The Water Deficit

Water farming practices going big time...

The Water Deficit (http://the-scientist.com/2011/08/23/opinion-the-water-deficit/)

"Current farming practices draw too much of the world’s freshwater supplies to be sustainable. A change is needed to support growing agricultural demand. There is simply not enough water to support farming as it is currently practiced.

A new report, released at World Water Week in Stockholm this week, warns of the urgent need to reconsider how critical water, land, and ecosystem resources are used to boost crop yields. Produced by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) with a range of partners, the report proposes how water resources can continue to support the health of an ecosystem while addressing the demands of farmers and other local users."

Water is probably the most universally wasted resource on the planet.
That one liter bottle of water in the store took 3 liters of water to manufacture the bottle, and transport it to market.  For Fiji Water, that number is 7 liters...the empty bottles must be imported from afar!

Lawns are a huge consumer of domestic water in the US.  I think the county tax assessor should come by each year in May and measure green lawns.  Add a value of $1 per square foot to the houses appraised value.  Then remeasure again in August, and add another $1  or $2 to the value for each sqft of still green lawn.  If people's property taxes started rising, green lawns would begin to vanish.

    I agree with John if were talking about irrigated lawns. My dad has had a green lawn in Ontario for 35 years and he never ever ever waters it. The trick in that area is to have plenty of trees, do nothing about weeds, and allow animals to graze it. If the lawnmower does come out it is set quite high. I've found that the more people fiddle at trying to have 100% pure Kentucky bluegrass the more likely they are to have pest and irrigation issues. If you simply graze and or mow whatever comes up you have a quite natural lawn which is more drought resistant. I find it odd when people fertilize lawns. Unless you're trying to produce lots of animal fodder it makes no sense at all to encourage growth. With the right amount of shade trees lawns in dad's region can struggle along all summer without needing to be cut or watered   yet when you go into town 5 miles from his place every second house seems to be watering their lawns.

I liked the old Dennis the Menace cartoon where Dennis asked his father  "Why are you putting on all that stuff on the lawn to make the grass grow?  And then you won't let it!