›› Kayla Siefried
I’m writing this on a cool summer Victoria morning at the end of July, blue skies, and garden bounty harvested and set out in the Compost Education Centre’s Farm Stand. I start up the internet, and one of the tabs I have open from yesterday startles me, it maps the fires and smoke in North America, and shows so plainly the other reality for so many people across BC and across the world these days—fire, smoke, and drought. According to BC’s “Drought Information Portal”, drought conditions are classified on a scale of one to five. Currently the entire eastern half of Vancouver Island, including the whole of CRD, is at Level 4. Level 4 drought conditions are considered extremely dry and “adverse impacts are considered likely”; that is, damage can be easily caused to flora and fauna as they struggle to stay alive, and conditions for forest fires are prime. It hasn’t rained in Victoria in 41 days as of July 24th! So, what is my role, as a gardener and citizen who cares about ecosystem health to conserve the precious gift that is water?
There are many ways that I as an individual can conserve water. Firstly, I can check my daily activities: I can take less and shorter showers, wash dishes more efficiently saving dishwater or veggie rinse water for watering plants, let my yellow mellow, and water my garden with a hand held hose rather then a sprinkler. I can skip watering my lawn, and talk to my neighbours about the fact we are in this stage of water scarcity. I can also write emails and start conversations with my elected officials at the city and regional level and encourage them to bring water conservation to the forefront of their activities. And lastly, I can foster an attitude of gratitude—being thankful every day that I have enough water to drink, clean myself, and enough water to give to my vegetable plants. I invite you to take all these water conservation actions too. If you’re curious about ways you can store rainwater in the winter months for your garden come summer, come to the Compost Education Centre to see passive and active rainwater catchment in action, as well as get your hands on our “Rainwater Harvesting” Factsheet. Cherish every drop Fernwood.
