Besides football yesterday, we heard a lot about motivating people to pay attention to water issues. Right from the start, Senator Brown said the public needs a much greater understanding of the issues. And at lunch, Rep. Lewis said the general public doesn't see much beyond the next shower. I didn't hear any rebuttal to their comments. From my point of view, no other mechanism exists for such quick and widespread dissemination of information.
Some folks tout the ubiquity of the Internet.
And I certainly do agree that many people turn to this incredible resource for information and for answers to their questions about water issues. But they comprise a self-motivated group that does not include your average water user. Classroom programs, likewise, are great for instilling good habits in the upcoming generation of Texans. And advertising campaigns can be very effective in reaching large groups of people. Yesterday afternoon, for example, Chris Brown from San Antonio and Ed Garana from Corpus Christi talked about spending literally hundreds of thousands of dollars for ongoing public outreach programs on water use and efficiency.