Professional Portfolio
This portfolio consists of samples that I produced as a student in the Professional Writing Minor at UC Santa Barbara and content that I published while working as a Marketing Intern at Community Environmental Council.
Why the drought is a bigger and broader issue than we think it is
Droughts in california are natural – and always have been. So why is this one so bad? The past four years have become categorized as a “megadrought” and everyone is questioning where the water is going, and why it isn’t coming back. Now with a strong El Nino winter, it may seem like the water is coming back on the surface, but one winter with above average rainfall and snowpack is not going to “fix” or “solve” the drought. It might temporarily quench the state’s thirst, and it might even return some water to the reservoirs. But the reality is that the water problem goes much deeper than the drought and is far more complex. Before we can seek a solution to the drought, we must understand the greater water problems of the state – and of the west. A quick(ish) history lesson Water use problems in California date back to the beginning of the state’s history – and they heavily saturated in the state’s early politics. They extend far beneath the surface – literally. An early entitlement to water led to displacement, exploitation, and overuse of the resource – throughout and beyond California. Beginning with early westward expansion to California and other states, the ability to build dams, to diverge and exploit the water resources for irrigation purposes, was seen as a sign of power and dominance over nature. This became problematic for many reasons, but rapid population growth in the west, especially in California, led to an expectation that water would be available, and if for some reason it wasn’t, there would always be a way to find more. In Cadillac Desert, Marc Reisner explains that irrigation and allocation of water enabled the states of the west to become populated and wealthy. Millions lived in regions that, if nature had been left to its own devices, would have only supported populations of thousands. The state started off with abundant water resources, but the regions that would later become Los Angeles and its surrounding suburbs were very attractive, and populations in these areas grew from thousands to hundreds of thousands within a matter of years. This exponential growth put a heavy demand on surrounding watersheds. When surrounding watersheds had been exhausted, they simply expanded further. The California Water Wars occurred in the early 1900’s, between the city of Los Angeles and the farmers of Owens Valley. Los Angeles won the rights to the valley’s water, and diverted the source towards the city, showing how politics, population, and money had power over the state’s water resources. It was manuevers such as these that allowed Los Angeles to flourish and become the sprawling metropolis that it is today. Manuevers such as these also disguised where our water actually comes from, which has caused a disconnect between the people and the water. The water crisis beyond California In order to better understand California’s water problem, there is a greater water problem of the west that must also be understood. It is the problem of the Colorado River Basin. The basin supplies critical water for seven states including California, supporting approximately 40 million people, 15% of agriculture for the US, and 2 of the largest water reserves in the west. According to Grist.org, the Colorado River basin is in its 16th year of water catastrophe. The west over-allocates the water that flows through the Colorado River – a river with a flow so low that it no longer reaches the ocean. This low flow is affecting all of these states, but California, with the highest state population and a massive agricultural sector, has inevitably felt it the worst. While noting how bad it is for California, however, the Colorado River Basin must not be forgotten in the quest for a solution. Where the rain falls when it does fall Even when the state has a ‘good’ year of rain, the distribution of water that is available is disproportionate to where the largest populations are located. The highest percentage of rainfall in California occurs in the northern part of the state, while most of the population is located in the south. That means that naturally, supply of water resources do not match demand. Agriculture for America It is frequently noted that a whopping 80% of water use in California goes to agriculture. But Californians aren’t that hungry – the state provides produce for a large percentage of the country. To name a few, 99% of U.S. almonds and walnuts are produced in California (nuts being a highly water intensive crop), as well as 95% of broccoli, 90% of tomatoes, and 74% of lettuce. The implications for certain regions are also strong, as seen in “It takes how much water to grow an almond?!” on Grist’s website for example, “Monterey County, which is currently enduring an “exceptional drought,: according to the US Drought Monitor, grew nearly half of America’s lettuce and broccoli in 2012.” California’s water problems are not just California’s problems. These issues affect the nation as a whole – and demand for water intensive crops such as almonds and alfalfa (which in turn, feeds beef) – is simply exacerbating the problem. So what’s next? When we talk about California’s drought, we are talking about the nation’s drought. And when we talk about how to “solve” this problem, it is not one answer or one solution. It must be acknowledged that a drought to this extent is indicative of a much larger problem. Only from there can we begin to imagine a solution to a myriad of problems. Additionally, there must be a change in mindset about the most precious resource in the west. Water is a privilege, and conservation should be a norm. We live in an inherently dry area that could not support us without our manipulation of the resource. Water conservation efforts must be continued beyond the drought – with the historical water problems of the west in mind – in order to ensure a sustainable future for the paradise of Southern California. We have learned the hard way that when we run out of water, there will not always be more.
