Wasting Water: How It Affects Us

          Reservoirs in California are currently at less than 40% capacity. (Wise)  This shocking fact has put our state in a crisis. California has been experiencing a severe drought over the last 5 to 7 years with rainfall and snowpack being a great deal less than in previous years. The limited water supply is severely impacting the economic health of California. Since there is very little we can do to make it rain more or increase the amount of snowpack in the mountains, getting control of our water usage on a daily basis is one of the only means California has to lessen the impact of this water crisis. There are many essential ways for the government and individual people in California to conserve our limited water supply.

Agriculture and industry have been critically impacted by the drought and water crisis. California has had its hottest winter ever, registering average temperatures 4.4 degrees warmer than the state's 20th-century average, and  the state's snowpack at just 12 percent of normal (Howitt) . Farmers in the Central Valley have been severely affected because  agricultural crops require irrigation that uses up to 41% of the state's water supply every year (Perlman) The current drought has produced losses up to $2.2 billion, and close to 17,000 farmers have lost their jobs due to declining income and inability to continue planting high income crops such as almonds that take up to 600 gallons of water per pound of nuts.( SCA) Businesses that depend on farming, for example, companies that make tractors, food processors, and distributors, may lose business when drought damages crops or crop cultivation has to change. In addition, there are environmental impacts that include losses or destruction of fish and wildlife habitat and a lack of food and drinking water for wild animals which may cause migration of wildlife. (Perlman) The drought in California has had a negative effect on the entire population of the state.

There have been several attempts by the government as well as conservation groups to lessen the impact of the water crisis in California. The government is currently attempting to control farm water usage by  passing legislation limiting water consumption in the hope of getting this crisis under control. In addition, Governor Jerry Brown  mandated a 25 percent reduction in urban water use across the state.(Wise) In order for farmers need to conserve  water, they will need to plant more drought tolerant crops, use drip irrigation, as well as use improved efficiency and monitoring systems for irrigation. (Wise) One of the concerns is that new agricultural regulations must be legislated and enforced or changes will probably not be made by farmers due to the added expense.

 There are many things we all can do to help cut down on water use, such as, using low-drip faucets. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), science agency for the Department of the Interior, people use 80 to 100 gallons of water per day (USGS ).  There is a great  amount of wasted water  every day as most people unconsciously allow water to run down sink drains and into streets that could be recycled. A first way in which water can be conserved is we all should be collecting the water that generally just runs down drains or into the  streets into containers. An easy way to catch water is by putting a bucket into the shower. When a person showers that bucket fills up with the water that runs off our bodies as well as water that falls to the sides of us. This water can be used to flush toilets by pouring it into the bowl which causes the toilet to automatically flush its content into the sewer or septic tank therefore saving the fresh water from being used to flush the toilet. Shower water can also be recycled by watering plants with it. In addition, placing large containers such as old garbage cans directly under drain pipes that channel rainwater off the roof into these storage containers so water can be used to water plants and trees. Washing machines can also be altered to drain into containers which store the used water for later use for plants. Also, a container can be placed in kitchen sinks, which can catch excess water while dishes are being washed. Again, this water can be used to flush toilets or water plants. Doing this can help save a great deal of water that just goes down the drain or runs into the streets.

Another strategy which has been attempted for saving water is to install low flow devices which cut down on the amount of water that is used. First, there are low-flow showerheads that control the amount of water that is released. Standard showers use 2.1 gallons of water a minute. (Showers) (Howitt). These low-flow devices reduce the potentially wasted water by forcing people to take showers using less water.  The average family of four uses  881 gallons of water a week to flush their toilets ( Howitt) Low-flow toilets which use less water with each flush, but still remove the contents of the toilet bowl. These improvements reserve the needed water supply for other uses that are vital for everyone. Finally, washing machine and dishwashers also now have been developed that utilize less water than old style washers, This saves valuable water for agriculture and drinking and helps to stretch our limited supply.

The drought in California has created many serious problems for the economy of the state. The government is trying to solve the water shortage, but it is very difficult and everyone in the  needs to participate in reducing the amount of water we consume.  Having enough clean water is a major concern throughout the world and this resource which is so vital to survival will continue to be a problem because the population of the planet is growing. New ways to conserve and recycle water will be necessary.   

Works Cited

Richard E. Howitt, Duncan Macewan, Josué Medellín-Azuara, Jay R. Lund, Daniel A. Sumner, Richard Howitt. "Economic Analysis of the 2015 Drought for California Agriculture."Econmic Analysis of the 2015 Drought For California Agriculture (2015): n. pag.Department of Food and Agriculture. University of

California Davis, 17 Aug. 2015. Web. 26 May 2017.

Perlman, USGS Howard. "Water Questions & AnswersHow Much Water Does the Average Person Use at Home per Day?" Per Capita Water Use. Water Questions and Answers; USGS Water Science School.

USA.gov, 02 Dec. 2016. Web. 25 May 2017.

Quora Wise. "Why Wasting Water Is A Much Bigger Problem Than You Think." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 28

July 2016. Web. 25 May 2017.

Sciences, California Academy of. "Does California’s Agriculture Industry Need More Water Restrictions Due

to the Drought?" KQED Learning. California Academy of Sciences, 29 Apr. 2015. Web. 25 May 2017.

