We have to consider the opportunity cost. Focusing attention on the minor problem is a mistake, even if it "helps". When a patient comes in with a gunshot wound and a paper cut, we have to be smart about the triage.
There is no doubt that if we must choose to do something either to affect the big stuff, or the small stuff, we should prefer that to the small stuff.
But I do not see how ordinary people not wasting water at restaurants has any opportunity cost wrt agriculture water usage. There are different people involved, at different times.
>I do not see how ordinary people not wasting water at restaurants has any opportunity cost wrt agriculture water usage.
They are both legislated by the same group of incompetent politicians. These politicians are driven by re-election, so they will focus on things that look like helping more than things that actually help. Legislating day-to-day consumers will have much more visibility than major org water usage restrictions. People like you are the reason they get away with this. You support what they are doing because you think it helps, so they will not bother with the stuff that really helps because that's actually hard.
The opportunity cost is not to the individual, but to the lawmakers and society's attention. They spent time deliberating about water at restaurants when a single almond takes a gallon of water to produce.
