None of us can make a difference by ourselves to the prevent water waste, but together we all can. No individual’s failure to act will undermine the will of the collective effort, however if more people chose not to contribute than contribute we will never change for the better. Water conservation is a serious matter.
We need to feed lots more people in the coming years and have to figure out how to do it with the same amount of water we have today. Since you are reading this blog, you are probably acutely aware of the situation and part of the collective solution. So the question for you is do we have a obligation to correct the water wasters.
Do We Speak About Water Waste
The photo in the featured article is just one of many houses I see on my daily runs. This is an exception, but not a rare exception. No one is maliciously wasting water. My guess is a contractor was hired to do work and the homeowner thought he was getting a good value for his money.
Unless they were tuned into the water management business they don’t see the 3- 5 immediate recommendations you see that would correct the water waste here. So, do we tell them? What would be a circumstance, how bad would the water waste have to be to tell them. Certainly if we see a mainline break we are going to run to the door and tell the homeowner or business owner. This is a situation that would be rewarded. What about overspray on the sidewalk, using drip irrigation instead of sprays, or maybe using a Water-Sense approved smart controller recommended by the EPA, explaining cycle and soak? What are the chances the owner would be receptive to any of these. How do we know where the line is and the best way to communicate the message.
How Do You Approach Someone Without Coming Off As A Jerk
The first step would be to talk with them. They may not be aware of the problem or understand there is a more water efficient way of watering. Hopefully this isn’t the first time you met your neighbor, but if it is, baked goods are an excellent way to break the ice. Finally, offering up some solutions with contact information for qualified contractors is a big help. I know, helpful but still uncomfortable. Just remember to consider how you would want to be approached in this situation and do that.
Is The Solution To Keep Your House In Order And Hope Others Do As Well
Part of being a solution provider also means you need to be open to advice about your watering as well. Are you okay with someone reviewing your irrigation? If not why not? Get your house in order first. Be willing to have someone else review your irrigation practices. If all of us would follow the best water management practices on the properties we manage there wouldn’t be a need to ever approach a neighbor with suggestions.
Unfortunately there are no perfect answers for all the situations we face concerning water conservation. This article may have raised more questions than answers, but thinking thoughtfully about solutions will help all of us. If you have some suggestions about the best ways to handle water wasters I encourage you to share them in the comment area below.
