Rotary Meeting of Dec. 13, 2012 “To Drink, or not to Drink, that is the question” by Gary Wilson, Bulletin Editor.
Pre Meeting
Because of the falling of the holidays we did not meet the last 2 Thursdays in the year, so our last meeting was at the West Basin Municipal District Reclamation Plant on the 13th. Dick and Julie Stolnack went to the Hacienda last week and had a meeting, and Len went to the Aquarium. 2 Past Presidents and our next President were confused. Life is indeed confusing. The next thing you know we will be recycling our own bodily fluids.
A few of us (Tom, Len, and myself) got to the facility early and had to use the rest room before the meeting. It looked like a typical mens room, but standing there at the urinal one was forced to think about “where actually did this wastewater go when you were through”. Would we see it again before the end of the day? I decided not to go at that time figuring I could wait til after the meeting when I was home. Tom, however relieved himself and was quite proud, Supreme Commander and “P” leader that he is. He is like a Rooster
The Meeting at the West Basin Municipal District Reclamation Plant
When we arrived we were treated to a lunch by the plant with some familiar soft drinks that had lids on them and water with labels. I checked carefully. Then we watched a funny movie with the actor Jack Black learning about how that “reclaimed” water comes to be drinking water once again. The movie talked about a potentially new bottled water product called “Porcelain Springs Water”, which we all sampled later in the day. At least I think we all sampled it. Some of us had to “man up”. Elyse told me a number of times during the tour that she didn’t need water like most people and rarely drank it anyway. I think she was just managing my expectations on whether she was going to drink or not. I don’t know if she drank it nor if everyone did.
Later in the tour I believe we learned that this “water reclamation” could happen fairly quickly and wondered if Tom perhaps could have supplied some of our sample that very day. Some of us now are talking with a little bit of a southern accent and whistling Dixie from time to time. Just maybe there is a little Supreme Commander in all of us now, but this too shall pass.
We had about 15 members show up and I assume those of you that could not attend did so because you knew where the plant “reclaimed” the water from and decided to be sick that day before the meeting rather than after.
In any event we toured pretty much the whole facility and I noticed a few things that there were porto poddies every where…disproportionally so. It is almost like the designers said let’s not pass up and opportunity to get more “product”.
We learned all about filtration and how it works. Quite frankly the day was very interesting and if you haven’t taken the tour you should. You are looking at the future of our planet. Drive a Prius, order Porcelain Springs Water with your home grown vegetables which you harvest in the nude. Quite a life, yes sir re. I think I am a Liberal now. I think I need to eat some nuts and seeds too.
This week we go on another field trip and go to the Manhattan Beach Aquarium. Bring your signed parents approval for the bus ride. We are meeting at the Round House Aquarium at the end of the Manhattan Beach pier this week. We will have a private tour and lunch outside on the pier. Queen Elyse Beardsley is bringing lunch.
Joe Harding and the Hacienda Hotel will be providing transportation to pier with a Hacienda Shuttle Bus. The bus will be leaving from the front of the Hotel at 11:45 sharp. The bus returns from the pier a 1:15.
See you there.