Passion + Action = Protection

By Steve Mossman

As I wrap up my second year of service on the Groundwater Foundation Board of Directors, I wanted to provide some updates on the positive mission of the Foundation.

We just returned from a Board meeting in Las Vegas and, more importantly, the Community-based Groundwater Protection Forum put on by the Foundation the following day.  The passion of the Forum attendees to protect our most precious resource was contagious.  Along with the passion, the Groundwater Foundation’s collaborative approach to protecting groundwater at the source left all attendees returning to their communities with concrete “deliverables” to act upon. 

 

Passion + Action = Protection

These qualities were also on display as the Groundwater Foundation honored long-time volunteer Bob Kuzelka with its highest honor, the annual Maurice Kremer Groundwater Achievement Award.  Along with his many years of academic and community involvement in water issues, Bob was the leading force in the design, development, and implementation of the Foundation’s Groundwater Guardian program.  It was so fitting to honor Bob at the Forum lunch and a hearty congratulations is due.

My final take away from Las Vegas involves a taxi ride.  My driver was a 20 year Las Vegas resident.  As a member of the building trade, he was hit hard by the 2008 recession. But, he recently had the ability to purchase  a new home and was so proud to tell me about his involvement in a program sponsored by the Southern Nevada Water Authority (our great host in Las Vegas) to convert his turf into desert landscaping.  The Authority’s Water Smart Landscape Rebate program is exactly the kind of program that needs to spread. 

Like my taxi driver and the Southern Nevada Water Authority, let’s all work together on the important mission of the Groundwater Foundation.