animals used to poke around foliage and drink from it (I am imagining Bambi obviously)
What do you guys think about this phenomenon? There is some speculation that the stream is likely redirected directly to storm drains, meaning it turns into polluted, unsueable sludge instead of sinking back into groud water reserves. Which is a strike against. But look at that picture of Bambi, and tell me we don't need some more of that around the city.
