California is currently experience one of its most severe droughts in history. This is caused by the differences in the water levels in the Bidwell Marina in 2011 and 2014.
So to avoid the phenomenon from getting worse and to protect the last precious drop of clean water, the state has come up with a very interesting project. They dumped over 96 million plastic balls into the reservoirs.
The purpose of these black, weighted “shade balls” is to block out the sun in order to slow down evaporation. These will also prevent chlorine from turning into carcinogens and decrease the buildup of algae.
The balls are made from the same materials used in manufacturing milk jugs. Therefore, it is expected not to give off any harmful chemicals of their own.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, all reservoirs of California have to be covered. With this odd technique, for sure, future droughts can be avoided.
By using these shade balls, about 300 million gallons of water can be saved each year. But still, this doesn’t mean there’ll be plenty of water. As much as possible, California still has to conserve water.
Aside from these dump balls, people have other ways to preserve the environment. Check out these articles:
These Floating Dutch Houses are the Netherlands’s Solution to Global Warming
These Spectacular Houses All Feature Green Roofs and They are Pretty Amazing