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A student guide to indirect water consumption and water footprint of food UC Santa Barbara is settled in a picturesque location. We experience arguably some of the best sunsets over our small expanse of the pacific ocean, which is often occupied by surfers, kayakers, stand up paddle boarders, and small parties on rafts. The sunsets are often projected on the mountains in shades of purple, which are otherwise characteristic for the orange rock and chapparal landscape. For anyone who has climbed to the top of one of these mountains, it is worth mentioning the stunning views of the Channel Islands, and if you go to the ridgeline, the Santa Ynez Valley. The campus itself is full of green space. Palm trees, grassy lawns, and eucalyptus groves are just a few of the mentionable landscapes we are surrounded by, as well as a lagoon that is teeming with bird and plant life. Our campus is abundant with life, and we are lucky to be living amongst it. Many of us will admit that the prime location of the campus was definitely taken into consideration in our choosing of this university. But often we forget that despite this greenery and our abundant plant life, we are living in a naturally dry and arid climate - a sort of desert. It is what makes the weather so pleasant year-round. Santa Barbara’s average rainfall is 17.76 inches per year and many of the native plants that thrive on campus are drought-resistant. UCSB has always acknowledged the local climate, and many of the green spaces around campus are irrigated with recycled water, or are otherwise naturally replenishing. When the drought started, UCSB never used the threat of the word “drought” in their water saving campaigns. Matthew O’Carroll, the university’s Waste and Water Efficiency Manager, stated that the use of the word creates a water-saver in times of drought and a water-waster in ‘normal’ times – he didn’t want to create this association for students. UCSB’s programs of behavior modification, use of recycled water for irrigation, and replacement of infrastructure are so effective in water conservation that the campus didn’t need to change a thing when the drought came around. They were already saving water – and had been for years – and will continue to even after the drought is over. This guide takes a green leaf out of the campus’ book by encouraging behavior modification to adjust to a naturally dry climate. By illustrating the concept of indirect water consumption or behind the scenes water use, this guide will clarify how much water it takes to produce common foods, beverages, and clothing items. There are many ways to save water, and there is something that each of you, as UCSB students can do, to take part in this initiative. Its difficult to hear things like, meat uses tons of water, or taking five minute showers will make a huge difference if everyone does it. How much water is significant enough to save? Does a five minute shower versus a ten minute shower make a difference? Does skipping buffalo chicken wings make greatly reduce your impact? How about a morning cup of coffee, or the beer we drink when we go out on the weekends? To start out with saying that, “Item A uses X amount of gallons of water per an allotted amount,” is a difficult quantity to fathom. It’s the same thing as saying that as a student, I am $40,000 in student loan debt. It sounds bad, but that amount of money is really hard to comprehend when I don’t have an income and have never had any sum of money comparable to that value in my bank account. So first, we’ll make a gallon of water more relatable. One gallon of water is 128 ounces, or 16 cups of water. It is recommended that people drink 8 cups of water per day, so if you’re drinking a gallon, you’re really an overachiever. So now let’s look at coffee for example: if it is estimated that to grow, produce, and transport the beans for one cup of coffee, it takes 37 gallons of water, then we are looking at 592 cups of water used to make just one 8 ounce cup of coffee. Not that you should skip your cup of coffee, because I understand how a cup of freshly brewed coffee can make a world of difference in the morning (and not the water conservation kind of difference) but it kind of helps to put things into perspective. That being said, the average American showers for 8 minutes which uses approximately 17 gallons of water1. Some quick math will show us that at 2.1 gallons per minute, showering 3 minutes less every day will only save 6.4 gallons of water. While every drop does count, there are many ways in which we can adjust our behavior that will be exponentially more effective at saving drops, and may even have a smaller impact on our day to day lives. 