Comments and Feedback From Website Visitors |
The following are some of the comments left by people who have visited our website or who filled out the survey. We would love to hear from you. If you'd like to send feedback to us about the water situation in your area or about our project, send us an email: fllmicrobots@gmail.com Be sure to include what city/country you're from.
Read comments from:
|
From Brisbane, Australia |
- Drought is an accepted, recurring feature of the Australian environment. The current water shortages have more to do with unplanned population growth and failure by government to cater for this growth by building additional infrastructure capacity and maintaining existing assets. Also climate change is a cyclical event; historical weather records are unfortunately limited (little detailed data available prior to 1970's) so it is difficult to gauge the severity and extent of recent changes in context).
- Due to the failure of past governments concern for future supply of water we are in a crisis. Too often our government thought it will be all right and never put anything in place to conserve or build on our future water supplies. Now we are in crisis they are thinking. Don't let this happen to you.
- For me, in Australia the main problem is the people education regarding water use. I believe there wouldn't be such a severe draught if people were more environmentaly aware. People here generally follow the rules (if the council say so, let's do it!), but as soon as the water restrictions get softer, they loose their sense of harvesting.
- I think that the governments have waited until it is too late before bringing restrictions in. Our dams should be at least 80% full before any restrictions are lifted so that this terrible drought won't happen again.
- In our community peoples’ attitudes are changing - it is called demand management, changing the way people use water.
- Recycled water, rain water harvesting and using our storm water are the keys to the water crisis.
- We can only water for half an hour either on a Saturday or Sunday depending on your house number between 4.00 and 4.30 p.m. If you are at work at this time you miss out. It is amazing how you used to take water for granted, but when you have to conserve water, you realise how much you used to waste.
|
From Cary, NC, USA |
- Attitudes and practices concerning lawns need to change. They are a huge waste of resources, but most towns and neighborhoods require their presence and upkeep.
- Good luck with your project! Thank you for considering such important issues for our mutual futures!
- Having a historic drought in NC this year really brought home to me that we need to conserve aggressively. I hope it woke up folks to the fact that water is a luxury, not a right. I actually turned in a neighborhood family that was breaking the law by watering every other day with auto sprinklers (and hitting sidewalk & street instead of bushes/grass) -- their area was only supposed to water 1 day a week. They were doing it at least 3 days a week. I felt like a narc, but felt it needed to be done... Congrats for becoming educated (and educating us!) on this important issue...
- I am not happy about this summer conservation. Everyone tried to conserve water and now the utility companies are rising prices on the cost of water because they didn't make enough this summer. Talk about being stabbed in the back!
- If they would put a halt on building in the areas then maybe we wouldn't be in such a bad shape. There is so much of our wooded areas that are being destroyed that we will start to see less and less rain. We need our trees and forests, building should be strictly monitored on how much one area can be built and are the trees being replenished by the builders?
- I'm very concerned about the environment and our treatment of it, especially in the US. But it is so hard to change habits and be more efficient in this fast-paced world we live in. I'm so glad to see things like this. We ALL need to be researching, we all need to be changing the way we do things, and thinking about the long term effects and consequences of our lifestyle.
- It is the responsibility of each individual to be mindful when using water and all natural resources. Conservation of water has been an increasing issue and the good habits that get acquired during hardships should be continued and encouraged at all times. People too easily forget -- education and expectations should remain at the forefront. Enlightened people always care for the environment; this is part of thoughtful living - conserve and preserve for the future generations!
- Population growth is a significant issue in terms of water conservation and most likely more important than climate change as consumption will continue to go up despite weather patterns. This means that the same drought conditions in one location five years apart are more likely to be higher risk because consumption is increasing.
- There needs to be an alternative to high maintenance fescue lawns which require fertilizers that pollute the water supply.
- Your survey has made me think about other ways I can conserve water.
|
From other parts of the world |
- Australia / Tasmania: I'm lucky to live in a part of the world that has enough water for now, and a small population. I KNOW that there are many people who waste water and that they will have to change.
- Australia / Tasmania: We live in a state which gets a comparatively high rainfall, but still experience drought in areas. I think it's crucial to reeducate people to understand that just because we have water in our area doesn't mean we should squander it.
- Australia / Victoria: In the past 5 years, water usage in my area has decreased significantly due to water restrictions and the public generally being water smart. Government rebates for Water Tanks has seen 1 in every 2 households have tanks installed, reducing the pressure on the local water supply. New houses must have a minimum of a 4,500 litre water tank installed.
- Britain/Europe: We live in a rather wet area of Germany that will most likely become "wetter" due to the clímate changes.
- Middle East: Abu Dhabi obtains drinking water from desalination plants. Water conservation is a very important issue here. Groundwater is used for some communities water supply, and for agriculture.
- USA / Northeast: In the NE US, we generally have lots of water: the major issue is maintaining quality and economic cost of distribution to low density housing and treatment of sewage.
- USA / Northeast: Water supply is becoming a more important worldwide political issue with uncertainty about global warming and population growth. Thank you for an interesting survey.
- USA / Southeast: Awareness is necessary first--you are helping with that. In the end both conservation and new technology will be driven by dollars but it will happening more smoothly if people know more about the problems and solutions. That's you guys again. Good luck!
- USA / Southeast: I was not aware of some of the technologies mentioned in this survey.
|
|