Los Angeles to Break 130-Year Drought Record.

Conservation Scientist Pleads For L.A. Residents to Become Water-Smart

LOS ANGELES -- On Saturday, Los Angeles will break the 130-year record driest year with just 3.21-inches of rain since record keeping began. Fire safety expert and conservation scientist Dr. Reese Halter predicts that

drought conditions will persist longer and get increasingly more severe. Highly unusual weather patterns will become more common as a result of global warming. This record-breaking dryness and the growing population are creating hazardous conditions and exponentially increasing wildfire risks that cause devastating personal and economic losses.

"Even if it rained for the next few days, we would still not be able to reach the annual expected rainfall of nearly 15 inches that we are accustomed to or surpass the most recent 2002 record of just 4.42 inches," said Dr. Halter, fire expert and author of Wild Weather - The Truth Behind Global Warming. "The climate in Los Angeles is more like that of a desert now, making it even more essential to heed Mayor Villaraigosa's recent water conservation message," he added.

Dr. Halter recommends the following simple, painless steps that Los Angeles residents can take to reduce water consumption.

1. Don't leave the water running while brushing your teeth.
2. Wait to do the dishes only once a day and use the same water to
   rinse all the dishes.
3. Instead of washing your car at home, use a local carwash, which is
   required to recycle all water.
4. Avoid watering your lawn on windy days.

For more information about longer-term water conservation, see the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Web site at www.ladwp.com.

Dr. Halter studies how ecosystems are reacting to global warming and rising levels of CO2. In addition to becoming water-smart, his latest book, Wild Weather - The Truth Behind Global Warming, recommends that citizens become more informed on the effects of global warming and take the necessary steps needed for protecting our environment.

About Dr. Reese Halter

Dr. Halter is an award-winning conservation scientist, best-selling children's author, syndicated science writer, host of the PBS nature series "Dr. Reese's Planet," and professor of botany at Humboldt State University. As founder and president of Global Forest Science, a non-profit international forest biology research institute, Dr. Halter works with a team of 140 scientists to bypass ecological disasters and identify and protect fragile ecosystems. For more information, visit the Web site at www.DrReese.com.