I was down in Tucson a few weeks ago and I just couldn't get over how much like a desert it looks. Yeah, I know, duh, right? But seriously, come visit us in Vegas. I mean the sprinklers are on right now outside the apartment at 10pm. The grass is green, we have tons of trees and more are being planted all the time here on campus. And yet, walk down a few building and they have a desert conservation area, then a grass field, then a whole bunch of native vegetation just in case you forgot where you were.
In short, this place is insane.
NPR is covering southern Nevada's water isuues in a series of reports this week.
Our local station, KNPR, covers the subject often, most recently looking at our acquifers.
USA Today recently covered the great western drought as well.
In LA, all citizens have been asked to cut water usage to conserve what water they have by 10 percent. Granted, much of that water comes from the ever-decreasing Lake Mead just to the east of here.
But here in Vegas? Not much except that fountains aren't allowed to run except in a) tourist areas, and b) where rich people hang out. But the sprinkler schedule continues unabated here at the university.
