Xeriscaping Southern California Water Issue the Issue

Xeriscaping

Southern California Water issue

The issue of water shortage is a fact that lives with the entire world taking into account the ever receding usable water levels. These are due to pollution, lack of access and misuse at the domestic level. The misuse at the domestic level and the very basic domestic solutions that there can be within the society as seen in other countries especially in the Middle East and desert countries is the prime focus of the paper since it is here that there are many fallacies and wrong arguments that surround the water conservation issue and yet therein to lies the solution to the water conservation approach among them being Xeriscaping.

One of the faulty logics commonly used by people at the homestead level to argue for domestic waste of water is the faulty logic of circular reasoning. Many argue that they have to use water the way they do since if they do not then how else would they use it and yet they found the family or society using water as it is being used. Most of such come from lawn and landscape people. The xeriscaping comes in to break this circular thinking and lead people to new ways of water conservation beginning from the domestic use to the commercial levels. Apparently there can be change in the use of water and arguing that you misuse water since you found it being misused would be wrong.

The next faulty logic used often here is overgeneralization on why one cannot stop misusing water and start conserving water especially in the drier places within the country. Many would say everyone uses it the same way hence they too are justified to use it as they are. There can always be a person to begin a change in the water conservation at the domestic level and generalizing that everyone washes their car using the bucket, yet that is known to waste more water is wrong. The xeriscaping art as will be seen is a sure way of helping people stop overgeneralization and realize there are better ways of use of water, which are not conventional yet very effective within the society.

The last fallacy in the water conservation bid that is commonly used as an excuse is the faulty logic of distraction or red herring. These are arguments that divert attention from the main issues, for instance many families and individuals would argue that there are still flowing rivers, people somewhere else are planting trees, they contribute cash towards environmental conservation endorse, there is growing technology that would enable purification of salty water from the sea and many more. These are arguments that are geared towards diverting the attention of the community from concentrating on the ever receding water levels and difficulty in accessing water depicted by the annual increment in the water bills (Utah Valley State College, 2013). This diversion in effect diverts the attention of the community as well from trying to find the best and suitable means of water conservation like xeriscaping and instead there forms a ceaseless blame game projected to the leaders instead of adoption of domestic solutions to the environmental challenges as will be demonstrated herein.

Exriscaping applied

With the increase in the water shortage, not only within the U.S. But across the globe, there is need for every individual, every family and every community to do the best they can to conserve the little remaining water before it is too late. The shrinking water levels at seas is a clear indication that the inlet rivers are drying up and these are the sources of our fresh water that we use for domestic sustenance on a daily basis, including an not limited to watering our lawns and flowers. The melting ice at the Antarctica and the polar mountains and ranges is a clear symbol that sooner or later the temperatures will be unbearable hence the faster evaporation of our water sources and reservoirs like dams. What this indicates is that there is need for the conservation of the little resources that are remaining and using the water that is available is a manner that shows we mind the future.

There have been various approaches that have been used to ensure the fallacies mentioned above are curtailed and that the environment is kept safe and self replenishing particularly in line with water use and conservation. There have been push for lesser carbon emissions particularly among the industrialized countries, the persistent planting of trees, cutting back on use of water majorly by the industrial users and now the noble idea of xeriscaping too.

One of the most significant steps that can be taken at the individual level to ensure water wastage is curbed is the switching from the traditional lawns to the xeriscaped gardens. Xeriscaping is the beautification of the lawn with water conservation as the primary goal and consideration. It is an approach that is targeted at arid and semi-arid areas (Wilson C & Feutch J., 2007). However, with the rising water shortage, and the topography of most regions within the U.S.A. that consists mostly of slopes hence requiring more and frequent watering to stay green, there is need to switch urgently to the xeriscaping practice within South Carolina.

Xeriscaping has been used over years in Middle East and other economically influential countries like Dubai and almost the entire United Emirates. It is the order of the day and helps making beautiful lawns that increases the value of the house. There is always the argument propounded that a green lawn would make the value of the house to rise which is a fallacy of generalization and a prejudiced stereotype.