So by now you must have seen the headlines. California is in the grips of a devastating drought:
And this has some noticeable consequences:
What’s to be done about it? Well, a while back Derek Jensen noted that shorter showers are not the real answer. And while collective action to deal with root causes needs to be stepped up (yes, I mean things like reducing greenhouse gas emissions… what planet have you been on for the last few decades?), we can also consider how to reduce our individual impacts in ways that are most effective.
Do you have to give up your burgers and steaks altogether to make a difference? Of course not: two avid-to-average carnivores who cut their meat consumption in half is just as beneficial as one person who goes all the way veg. Meatless Mondays are a way to start – just do what you can to recruit six of your friends. You don’t have to be perfect – the less meat-eating you do, the better you’re doing:
Better health for you as individuals, better water conservation, better greenhouse gas reduction – why wouldn’t you? And then there’s the whole set of animal rights considerations.
Maybe you’re not ready to go all the way, but wouldn’t you rather at least reduce your complicity in this mess? Sure, it’s still a good idea to take shorter showers (and catch some of that water before it just goes down the drain), lose the lawn, and do other things to reduce your direct water waste. But remember that these won’t have as much impact as changing your diet.
Ponderings of a Perplexed Primate 