Rachel Carpenter's Page

I don't want to choose between Farmers and Fish!

The Federal Government and the Water District keep telling us that we now have to choose between the Delta Smelt and the San Joaquin River Salmon or the farmers on the West side. I don't think we should have to choose between them— why can't we have both?

I have heard so many controversial things about the water issue, from the corporate farmer's paying workers to walk for water (Which is why it hasn't been sanctioned by the United Farm Workers) to the "players" using the water issue as a way to loosen the endangered species regulations, but what remains consistent is that Fresno residents use too much water. I've learned that Fresno and Sacramento are the only two major cities in California that don't have metered water. I've also learned Fresno has until 2013, along with Sacramento and the rest of the small towns in the state to convert to water meters.

Various sources quote Fresno's water usage per household at around 290 gallons per day per household (indoor & outdoor usage), but the city's South East Growth Area (http://www.smartgrowthonlineaudio.org/np2009/116-c2.pdf) states a typical large lot home uses 800 gallons a day just in outside water use, with small lot homes at 360 gallons and multifamily homes at 225 gallons. A PG&E California study (http://alturl.com/zuop) states "The average indoor gallons per capita per day usage varied among the 12 study sites ranging between 57.1 to 83.5 gpcd" and "Average indoor use in a conserving home - 45.2 gallons per capita per day". While it's not an apples to apples comparison, clearly Fresnian's use a lot more water than the rest of the state or country.

I've often heard from friends from out of state, So. Californian's and No. Californian's who come to visit Fresno, that they've never seen such a disregard for water conservation than that of Fresno. Lawns: flooded to the point that gutters are overflowing with run off and city sprinkler heads left in disrepair - shooting water into the air, and watering the concrete. I don't have to bike or walk very far before I see water running down the gutters, like the winter snow melt, at all times of the year. There is so much water used at my apartment complex that we have frogs and toads, that were originally thick in the grass and landscaping, wash up and out onto the sidewalks. If I walk 10 feet I can spot the multiple squashed, mummified corpses of baby frogs and toads on the sidewalks, not to mention the scores of snails which come out at night, like vampires to nibble on the shrubs. I hate to tell you the vast number of amphibious lives lost in the pool filter!

One of the first steps Marin County took when they had their water shortage, was to reduce the water used in flushing toilets: their chant to visitors was "If it's yellow let it mellow, if it's brown flush it down!". My brother-in-law and sister-in-law at the time even had a framed needle point of it hanging on the walls in front of and behind the toilet. If we really worked on conserving our water too, we could have enough for both the Farmers and Fish along with improving the quality of our ground water.

While the Marin residents let their lawns go brown during their water shortage, I didn't think then or now, it was necessary. Many of us have automatic water sprinklers, but we could certainly change the settings, adjust and/or update the sprinkler heads to reduce water—and if we could relinquish "grass lawns" in favor of other ground coverings like thyme, peppermint, chives, and strawberries which do double duty and which also use much less water than their grass counterparts, we would have food and water for the farmers and fish. If you're going to use your automatic sprinkler system, how about an edible landscape? Has anyone ever tried to get peppermint out of a bed once it's taken hold? Imagine what Fresno would smell like if everyone replaced their ornamental shrubs with herbs, spices, edible flowers and food crops! There are many spices which are actually native to California, like the pepper and California Bay Laurel trees.

Even better yet, would be to pull up the grass and plant a garden in support of Farmer's and Fish!

The same resources used for those huge manicured lawns, water and work could be used to head off the impending food shortage. While some people would argue that growing a garden doesn't support farmers, I beg to differ, because once you have freshly grown produce from your own garden, you will be frequenting the local farmer's markets for the food crops you don't or can't grow and even asking for gardening tips! For those of you who hire gardeners to groom your lawns, they are just as capable of working in your garden and growing you fresh fruits and vegetables for yourself and to share with your neighbors and the food bank.

There are community groups like Master Gardener's who can help you set up your garden and other community groups who have volunteers who will come in and glean your trees and crops for the food bank, if they get to be too much for you.

If our county and city government really were serious about saving those farming jobs on the West side, the major thing they could do (after fixing all of their sprinkler heads) would be to install water meters now, instead of waiting until the 2013 deadline and to only give variances for people who've taken out their lawns and put in gardens.

Down in the LA area the plumbers are busy installing gray water tanks so that the residents can use their "waste" water to refresh their landscapes and gardens. They pay for their water when it comes into their houses and when it comes out, so it pays them to use as much of their waste water as they can. One interesting side effect, is that the soap in the gray water keeps the bugs down!

Taking the time to plant a garden in our front yards would show our neighbors that we are also taking the time to reduce our water usage inside our homes and would be the best visual sign that we support BOTH Farmers and Fish!

For those of you who doubt what a garden can do.... Remember Johnny Appleseed!

“[He] has nurtured life instead of destroying it, and has been sensitive to the beauty of this continent, and has done something to create here a civilization. Johnny Appleseed stands for ourselves at our best.” Writer Charles Smart on the legacy of Johnny Appleseed.