What is the west going to do about this?

[Anonymous]

The drought out west is just getting worse and worse. The Colorado River is running dry and places like Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada are having their water rationed. Will people move away from those states? Or learn to live with less water? I do think its insane that people have lived in these arid areas and insist on having green grass, pools, etc instead of learning to live within the environment that is there.

[Anonymous]

People will have to move away. But it's going to be painful for a while until they realize that's the solution.

[Anonymous]

They need stricter water use, plus banning crops. I really believe that people shouldn't live in places that can't support populations. Like flood prone areas.

[Anonymous]

People might have to finally admit that living a modern lifestyle in a desert isn’t sustainable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The drought out west is just getting worse and worse. The Colorado River is running dry and places like Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada are having their water rationed. Will people move away from those states? Or learn to live with less water? I do think its insane that people have lived in these arid areas and insist on having green grass, pools, etc instead of learning to live within the environment that is there.

It is very difficult to get a permit for a private swimming pool in Santa Fe, New Mexico due to water conservation initiatives. (We were visiting during a tour of homes event and not any of the newly constructed homes--all priced in way above $1 million--had a swimming pool.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They need stricter water use, plus banning crops. I really believe that people shouldn't live in places that can't support populations. Like flood prone areas.

"Banning crops" is an interesting thought. Legalization of marijuana in Colorado & New Mexico has resulted in heavy water usage to irrigate the plants. Marijuana plants require a lot of water according to opposition group literature.

[Anonymous]

I remember being horrified by the number of backyard swimming pools neighborhoods in LV had as I flew back east on a business trip. No wonder the Colorado River no longer reaches Mexico. Those should be the first to go.

Sustainable houses a la Tatooine buoy for desert living should be the norm.

[Anonymous]

They should just make water out of the ocean, would solve all these issues

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Or learn to live with less water? I do think its insane that people have lived in these arid areas and insist on having green grass, pools, etc instead of learning to live within the environment that is there.

I grew up in an arid area and I can tell you've never been. The area was designed with limiting water usage. People had small yards of often native plants. Every neighborhood had at least one large grassy area for kids to play in that was maintained by the city often using gray water or no water. The small yards allowed a walkable and bikeable area. The paths were lined with native plants that didn't require much attention.

In Arizona and New Mexico where it is even drier people have dirt or gravel yards. I've also seen artificial turf.

Keep in mind that the weather of these last few years don't mirror the rainfall that was received when these cities and towns were growing. It's a bit like wondering why the DC suburbs didn't just put in more metro connections in 1910.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People might have to finally admit that living a modern lifestyle in a desert isn’t sustainable.

This has been my view for decades. And people still keep going there, wanting green lawns, swimming pools, casinos, etc.
We've effed this up badly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Or learn to live with less water? I do think its insane that people have lived in these arid areas and insist on having green grass, pools, etc instead of learning to live within the environment that is there.

I grew up in an arid area and I can tell you've never been. The area was designed with limiting water usage. People had small yards of often native plants. Every neighborhood had at least one large grassy area for kids to play in that was maintained by the city often using gray water or no water. The small yards allowed a walkable and bikeable area. The paths were lined with native plants that didn't require much attention.

In Arizona and New Mexico where it is even drier people have dirt or gravel yards. I've also seen artificial turf.

Keep in mind that the weather of these last few years don't mirror the rainfall that was received when these cities and towns were growing. It's a bit like wondering why the DC suburbs didn't just put in more metro connections in 1910.

This is not accurate, and yes, I've been there. While there is what you describe, there are also most definitely lawns, pools, etc. But even if we take what you say at face value, the bigger question is should people be living there at all, and certainly in such numbers.

[Anonymous]

Why is the Phoenix, Arizona area growing so much in population despite extreme heat and water shortages / depletion of water ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They should just make water out of the ocean, would solve all these issues

Desalination through reverse osmosis is very real, and the obvious and ultimate solution. They just have to wait out the environmentalists and the NIMBYs who will throw every wrench they can into the process until the vast majority of people who aren't paying attention are forced to confront the issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They should just make water out of the ocean, would solve all these issues

Desalination through reverse osmosis is very real, and the obvious and ultimate solution. They just have to wait out the environmentalists and the NIMBYs who will throw every wrench they can into the process until the vast majority of people who aren't paying attention are forced to confront the issue.

The ultimate solution is to not use so much water unnecessarily. Yes, desalination can help. But, the oceans have an ecosystem and balance too. You can just start effing with that and not expect to negatively impact the oceans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They should just make water out of the ocean, would solve all these issues

Desalination through reverse osmosis is very real, and the obvious and ultimate solution. They just have to wait out the environmentalists and the NIMBYs who will throw every wrench they can into the process until the vast majority of people who aren't paying attention are forced to confront the issue.

The ultimate solution is to not use so much water unnecessarily. Yes, desalination can help. But, the oceans have an ecosystem and balance too. You can just start effing with that and not expect to negatively impact the oceans.

You can take a LOT of water out of the Pacific Ocean before you start affecting its ecosystems. I mean...look at it on your kid's globe. It's pretty big, don't you think?