The frightfully thin snowcaps on the majestic mountains surrounding the Puget Sound basin speak louder to us than the voices of our elected officials. We take for granted this region's visual beauty. We watch these mountain peaks through the seasons, as they go from dazzling white winter scenes to slowly losing their breadth of snow cover, until once again they become sheathed in white with the first big winter storm.
This year, at this moment, the mountains appear as they normally do in late July - just a few traces of snow. This is stunningly sad. While we all have been reveling in these warm March days, the piper will have to be paid. The Emerald City will have to take on a burnished hue this summer, and I hope our city leaders will truly lead the way.
Instead of glossing over the rigors of this drought that we will all be facing, I hope that our public officials will propose some strong, creative and educational approaches. It should be taken as a point of pride by the city that we need to let the lawns in our public spaces and parks go dormant this year. Interpretive signs could be erected at the International Fountain in the Seattle Center with only one grand, but brief, display of its water fantasias per day. The times could revolve so that different users could participate. Perhaps it would become a "happening," drawing visitors together?
Finally, maybe the myth that it rains all the time in Seattle will be put to rest. Seattle, in fact, is at the northern tip of the West Coast Mediterranean zone. Typically, a Mediterranean zone is noted for its lack of summer rains. If you follow Seattle's latitude line around the globe, you will find it passing through the south of France. Perhaps we could study how those Mediterranean cultures protect and conserve their water resources?[[In-content Ad]]
