I was surprised and pleased to see the size of the turnout at a seminar this morning, sponsored by Dallas Water Utilities, on water-wise landscaping. I estimate there were a couple of hundred people in attendance.
Image Credit: All Things D
Unfortunately, the demographics of the group were not so encouraging. If there were any people in the room under 30, I missed them. If there were any under 40, they were outnumbered 100 to 1. And the number under 50 probably could be counted on two hands. The rest were in their 60s and beyond.
The seminar was held in south Dallas, an area with a large black and brown population, but the vast majority of people in attendance were white. Are old white people the only ones interested in reducing the amount of water they use in their yards and gardens?
My sense of cynicism about the human condition deepens. My hope for the future of our planet wanes.
Here we were, attending a seminar designed to address water usage to help assure there’s enough for future generations, if only in a superficial way (you want water for future generations, you better do more than reduce the amount you use on your azaleas), yet almost the only people in attendance represented a generation that won’t be helped much and a declining race demographic. Talk about tilting at windmills! The windmills aren’t working; they’re no longer pumping water.
Maybe I’m too cynical. Maybe there are less depressing ways to look at the group demographics. Tell me about them. Please.
You’re probably right, Robin. And it’s no less depressing.
I’m not sure it’s any less depressing, but it may be that the represented age group at the meeting was that of people who own their own homes, where waterwise landscaping is actually a consideration. I don’t know many 30 or 40 year olds who own homes. It may say more about our economy than about environmental consciousness.