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Lessons to Learn our governments and organizations, so it is vital
As the Pacific Institute predicted in 2011, that we understand the difficulties we face and
California has indeed sunk into a drought, the work to address them.
effects of which have been felt all throughout Finally, we should accept that it is always
the country. Yet, we can take lessons from beneficial to have a diversity of solutions.
experiences in Brazil and Australia that will Brazil’s heavy use of clean energy sources is
doubtless benefit us in the future. commendable, but over-reliance on a single
First, it is important to understand and source—hydroelectric—left it vulnerable, and
respect the cycle of cause and effect. It is now the country has been forced to turn to
easy to see how drought can lead to repeated more harmful methods just to supply sufficient
disasters: as the land dries out, it becomes power to the country. Diversity can also be
more vulnerable to wildfires. When rain does an important aspect of how we deal with
return, the newly scorched, deforested land is the drought crisis, just as Australia increased
more prone to mudslides and flooding. From fresh water availability through a combination
Brazil’s experience, we see that human actions of desalination plants, recycled sewerage
can lead to and exacerbate drought through water treatment, and individual incentives to
global warming. And, in turn, we can see that encourage lifestyle changes by consumers.
drought may push us to responses that provide Whatever the right mix of solutions may be, we
immediate relief but lead to even more serious should at least remain open to discussion and
crises in the long term. Clearly, drought can be debate so that we may work together to figure
both cause and effect, and much depends on it out before conditions grow even worse.
us. With 2014 reported to be the hottest year
Second, we should strive to anticipate since record keeping began in the nineteenth
future problems and take action to address century, both globally and in drought-stricken
them. We should not reject solutions, as many California, it is clear that global warming will
in Australia did in the middle of their drought, continue to intensify drought conditions in the
or let ourselves become so myopic that we Southwest, as not only the increased heat, but
focus only on immediate problems and forget also the inconsistent and unseasonable rainfall
to address long-term water security. Sixty years caused by climate change disrupts the natural
ago, John Steinbeck wrote in East of Eden, cycle. Scientists now believe that there is an
“And it never failed that during the dry years 80 percent chance that this drought will last
the people forgot about the rich years, and ten years and a 50 percent chance that it will
during the wet years they lost all memory of become a thirty-year “mega-drought.” As we
the dry years. It was always that way.” But it face these frightening possibilities, let us not
need not be. While a comprehensive solution be ashamed to learn from what others have
will require a combination of efforts from experienced, and let us not hesitate to do all we
individuals, governments, and organizations, can to help the environment and improve our
we, as individual voters and consumers, drive lives.

Learn from others, take actions after learning, talk after taking actions.
Jing Si Aphorism by Dharma Master Cheng Yen

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