A perfect example of how discombobulated Greenfield is, as a city, is the current water restriction.
Voluntary? Really? We’ve come to a point in time where we cannot ask of people to all chip in together and do the right thing for everyone and the earth and our water supply? This is not masking and social distancing, this is water! Look at the rivers, check out the streams that are no longer running, look at your neighbors lawns turning brown, even our perennials, bushes and trees are looking droopy.
We need a water restriction, not a suggestion. Other towns are managing, why can’t we? Afraid we might make someone angry?
By all means, fill your swimming pools, wash your car daily, take yourself a long shower. Heck, rinse off your driveway, feed your chemical lawns and hose down your house!
When the neighborhood catches fire, we’d better hope that the Fire Department shows up and has water to put the fire out!
Once their wee little fire station is built and they’ve parked their matchbox cars in the teeny parking lot, crammed up against the railroad tracks and figured out a way to exit into one of the busiest, hard to see spots in town, maybe they’ll get there, maybe they won’t.
Meanwhile, the Good Ship Lollilop looms over the town, bigger than it ever needed to be, shoved into a space much too small and looking like a bear on a unicycle, draws the eye away from unsavory sights we don’t want to see. Walk down Main Street in early morning and you’ll see what I mean. People are out, in full view, exchanging goods and services, standing and sitting in small groups of sad souls looking for a way to get through another day in beautiful Greenfield. Take a stroll down the side streets and see the heartbreaking awakening of the homeless, the hungry, the lost and alone, facing another day of trying to find a bathroom, food and drink and the kindness of strangers.
We can be very ugly, Greenfield, unless it’s a Friday night and entertainment brings out the pretty people looking for cocktails and distraction. Or Saturday mornings near the common, with the Farmers Market, music, food and so many people able to afford to buy fresh food, it’s a beautiful sight I never tire of seeing. We are so lucky to have such an amazing array of farmers and food raisers!
Walk down to Hope Street and see the amazing group, Stone Soup Cafe, feeding the “other 500” who cannot afford the $7 loaf of artisan bread.
We will voluntarily conserve water as we’ve been doing for 25 years. The rest of you can convince yourselves there’s nothing to worry about. You’ve done a great job so far. It’s just “the weather” or “mother nature” after all, right?
Ellen Villani lives in Greenfield.