This is the time of year that we talk about how different the next year will be or we talk about committing to change something in our lives that will help us improve ourselves. Our intentions to make changes are admirable but most of us don’t always achieve the goals we set for ourselves every January 1. 2010 is unique because it’s not just the beginning of a new year but the beginning of a new decade.
It is my opinion that the reason we don’t always follow through with those New Year’s resolutions is because we become complacent. There are many things to consider for change in our lives and one is the conservation of a very valuable commodity…WATER. The City Council recently adopted ordinances at it’s first meeting of the New Year which created a framework by which we could conserve our water supply.
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission recently deemed that our water supply from Hetch Hetchy will not increase until 2015 which puts a tremendous strain on new development and the needs of the area. It is time to make changes in the way we use water. That is, we need to see what each and every one of us can do to change our habits when it comes to water consumption.
At the turn of the 20th century there were wise conservationists who saw fit to preserve our natural resources. Theodore Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot halted the waste of some resources and established national conservation programs that were very successful. In addition, a generation later, Franklin Roosevelt built dams to preserve our much needed water as our country grew. During that time in our nation’s young history there were those who emphasized that the cause of conservation would ultimately fail unless every generation of Americans made a commitment to the future.
In a 1963 speech by President John Kennedy, he states that “we are reaching the limits of our fundamental needs, of water to drink, of fresh air to breathe, of open space to enjoy, of abundant sources of energy to make life easier.” Global climate changes and the tremendous population growth over the years have found us draining our water sources. What once seemed like uninterruptable abundant sources of water has changed dramatically with the reduction in the snow levels, droughts and ever increasing needs for new housing developments and over- population.
To keep this effort of conserving for the future in check, the Council paved the way for water conservation measures to be put in place in Foster City. It is incumbent upon the leadership to create a policy framework for emphasis on conservation of our water supply. It seems only fitting that in the final analysis, water conservation is a project by the people and for the people, that is; we are responsible for our own habits.
Conservation efforts are a necessity to protect the water we have, to use it well and not waste it. There are many approaches to water conservation. Some of the basic ones are repairing leaks, purchasing low-flow appliances, being alert to water wasting actions, native plantings, rain gardens, and "smart" sprinklers. Water consumption can be significantly reduced in the home without giving up comfort and convenience.
One of the biggest barriers to water conservation is the perception of conservation itself. There are many ways to look at the term conservation. It can be approached either as a cost-benefit model that involves trade-offs, it can be seen as simply meaning deprivation, or it can be looked at as a healthy model of improved efficiency. Today, conservation generally refers to efficiency of use.
Conservation no longer means depriving oneself or having to give up something in order to retain other benefits. We are not by nature a wasteful people but the abundance of what there is around us has caused us to forget that nothing is forever. Water conservation is the ability to enhance efficiency without detriment to your water system.
We just need to change our habits. I recall the college days when we had roommates and we took those 3 minute showers so we all had hot water. We couldn’t wait until we had our own places and could stay in a shower forever. If we could all just change some bad habits, our water consumption can be reduced significantly.
Water conservation is the most powerful tool that California has in addressing water shortages. In preparation for drought conditions, it is important to place an emphasis on water conservation. It is estimated that off-the-shelf conservation can conserve 1.5-2 million acre-feet of water per year (equivalent to nearly 500 to more than 650 trillion gallons), enough water to provide 3-4 million homes with water for an entire year.
The surge of scientific advancements and public awareness will enable us to devise programs and enable us to preserve those natural resources of which we have been given stewardship. What is important to future generations is what we do with our conservation legacy. Please take the time to evaluate your personal water consumption and make those small changes that will make a big difference.
Please contact me with your comments on this and other issues email me at: lkoelling@fostercity.org.
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