A punishing drought is forcing a reconsideration of whether the aspiration of untrammeled growth that has for so long been the state¡¯s engine has run against the limits of nature.California Water Use [New York Times] Are you affected? [New York Times] The Drought, explained. [New York Times Video]
"California's worst drought on record isn't stopping the state from growing massive amounts of nuts: The state produces over 80 percent of the world's almonds and 43 and 28 percent of the world's pistachios and walnuts, respectively. As Mother Jones' Tom Philpott details in this longread, the state's almond market in particular has taken off: What was a $1.2 billion market in 2002 became $4.8 billion market by 2012."- Cut and dried: Civilians will bear the brunt of new water restrictions, though it is the farms that use the most. [The Economist]:
"This week, for the first time in its history, the Golden State imposed mandatory restrictions on water use. The measure follows four years of severe drought and its lowest ever recorded winter snowpack. On Wednesday Governor Jerry Brown issued an executive order imposing a 25% reduction on the state¡¯s 400 local water supply agencies over the coming year. Those local agencies serve 90% of California residents. They will be responsible for figuring out how to cut back actual water usage, but it is clear that communities that have successfully reduced water usage in recent years¡ªsuch as Los Angeles County¡ªwill have less to do than cities that have been more relaxed about abating water consumption."- How Growers Gamed California¡¯s Drought [Daily Beast]:
"¡°I¡¯ve been smiling all the way to the bank,¡± said pistachio farmer John Dean at a conference hosted this month by Paramount Farms, the mega-operation owned by Stewart Resnick, a Beverly Hills billionaire known for his sprawling agricultural holdings, controversial water dealings, and millions of dollars in campaign contributions to high-powered California politicians including Governor Jerry Brown, former governors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gray Davis, and U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein."- California drought: governor tells climate-change deniers to wake up. [The Guardian]:
"¡°With the weather that¡¯s happening in California, climate change is not a hoax,¡± Brown said, on ABC news. ¡°We¡¯re dealing with it, and it¡¯s damn serious.¡±"- This Is How Much Water It Takes To Make Your Favorite Foods [Huffington Post]:
"Extensive drought has Californians thinking twice about running the tap while brushing their teeth or taking that 20-minute shower. But what some people don't realize is that a huge portion of our water footprint is "hidden," meaning it's used for the things we eat or wear, and for the energy we use. Globally, agricultural production accounts for 92 percent of our water footprint. In the United States, meat consumption alone accounts for a whopping 30 percent of our water footprint."
As Bay Area residents struggle to save water during a historic drought, the region's water providers have been losing about 23 billion gallons a year, a new analysis of state records reveals.posted by jaguar at 2:53 PM on April 5, 2015 [3 favorites]
Aging and broken pipes, usually underground and out of sight, have leaked enough water annually to submerge the whole of Manhattan by 5 feet -- enough to meet the needs of 71,000 families for an entire year.
Bay Area water agencies have lost from 3 to 16 percent of their treated water, according to this newspaper's analysis of the latest reports on water that disappears before the meter. The figures are especially irritating for residents who are being forced to cut up to 20 percent of their water use and contend with the first-ever statewide restrictions on outdoor watering.
Instead of adopting any sort of progressive policy to implement well-known, rational planning methods that would ensure the viability of California¡¯s water supply for future generations, the existing political setup seeks to reduce the highly complex issue to merely punishing individual consumers.posted by Noisy Pink Bubbles at 4:34 PM on April 5, 2015 [6 favorites]
...
There are immense efficiencies to be gained through the statewide adoption of crop-specific irrigation methods and other efficiency improvements. Yet any such rational reorganization is blocked by the interests of the US financial oligarchy, which, controlling the entire political system, will not abide any impingement on its profits.
Nestl¨¦ called out for bottling, selling California water during droughtOh, no! With the water that goes into each bottle, we could have grown and exported one twentieth of an almond instead!
The desert is a place where native organisms either survive extremes, or they don't survive at all. ...Is that kind of thing going to convince anyone? Does even the author of it seriously think that when people talk about "desert" they mean "a place where native organisms either survive extremes, or they don't survive at all"?
Where the natural vegetation of Los Angeles remains, it survives predictable cycles. The chaparral plants have adapted ways to survive periodic fires, and now and then they have to put those skills to use. But the toyons in the hills predictably survive the predictable dry seasons, the bunchgrasses set seed in anticipation of wet autumns that almost always come, and marine layer fogs reliably cool the city in June when actual deserts start to climb above triple-digit temperatures.
That's not a desert we're talking about.
almonds are far from the only thirsty foods. Others include beef, pork, lamb, chickpeas, lentils, peas, goat, mangoes and asparagus.posted by morganw at 12:58 PM on April 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
Less thirsty crops? Cabbage, strawberries, onions, lettuce, carrots, eggplant, grapefruit and tomatoes.
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