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Solutions To California's Water Problem

Anna Sterling |
March 25, 2014 | 9:25 p.m. PDT

Executive Producer

Environmental non-profit organization TreePeople gathered government officials, science experts and L.A. residents at City Hall Tuesday to discuss what the city needs to do about its water problem.

Urban tree canopy was offered as a significant solution to many of L.A.'s environmental problems like hot, dry weather and water shortages.

Los Angeles has an average tree coverage of 21% with some areas well below 10%, according to TreePeople. The recommended tree coverage for a city is 25%.

Capturing and recycling rainfall was offered as another major solution to L.A.'s water shortage.

Half of L.A.'s water use is spent on landscaping and watering lawns, according to panelists.

“It takes just as much water to keep a lawn green as it does to keep a pool of water filled," said Jonathan Parfrey, executive director of Climate Resolve. "So just imagine if everywhere you saw grass, there was a pool.”

Last year was California's driest year in state history, according to state officials. Officials predict that water shortfalls will continue throughout 2014, making this year even drier than last.

Reach Executive Producer Anna Sterling here. Follow her on Twitter here.



 

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