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Teaching our children
Film about the drought in the Southwest promotes water conservation
Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2008 | 2:07 a.m.
One of the most valuable lessons we can teach children in the Las Vegas Valley is that there is not an endless supply of water. As we struggle through a prolonged drought in the Southwest, it is more important than ever that youngsters learn the value of conservation.
Filmmaker Jim Thebaut had that in mind when he created “The American Southwest: Are We Running Dry?” As reported Tuesday by Phoebe Sweet in the Las Vegas Sun, the 71-minute film focuses on the ill effects of the drought and was financed in part by the Southern Nevada Water Authority.
Among the topics covered by the film are the basics of the Colorado River Compact, seawater desalination and water recycling. “If we can reach the children, the parents will fall in line,” Thebaut told the Sun.
One of the best ways to reach children would be for the film to be distributed throughout the Clark County School District. In a school setting the students could not only view the film but also discuss it with their teachers and classmates.
A shorter version of the film will air on PBS Channel 10 at 9 p.m. Oct. 7 and Oct. 30; 9 and 10 p.m. Oct. 9; and 6:30 p.m. Oct. 12. We would encourage parents to tune in and tape the film if their children are not able to view it with them at those times.
Water Authority General Manager Pat Mulroy said about the film: “Exposing our children to this reality is beneficial because the next generation of leaders will come from this group, and we want them to be prepared for the challenges that lie ahead.”
That’s sage advice, considering it is unlikely we will be solving our complex water issues anytime soon.
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"... it is unlikely we will be solving our complex water issues anytime soon."
With all due respect, I beg to differ. "[O]ur ...water issues" are NOT terribly "complex".
Yes, we are in the midst of a drought. But one thing I've yet to see anyone note (including Ms. Mulroy) is that we are also in the midst of a ***desert***.
There. I've said it. We live in a DESERT. We have attempted to build and sustain an oasis (of sorts) in the middle of a desert.
From the Compact Oxford English Dictionary (with all apologies for the lack of formatting; I have attempted to highlight the relevant part):
"desert2
/dezzrt/
*****----> noun 1 a waterless, desolate area of land with little or no vegetation, typically covered with sand. <----*****
2 a situation or area considered dull and uninteresting: a cultural desert.
adjective like a desert; uninhabited and desolate.
ORIGIN Latin desertum something left waste, from deserere leave, forsake"
Man only delays the inevitable. We are attempting to create a livable environment in an inhospitable environment. Just as when we build on swampland, the swampland will eventually return to its natural state, man and his efforts be damned.
Perhaps we ought to take a cue from nature (which has been around a LOT longer than we have) and work WITH IT, not against it.
Unchecked growth is NEVER a good thing.