ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Comes Under Fire In the Midst of California Drought: Is it Really Helping ALS and at What Cost?

Anyone doing a quick viral video search on the Internet would instantly see the latest trend known as the 'ice bucket challenge.' The ice bucket challenge features a person who has been 'nominated,' dumping a bucket of chilly ice water over their head. After the act is done, the chilled victim challenges three or four others to also engage in the activity. To date, the ice bucket challenge has lead to more than $20 million being donated to ALS research, which in comparison to last year's totals, has multiplied research funds by 20 times.

With more than 2 million unique videos of different citizens preforming the challenge, it's hard to believe that California is 'supposedly' in a drought. Imagine listening to Gov. Jerry Brown talking about water conservation and the worst drought in California history, and then going on the Internet and seeing millions of videos of people pouring water on themselves.

The timing of both events is undoubtedly ironic and seemingly a bit humorous. Though the act of pouring water on oneself seems to be trivial, the fact is that millions of dollars are being raised for ALS research. The thought process behind the challenge should not be condemned, but greater than that the underlying issue is that Californian's do not understand what a drought is.

For most Californians, there has never been a time when they have turned a faucet and nothing came out. Water shortages seem like a big deal, and yet citizens of the Golden State never directly experienced them. If the day should ever come when faucets are turned and nothing comes out, the mass panic will have citizens policing themselves and calling out neighbors who water their lawns everyday.

DWP spokesman Michelle Vargas told the Los Angeles Times that, "There are plenty of ways that L.A. residents can take the ice bucket challenge and not waste water." According to calculations done by the Long Beach Post, "nearly 19,000 homes daily water usage has been wasted."

The DWP announced on Monday that they would be stepping up their regulation of the new California drought policies that call for lawns to be watered no more than three times a week. Fines that can amount to hundreds of dollars will be handed out to those found in violation.

The popularity and viral appeal of the ice bucket challenge makes it an easy target for critics and those worried about the drought. While the challenge only accounts for a small fraction of the State's overall water waste, the point is the carelessness by which it is acted out. If there was a bread shortage, citizens would not videotape themselves gorging on whole loafs. Water is the single most important substance on the planet; use it wisely.