Do you even know who to call?
What about if you see someone smoking at the train station or in a covered bus stop?
Write to the local paper and complain?
These "nanny" laws everyone complains about are all well and good, especially if most people agree with them, but how many people actually enforce them?
To many people it seems these laws are like TV copyright infringement. Everyone tapes TV with their VCR. It's illegal. It might even still be illegal after the botched job the government seems to be doing in copyright reform this year. But is anyone going to get in trouble for it? No. So why have the law?
The laws are pointless if they aren't enforced.
Not that the idea of excessive toilet flush cameras really appeals to me.
Warning! "Water safety cameras" operate in this facility!
The Age article suggests that many of the trees are already dying.
I've been collecting old photos of Melbourne for the past year and one of the most noticeable differences between the old and new is that old Melbourne, even Melbourne from 50 years ago, didn't have very many trees. Even the trees around the Shrine are small and pathetic in most photos when compared to now.
In the last 50 years or so Melbourne has collected a vast number of mature, thirsty, trees. They all look fantastic (despite their frustrating me taking photos of our lovely building's façades) but maybe some of them do need to go?
Certainly the thought of all of Melbourne's park's lawns being allowed to "yellow off" over summer is distressing but maybe we don't have a choice?
I'm not convinced that the climate change we've been seeing is enough to cause the water problems we have by itself, but in combination with our excessive water usage and increases industry, farming and population, it's impact is multiplied.
What to do?