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Join Sierra Club Angeles Chapter on APRIL 16, 2016 FROM NOON TO 3 PM FOR A TOUR OF THE VOSBURG'S WLA YARD at 4124 East Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066. DIRECTIONS. East Blvd runs parallel to Barrington Ave/ McLaughlin and between Washington Blvd and Washington Place.
It all began in 1999 when Jeanette joined Ballona Watershed Coordinator, Jessica Hall, and other activists for walks along the entire length of Ballona Creek. Jessica explained that Los Angeles built hundreds of miles of storm drains to contain storm water runoff as more and more of LA was paved (driveways, roads, parking lots, patios, buildings). Each year billions of gallons of that rainwater, that could go back into our water table, race down driveways and streets to storm drains that eventually feed into Ballona Creek and finally into the Pacific Ocean. This rainwater picks up pollutants that contaminate our Santa Monica Bay.
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Win, win for Greater Los Angeles. We import 89% of the water we use from hundreds of miles away. Private homes cover 60% of our developed land. This offers homeowners an amazing opportunity to capture and reuse rainwater to feed their thirsty trees and plants. In the Vosburg's case they decided to capture 100% of all rainfall each time it rains. The actual results even surprised them. Their trees are healthier and the fruit tastier. Permeable pavers soak up rainwater immediately. Drought tolerant plants require less water. Eliminating 80% of their grass reduced weeding, watering and mowing drastically. A curb cut captures rainwater before it races down the street to a storm drain. Their cistern captures gray water. Their water bill dropped 40% before all of their experiments were completed.
Why the West's Water Woes Could Be Just The Beginning
http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2014/01/21/states-water-woes/
Berkeley paleo-climatologist B. Lynn Ingram, co-author of
The West Without Water
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