Los Angeles Times

The advantage of reclaiming soil

-

Re “Why waste rain?,” June 25

It is a relief to see almost daily articles in The Times addressing issues related to water.

A few years ago I would have read this informativ­e piece on storm water capture in Los Angeles and thought of the idea as a great solution. However, after learning about the overwhelmi­ng superiorit­y of creating healthy soils that not only capture and hold water but also sequester carbon, reduce or eliminate air pollution, produce superior crops with little or no fertilizer­s or pesticides and mitigate property damage from flooding, I find myself wishing that more of our efforts were directed toward soil reclamatio­n projects.

Hindsight often reveals the wisdom of looking at the big picture. Sadly, this view is often accompanie­d by a clap on one’s forehead and a sense of regret at not having included this big picture when making important decisions.

I look forward to a nottoo-distant future in which property owners and communitie­s take pride not in how abundant their foliage is, but how much water is captured on their land. Jeanne Kuntz

Los Angeles

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States