Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Water Conservation

Water, we take it for granted.  Turn the spigot and out it flows.
At our cabin the water is supplied by a mutual water company run by volunteers. The system is drained in the fall and awaits the melting of snow to be turned back on. This year the snow is slow to melt.

I have a back-up plan.  I left six gallons of drinking water and a five gallon Igloo container filled with water.  For non-potable water uses I have this 120 quart stock pot in which we melt snow.  By being very careful with my use, I can get by for three or four days.

Our time at the cabin without running water and our travels in the Roadtrek make me very aware of water usage.  I find myself at home using the same strategies to conserve.

Here in California water is always an issue.  There isn't enough and there are arguments as to who should get this valuable resource.  Farmer's put up signs along the highway proclaiming a "government mandated dust bowl".  Environmentalists point to diminished habitat and a reduction in fish populations due to water diversions.  Home owners in one county are told to water their lawns only once or twice a week while other counties say they have no problem.

We take it for granted, turn the spigot and out it flows, maybe. 

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Snow still fell this Memorial Day weekend so I'm guessing the snow will be slow to melt this year. I could still catch the waterfalls in Yosemite - I haven't been yet this year.

Have you shown the exterior of your cabin before? I'm pretty curious.

Anonymous said...

What an important entry of yours ! Nice detail photography as well. Please have you all a nice Wednesday.

daily athens

Ebie said...

Yes it is true about water conservation, and it is an issue here too.

You have a well devised plan. Great idea of melting the ice.

Although I needed a lot of water during my hike.

eileeninmd said...

Great idea melting the ice and snow. I guess water is just another thing we take for granted and it might be best to conserve. Have you tried the rainbarrels to collect water?

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

We sure take it for granted here in NE Oklahoma. Its not called "green country" for nothing. I hate to see waste though.

Gaelyn said...

Water is so precious. After living in a RV for so many years, even when in a house I turn off the faucet between washing and rinsing. A good reminder for all. Plus, why do we really need a lawn that needs to be watered.

Regina said...

Nice one Martha!
Great post.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Very interesting post -- we saw those "govt caused dustbowl" signs when we drove through CA last Feb -- we googled to read about that controversy after seeing them. RV living and esp. RoadTrek travel has been a lesson to us too in conserving water.

It's a lot of work to have to go to for you with the snow melt, but that cabin obviously makes it worthwhile! It looks very warm and welcoming.

Diane AZ said...

Really neat set up you have with the big stock pot of snow next to the hot stove.

Here in the desert we have many golf courses sporting brilliant green grass year-round. Most are irrigated with reclaimed water, but I don't see why it's okay to squander water even if it's not potable.

penny said...

Thanks for reminding us about how luck we are to have running water. We should all do whatever we can to conserve it before its to late and the well runs dry...

EG CameraGirl said...

Wonderful reminder of how precious water is, Martha. Here in Ontario we are surrounded by water but it is still precious...CLEAN water is, anyway.

Paulie said...

Now, that's real camping! I know that you are having a great time in spite of the hassles with water. I will leave a comment on the ones I missed below. . .

Joanne Olivieri said...

I love your take on this theme. Cool photography.

Katney said...

Very good points--and one of a lot of things we take for granted. In our valley irrigaion water is always a topic of conversation. The quality of our well water is currently a problem. At the moment, here on the dry side of the state, we are having weather more typical of the wet side.

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

the weather is unpredictable. we had drought, and then in 3 days we had so much rain, and flooded our South Island.