In honor of Earth Day, the La Guardia and Wagner Archives have released a 1980s-era water conservation ad sponsored by former Mayor Ed Koch when the city was in the middle of one of its worst droughts of the century. (What other time could a slogan like “Keep New York wet” catch on?). The cheesy PSA puts the onus on youngsters to keep their water guzzling parents and siblings in check.
As the Archives point out, the 1981 scene is a far cry from today’s New York, which is struggling with flooding, storm surges and high rates of rainfall. It’s still a good reminder, however, that water is a precious resource.
