We continue to tout the importance of energy and water conservation. The plight of Californians is but an example of the necessity for all of us to find ways to rethink and reuse our precious natural resources.

California’s severe drought has spurred Google, Adobe and eBay to find new ways to reduce water consumption.

Google is considering “urinal cakes” which contain enzymes that calcify urine so toilets only need to be flushed a few times each day, saving close to 500,000 gallons of water each year. Google is also looking to reduce water used in its landscaping by grouping plants with similar water needs together and installing sensors to monitor irrigation. Last year, their water recycling practice saved 9 million gallons of water.

ebay began recycling water on parts of its campus landscaping in 2013, also saving 9 million gallons of water that year. eBay has in place smart irrigation systems that respond to weather changes.

Adobe has cut water usage in its San Francisco Bay Area buildings by 62 percent since 2000 by using low-flow faucets and waterless urinals. Planting native drought-resistant plants and drip irrigation systems contributed to their water use reduction. Adobe is also researching ways to use recycled water for its cooling systems and is looking into ways to recapture rain water and reclaim their own waste water.

More than 120 California-based companies signed the “Climate Declaration,” a business leaders’ call-to-action that asks federal and state policymakers to address climate change as an economic opportunity.

We can applaud Google, eBay and Adobe, but we can also look in our own backyards for ways to conserve. Save the rainwater and reuse it to water indoor plants, wash automobiles and laundry. Ask your local hardware stores or government if they have rain barrels for that purpose.

Can you think a few?