GOLF, Enemy of the People?
According to National Geographic (really, you should subscribe), golf courses in southern Nevada use 8 percent of the region’s water. EIGHT PERCENT, in an area that is extremely hard-pressed to provide enough water for its occupants.
What’s more, in comprehensive research of area tree ring data, it appears that 20th century rainfall figures for the Southwest represented a brief cyclical uptick, and that we’ve returned to ‘permanent’ drought stage that will last for centuries. From the Nat’l Geo article:
Last April, a month before Meko and Woodhouse published their latest results, a comprehensive study of climate models reported in Science predicted the Southwest’s gradual descent into persistent Dust Bowl conditions by mid-century…researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have used the same models to project Colorado streamflow. In their simulations, which have been confirmed by others, the river never emerges from the current drought. Before 2050, its flow falls to half the amount consumed today.
Do YOU golf? Does this seem like reasonable use of scarce resources to you? Given that your sport consumes more resources per participant than any other, would you agree that it’s time to shelve the game and rip out the courses in areas with limited water resources (the entire western United States)? Maybe it’s time for the golf cart-riders to find a sport that requires a bit of exertion? Can’t hurt the national waistline, can it?
Do you disagree? Why? Do share…
Tags: environment