My Childhood Home All Dried Up

By Stephanie Guizar

My parents first decided to move to Riverside, California in 2003. Back then, it was an average-sized desert city with orange groves that went on for what seemed like forever and a man-made lake that seemed like it would overflow. Fast forward 11 years later to 2014, the orange groves are almost nonexistent, and the lake is nearly empty.

This past summer I moved back in with my parents before leaving for Washington, DC for an internship program. In the two and half months I was there, I noticed just how much Riverside has changed. I drove by Lake Matthews two weeks before I left, and was stunned at how bad the drought had depleted its water source.

California recently passed a law asking homeowners to reduce their water bills by 15% by taking shorter showers, doing full loads of laundry, and avoiding the unnecessary use of water. If homeowners didn’t do so, they will get fined $500. This was one of the efforts to reduce water usage and hopefully get the state out of the drought.

Riverside, however, is an incredibly hot and dry city, with temperatures reaching up to 115 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s hard to not want to use up so much water, whether it’s drinking water, running in the sprinklers, or taking multiple showers a day.  Nonetheless, being back home and seeing what the drought has done to this city made me realize how important it is to protect the environment, not only for ourselves but for the generations to come. This is my childhood home, I remember spending countless hours outside with my sister enjoying the sun and having the time of our lives. If we let the drought continue and only worsen that won’t be a possibility for the next generation because we won’t have any water left. I believe protecting our environment is our duty because it’s our home. If we don’t do it, who will?

Here are ways you can conserve and protect our water every day:

Did you know a single quart of oil can contaminate up to 2 million gallons of drinking water? By taking oil or antifreeze to a recycling center you can ensure our drinking water is clean. In California, we have to deal with insane traffic. By taking the bus or public transportation once a week, you can prevent 33 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per day, and save money too. Timing is very important for watering gardens and lawns in California, set your sprinklers to go on between sunset and sunrise when temperatures are low.  Make sure your irrigation system is in good shape: watch out for leaks or broken and clogged sprinklers that could waste several gallons of water.

About the author: Stephanie Guizar is a student at the University of California Irvine studying Public Health Policy with a minor in Civic and Community Engagement. She is a member of Sigma Kappa Sorority and actively participates in several environmental philanthropies.

Editor's Note: The opinions expressed here are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.

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