"Showers." Showers | Home Water Works. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2017

To,
      Rosa Parks

      I just wanted to send this letter to you of how much i appreciate you for standing up for yourself and saying what you felt was right.What you did is a huge part of history for telling the guy no on the bus when he told you to move to the back.Everyone should be equal and i agree with you.This was probably a very hard thing to do at this time and get out of your comfort zone.You have helped me think if i am getting treated wrong or someone else to say whats right.

      The most Transformation book i have ever read was Spider Man.  the reason this is a transformation book is when he gets bit by a spider, and turns into a superhero.He becomes super strong and shoots webs from his wrists.This changed me to be careful who you bully.Spider man was a kid that got bullied  and when people started to mess with him he finally handled it.This is why i thought this book was a Transformation book.

Lessons

inspiration from my parents

It's not hard to decide what you want your life to be about. What's hard is figuring out what you're willing to give up in order to do the things you really care about. My mom has been  a huge inspiration to me because my dad  lives in Los Angeles and I only see him every other weekend. It is my mom who has been responsible for raising my two younger sisters and me by herself.  She works hard and has a lot to do everyday, but she is always organized so I can go to games and make my sports possible. My mom has always encouraged me to pursue things that I am passionate about even if she can’t relate well to them or is not personally interested in what I love. Basketball and football are my favorite sports. Even though it is sometimes late at night, my mom picks me up after every practice. Because she modeled for me giving up her own time to help me, I have learned to be willing to sacrifice my time and what I want to do to help her.  I  always want to help her before she even asks for me to do something - even the little things will make her happy.  My sisters need a lot of care especially my three year old sister. For example, when she cries, whether loudly or softly, my mom will go up to her and ask what's wrong, with care and patience.. There is always something that needs to be done.  I have learned to put the needs of my mom and sisters ahead of mine. That is not always easy to do, but I see how important that is if my family is going to work well. My mom  has supported my passion to play basketball by paying for a gym membership so I can practice. I know this is expensive and not easy for her, but she really wants me to succeed in something that I love, so I want to do well for her as much as for me. She also supports  my attending a new private school that is giving me an opportunity to improve both my athletic and  my academic abilities.  Through this new experience I have learned to make choices that are for my future and the future of my family and not just the present.  When I am with friends now I  know that I often need to make the hard choices to complete my school assignments  and focus on practice rather than playing  on our phones, being lazy, or just messing around. I have a responsibility to my mom and sisters to make decisions that will help our lives be better. This is not always easy and sometimes I make the wrong choice, but I know what I have to do so I really try to make smart choices for our future.Lessons

inspiration from my parents

It's not hard to decide what you want your life to be about. What's hard is figuring out what you're willing to give up in order to do the things you really care about. My mom has been  a huge inspiration to me because my dad  lives in Los Angeles and I only see him every other weekend. It is my mom who has been responsible for raising my two younger sisters and me by herself.  She works hard and has a lot to do everyday, but she is always organized so I can go to games and make my sports possible. My mom has always encouraged me to pursue things that I am passionate about even if she can’t relate well to them or is not personally interested in what I love. Basketball and football are my favorite sports. Even though it is sometimes late at night, my mom picks me up after every practice. Because she modeled for me giving up her own time to help me, I have learned to be willing to sacrifice my time and what I want to do to help her.  I  always want to help her before she even asks for me to do something - even the little things will make her happy.  My sisters need a lot of care especially my three year old sister. For example, when she cries, whether loudly or softly, my mom will go up to her and ask what's wrong, with care and patience.. There is always something that needs to be done.  I have learned to put the needs of my mom and sisters ahead of mine. That is not always easy to do, but I see how important that is if my family is going to work well. My mom  has supported my passion to play basketball by paying for a gym membership so I can practice. I know this is expensive and not easy for her, but she really wants me to succeed in something that I love, so I want to do well for her as much as for me. She also supports  my attending a new private school that is giving me an opportunity to improve both my athletic and  my academic abilities.  Through this new experience I have learned to make choices that are for my future and the future of my family and not just the present.  When I am with friends now I  know that I often need to make the hard choices to complete my school assignments  and focus on practice rather than playing  on our phones, being lazy, or just messing around. I have a responsibility to my mom and sisters to make decisions that will help our lives be better. This is not always easy and sometimes I make the wrong choice, but I know what I have to do so I really try to make smart choices for our future.

Friday, February 10  We went to the museum of Tolerance it was a great experience for me.

This was a very hard time for me to hear what happened in the 1940s and was really sad how many people died. The crazy thing about this was the amount of people that died and how they died.This was a great thing to learn about and knowing exactly what happened then.I liked how we got to go in the gas camber of  how they killed most people and feel how it would feel waiting for the gas to kill us.It was also really cool how we got to meet a survivor and here what he had to talk about and explain what he remembered.

Our tour guide, Walter was a great guide and taking his time to explain everything to us and everyday that he guides people and tell them what happened must be really hard to half to talk about it all the time.But know knowing this information I just hope this will never happen again.Its crazy how cruel people could be in this world. I thought it was cool how much I learned for never hearing this before. 

   

             Dear, Husband

          How have you been the family, and farm is good i have been doing business.
        I have missed you so much when are you coming back. I have been working as a
         nurse. It is really hard to watch all the people come in.They are really hard on
          us, and make us work all day.Please stay healthy and safe,we will miss you.
          I hope you receive this letter before its to late. 

        From, your wife                   
               Nancy                                           

My name is Jamal and this letter is to Zackery Tailor. I feel like we need to stop slavery. The reason we need to stop slavery is because people need to be free and be able to love there family's and not make somebody do something for them. This is why we need to stop slavery