1 http://www.home-water-works.org/indoor-use/showers Now we know how much one gallon of water actually is and how much that is compared to a common hygeine routine. This knowledge will make it easier to understand how much water we are indirectly consuming, behind the scenes. From everything we eat, to everything we use, and not to mention, everything we drink (including bottled water), there are steps that each person could take to reduce their water impact. Step one: Look at how much water goes into producing your food – and decide what could be worth cutting out. People often hear that the real trick to cutting down on water consumption is to stop eating meat. While this is true to a certain extent, the most water-intensive food items aren’t always meat, and becoming a die-hard vegetarian or vegan is not the only solution to saving water. Looking at the numbers also tells us that it is more so the type of meat that you’re eating, not every meat in general. Below is a comparison of various sources of protein to give us a better understanding of how much water is in each source. Where do you fall on the table now, and where could you make changes? Next time you go grocery shopping, or go to In-N-Out, or to McDonalds, consider purchasing a less water-intensive option. Order a single-patty hamburger instead of a double- double, or perhaps a chicken burger, and think of how many gallons you will save. As mentioned before, meat is not the only culprit. Although legumes, such as lentils, are high consumers, many people next point to nuts in the witch-hunt for water wasters. The crusade against nuts often starts with almonds, but all tree nuts are incredibly selfish when it comes to water use. Based on numbers, some nuts are equally as bad as beef, pound per pound (with almonds at 1,929 gallons of water per pound and beef at approximately 2000 gallons per pound). But it also must be considered that the average American eats 7 servings (3 oz) of beef per week2 (Nat geo source), where as the same does not ring true with nuts. So let’s take a look: If you’re a big fan of these nuts, it’s not a bad time to find a new snack. Here’s a nice display of the vegetable and fruit table for comparison. The moral of this table is that vegetables consume far less water than proteins and nuts, and that most of them aren’t so bad. But it is still important to be aware that some are big water guzzlers and in times of desperation, it could be wise to avoid these. Needless to say, becoming a vegetarian is probably the most effective way to participate in water conservation. However, a person cannot go from zero to 50 in one day. So what I recommend is that you each consider what one thing you could cut down on from each category – start small – and then maybe challenge yourself. Step two: Look at how much water goes into the things you drink every day, or every weekend. Is there anything you can eliminate here? Being that I am a UCSB senior, I know better than anybody not to lecture a group of UCSB students on their drinking habits. We like to have fun, and we’re good at doing it. We also have great study habits, and for some of this, it’s thanks to caffeine. As mentioned before, coffee also has a water footprint. You know what else has a water footprint? Bottled water. Not only are plastic bottles wasteful for the space they use in landfills, but also they are incredibly wasteful for water use itself. Yes, it is estimated that the amount of water going into producing a plastic bottle of water (including processes of drilling for oil, making plastic, and making paper), could take up to six or seven times the amount of water that’s actually in the bottle3. 2 http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/change-the-course/water-footprint-calculator/ That being said, if you don’t already own a reusable water bottle, you should invest in one. It will save you money, it will save water, and it will reduce plastic consumption. AND there’s already a system installed on campus to make this transition easier for you. This incredibly detailed interactive map of the UCSB campus will show you the locations of each hydration station on campus, in addition to helping you find your way to your most elusive classroom codes. (I highly recommend this map – I only just discovered it Winter Quarter of Senior year and have been thoroughly enlightened). Step 3: Surprisingly (or perhaps not) there is water that goes into almost every product we consume. Consider buying less of these products, or buying secondhand! Buying secondhand can be beneficial for many reasons – you get more ‘bang for your buck’, you can save money on brand name items, AND you can save water (not to mention, reducing the amount of items you buy new will reduce impacts on other resources and emissions). I, for one, was shocked to see that it takes 1,800 gallons of water (28,000 cups of water) to produce one pair of blue jeans. Lower on the naughty list of consumer items is a cotton tee, at 400 gallons of water to grow the cotton required. No table is necessary here, but it is noted that the average American spends $1,800 on buying new clothing and accessories each year4. As college students, we aren’t the average Americans, but we are still consumers and we still spend money on new clothing. What we don’t spend on clothing, we probably spend on alcohol. So what step will you take? Like I said, there is no harm in starting small. Perhaps you’ve already cut down on your shower time, but now that you know there is something different you can do that will save even more water, perhaps you can make a change. A key to water conservation is awareness – understanding that there is a hidden water cost in much of what we consume. Drought or no drought, we live in a dry area. We are lucky to be a part of a campus that is so invested in keeping UCSB green, both literally and figuratively, but it is also important that we do our part as students to acknowledge our impact on the environment around us. This grant was written as an assignment for the capstone business writing course but uses legitimate information regarding the organization and the grant making fund. Community Environmental Council |