Accomplishing Change

Charles Darwin said “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”

I think of these words as I walk through my neighborhood thinking about the very serious drought we’re having here, and I look at front lawns. Some are dead (congratulations to those responsible yard owners!), some are half-dead (congrats again!), some of them have fake lawns (a really great looking solution), and some are surprisingly lush and green (er??) with sprinklers merrily going and water draining over the sidewalks and down the gutter. With the water shortage here in California, why isn’t everyone refraining from watering their lawns? I have no lawns, so I’m afraid I don’t understand the dogged determination to keep them alive. We all need to be looking at the big picture, what’s best for the community. I’m doing my best to conserve water, and I know I can do more if I just get creative. But why isn’t everyone on board with conservation? Do they not believe there is a shortage? Have they not noticed the lack of snow in the mountains these last few years, and the lack of rainfall? What will it take to make them believers? Maybe they need to turn on their faucets someday and have nothing come out except for air. But why would they want it to come to that?

I’m guessing they don’t believe that day will ever come. Maybe it’s like in “Three Days of the Condor” when Higgins says to Joe Turner:  “…Ask ’em when they’re running out. Ask ’em when there’s no heat in their homes and they’re cold. Ask ’em when their engines stop. Ask ’em when people who have never known hunger start going hungry. You wanna know something? They won’t want us to ask ’em. They’ll just want us to get it for ’em!” Just substitute water for oil, and you get the picture. In this age of entitlement, a whole lotta people just expect the government is going to take care of us, no matter what happens. I hope they’re right, but frankly, I wouldn’t bet my life on it.