California Cities Adopt Grassy Swales to Filter Run-off Water
The grassy swale: Consider this wonderful pursuit, perfectly combining function and design. A drier version of the marsh wastewater treatment plants such as that used by the City of Arcata, CA, they give us the option to do something good for the environment and, by extension, ourselves. Not to mention, they also provide some welcome landscaping.
Looks like it's catching on! It reminds me of my last doctor's visit, when whole wheat bread was recommended. Yet another innovation popularized by that group oft reviled as "hippies"!
What will we see next -- a Scientific American cover story about how solar energy can supply the bulk of U.S. energy needs? Compare that to the traditional response -- trillions for massively destructive warfare and strategic blunders in oil-rich areas such as Iraq. Well, looking at it from the perspective of a couple of the chief decision makers, why think when it hurts and you can get others to do the fighting you avoided when it was your turn, all to increase your influence?
Comments
That is pretty cool about the grassy swale. But I have to say that that article you cited in Scientific American is off the charts! That is a very important statement they have made. And they back it up with the technology to do it and a very reasonable budget. So, which will it be? Converting the US to solar or fighting a civil war in Iraq in hopes of getting their oil which will just make global warming that much worse! The solar conversion looks cheaper, saves American lives, and will help save future generations from a high-water, hot desert planet. It seems like a no-brainer to me. Maybe if Bush (and all his friends) are gone from the White House, we can make it happen!
Dennis
And yes, a lot of the issue is about getting certain people out of positions of power where they will continue to effectively (and even directly) block this kind of change. From the article, we can see that there are individuals capable of and interested in making the change. Now we just have to vote in politicians who will not keep them from doing so.