California

First, let’s get it out of the way and say that yes, I am incredibly pissed off by prop 8.

That said, this post has nothing to do with prop 8.

California is in trouble. Big trouble. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that I expect California to be shedding population by this time next year. There are several reasons for this:
1.) The foreclosure crisis. Google ‘tent cities’ or ‘car sleepers’ and see how many people out there are living in tents and cars. Eventually some of them are going to figure out that the cost of living is lower in other parts of the country and get together the funds to leave.
2.) The rest of the economic mess. California’s budget crisis is deepening, and there are almost certainly going to be massive spending cuts in the months to come. Bankruptcy is a possibility, as is tax increases. Also, job losses are going to throw a lot of people out of work.
3.) Last, and most important, word has come down that water deliveries to just 15% of the amount requested. That’s an 85% cut. In one year. (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081031/ap_on_re_us/california_water#full) This could cause rationing and shortfalls in cities and on farms. Let me rephrase that: it almost certainly will cause rationing and shortfalls, with the current drought and population levels.

How many people are going to stand for this? And for how long? It is eventually going to occur to at least some of them that others places are NOT a desert and might be better places to live.
As for the rest…eventually they’ll have to get used to living in a desert, with the attendant water problems.

Rain, Rain, and more rain

Fay is moving through my area. We got a few of the outer rain bands on Sunday, and then the rain began on earnest about noon yesterday. It still hasn't stopped and isn't supposed to until after midnight tonight. It is coming down at just the right rate; not to fast and not too slow. The ground, still parched from the drought, is absorbing it. I could see the trees perk up when the first rain came through on Sunday. The drought isn't as bad this year as it has been the last two; it seems to be breaking up slowly but surely. Which is a good thing.

One thing that has struck me the past couple of days is the number of people complaining about the rain. Everywhere I go, somone is complaining and wishing it was over and sunny again. Even people who should know better, like my pagan meeting group and a bunch of environmentalists I know. We're in a drought and they are complaining about rain. No, we're not getting it like they did in Florida -four inches or so is what the forecasters say. And yet people are complaining.

This the measure of how disconnected we have become from the world -that we complain about the rain in the middle of a drought. We need this rain, some of us desperately, but people are just complaining but it puts a crimp in their plans. Admittedly, I used to not care much for rainy days either. I thought they were cold and depressing. Now I welcome the rain -for what it does for me, my land, my garden, and the earth itself. I went outside earlier and just stood, letting the light rain was over me, and felt completely content.

90% Reduction Plan

All right, I’ve been working on my reduction plan. I know I’m doing this at the last hour, but here goes. This project is going to be hard to do with two people in the house (at least for the summer), one of whom isn’t involved. But I’m going to do my best.

1.) Gasoline. Current Usage: 336 gallons per year. Goal: 50 gallons per year. This will be tough, given that I live in an area without public transit. My primary destinations are: school (5 miles round trip, 3-4x a week, depending on the semester), the artists market (10 miles round trip 1x per week), my grandmothers (20 miles round trip, 1x per week), and church (10 miles round trip, 1x per week). I also occasionally have to run to the store as well. That’s 60 miles, or roughly 2 gallons of gas, a week. Right there that’s a 104 gallons a year, or more than twice the allowed limit. But, I still use another 232 gallons of gas a year, and there I definitely have opportunities to cut. So here’s my plans to cut:
-limit trips to the store and farmer’s market to no more than twice a month, preferably once. (Save in the event of an emergency.)
-limit social outings to twice a month.
-limit trips to the library to twice a month, and only then on the way home from church (it’s on the way).
I’m also going to Canada for ten days in August (a trip that I’ve all ready had planned) so that will burn some gas. But, I am going by bus so that will fall under public transport.

2.) Electricity. I’m screwed as far as getting down to 90kWh per year is concerned, since I have an all electric house. Since my power is renewable –at least the first 300 kWh/month –this is not the highest on my list to reduce below the 300 kWh/month mark. Toward that end I’ll be making some changes though:
-keeping the ac off as much as possible (once the smoke clears, at any rate)
-unplugging the microwave when not in use
-reducing the amount of laundry I generate, and always using the clothesline
-trying to cook only two or three times a week, and trying to bake only one day a week.
I’m not going to be getting rid of my fridge like some are doing. I use it to keep leftovers, and to freeze food for future meals. This is crucial to my being able to eat right during semesters. Once I get out of school this won’t be so much of an issue.

3.) Heating and Cooking Energy –not applicable; included under Electricity usage above.

4.) Garbage and Recycling. Garbage –for my personal trash production I’m almost there. I’m going to work on reducing the amount of packaging coming into the house. I’ve been working on this for some time but obviously have more work to do. But how the devil do I reduce the amount of cat litter and waste? Any ideas?
Recycling –I am a BIG recycler. I try to recycle everything, including a lot of things that would go into other people’s trash. Cardboard boxes, cans, plastic bottles, and glass, all go to the recycler. I’m not sure how much I produce, so I need to measure this, but it’s obvious I need to cut down on the number of canned goods and boxes coming into the house.

5.) Water –I’m going to install rain barrels to use for watering the ornamentals (when it finally rains again). And I’m going to start using more graywater. I also had to talk to my brother about his water usage yesterday. Not because of this project really, but because of the drought and my pocketbook. The boy is a water hog –he can’t stand taking less than a twenty minute shower everyday. (Sometimes twice a day.) He has literally doubled my water usage in the few weeks he’s been here. So I spoke with him and he’s agreed to do better.

6.) Consumer Goods –I’m about there right now, thanks to compacting and a frugal sensibility. I need to find out how food plants fits into this though.

7.) Food. I’m going to get all my fresh fruits and veggies exclusively from my garden and the farmer’s market. I’m going to start eating more fresh foods as opposed to bulk. I’ll start canning and freezing more of my own food instead of buying so much canned foods. I’m going to reduce the amount of dairy and all processed foods still further –crackers, chili, etc. I am also going to extend my garden beds so that I can grow more of my own food, and this fall I hope to try my hand at small scale grain production (in the form of oats).

Water Rationing This Way Cometh

I talked to a friend at a party tonight who's in a position to know such things. It's not public yet, but if the drought doesn't break by the beginning of the summer the whole area is going to be put on water rationing. The groundwater table has gone down by 18 inches in the last year -and that's not counting the dams. Some of the tributaries may run dry later this year without enough rain to refill them. There are counties that are 40 inches below normal rain fall levels.

If they go to water-rationing, guess what will get banned? Car washes, and watering lawns and gardens. I couldn't give a hoot about the first two (I've never watered my lawn) but there's no way I could stop watering my garden. I eat out of that thing, for goodness sake!

It looks like I'd better move up the rain barrels and the grey water system* on my list of things to get. Like, all the way to the top.

*said grey water system, at least at first, will be buckets to catch shower water, dish water, and washer water.