Submitted by Eileen Guo
As we all know, California is in a drought, and we’re encouraged to do all things possible in order to conserve water. However, some “solutions” are too extreme. I was in a restaurant the other day, only to learn that if water was served without the customer’s request, the restaurant could be fined! These things are taken to extremes and it’s absolutely ridiculous.
After California’s rule about watering the lawn, people have quickly changed to having fake grass. They started cutting down trees and planting desert plants instead. To be honest, I hate those turfs and those ugly desert plants that are scattered around my neighborhood.
Gardening is a way to relieve stress and is the hobby of countless Americans. Trees provide oxygen and plants create a peaceful atmosphere. Why should this be taken away from those who love to garden? Or even from those who just solely appreciate nature?
Saving water can be easy. It starts in your own home. For example, before your shower, the water is cold and you have to wait before the water becomes warm. You can save the cold water in a little tub to water your plants/lawn, or even save it for washing the dishes. The water used from your actual shower often cannot be recycled for watering plants because the chemicals used in shampoo and conditioner are not always biodegradable.
In addition to that, dish soap water should also be avoided to water your plants. The companies that claim to be “eco-friendly” and “biodegradable” are all lying. If you research all the ingredients in a website called EWG (Environmental Working Group), you’ll find that most soaps that claim to be environmentally friendly only rank a “C” or a “F” on the green scale!
To avoid soaps that harm the plants and our water supply, it’s important to choose soaps that are not antibacterial. As crazy as that may sound, the chemicals will not be able to be cleared through the irrigation system, and it cannot be used to water plants. It will only create stronger bacteria that’s immune to the dish soap, therefore letting companies create an even stronger antibacterial soap to improve their market.
It’s sad how we’re in a drought and it’s sad how some people have to give up their beautiful lawn. If we all started helping from our own home, then maybe we can prevent all these ridiculous rules.
