Overpopulation denial + AGW + drought = historic water rationing (agriculture, moving to)

[ohhwanderlust]

Originally Posted by 2sleepy

Anyone driven past Dixon lately? Farms that were planted with tomatoes and other annual crops are now almond orchards That is really troublesome.

It's absolutely ridiculous. Almonds require extreme amounts of water for their yield.

Perhaps a boycott of CA grown almonds is in order. I will start.

It's not even like almonds are anything special, or a staple. I love almonds as salad garnish and snacks, but by no means is it a necessity.

[ohhwanderlust]

Originally Posted by Gunluvver2

Population growth is the biggest threat to the United States, not Global Warming. It is also one of the biggest threats to the Planet.
Some of the cures to overpopulation in the USA by peaceful means: Stopping ILLEGAL immigration. Lower birthrates.

Cures to overpopulation in the USA that are HORRIBLE: Unlimited abortion, disease, natural disaster, Biological, Chemical or Nuclear attacks, an EMP attack, severe drought.

The cures to an overpopulated World are similar. A World population of three billion might be sustainable in perpetuity but how long can the Planet support a population of 10 Billion?

Exactly. People have a choice. Do they want it the (relatively very) easy way, or the hard way?

Because if humans don't take action, Mother Nature will do it for them. And she won't care to do it in a pretty way.

[btownboss4]

Originally Posted by GoldenZephyr

How Growers Gamed California’s Drought

Consuming 80 percent of California’s developed water but accounting for only 2 percent of the state’s GDP, agriculture thrives while everyone else is parched.

“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.

This is the problem, not people's lawn's. Big ag has not been addressed and Jerry Brown is simply socking it to the little guy as leftists always do.

His hysterics and theatrics do NOTHING to measurably reduce water consumption, but they inflict a heavy penalty on residential users.

80% of the water and no restrictions, and leftists want to worry about whether or not restaurants serve an extra glass of water and if someone waters their lawn.

"We need to limit population growth" say leftists, uhhh, except for illegal immigration, then we need MILLIONS more. Jerry Brown invited all of Latin America to come and live in CA. Exactly how worried is he about population?

Send billions of gallons of water out to sea, rather than capture and store the water. Why, a fish, so, cut water to people, but not Big Ag, which would do most of what is needed.

Actually, without Big Ag, this state would have MORE than enough water. They account for so little of the GDP, we could get rid of all Big Ag and we'd be just fine.

I could argue that the water diversion from Big Ag, does more damage to GDP than it creates and thus should be phased out.

However, leftists like all that "green" money from Big Ag, and they'd rather people sleep in dirty bedsheets than actually conserve meaningful amounts of water.

Punishing the little guy is a hallmark of leftist ideology, no matter where they strangle control.

Agriculture might be 2% of GDP but it is the most important 2% because you could live fine without banks, hospitality, entertainment, etc but unless you want to revert to a hunts gatherer, you probably want agriculture.
That said the kind of crops they are growing in a semi-arid enviorment is so stupid, Almonds? rice? Really?

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by ohhwanderlust

Exactly. People have a choice. Do they want it the (relatively very) easy way, or the hard way?

Because if humans don't take action, Mother Nature will do it for them. And she won't care to do it in a pretty way.

A shrinking population leads to other significant problems. Population grows or the area dies.That is one reason no one has stopped illegal immigration, they needed the workers, etc. Then there are costs. If 10 million left CA don't think the Gov't will spend any less, it won't. The remaining millions will pay more in taxes and fees from reduced income as the markets shrink due to ........... fewer people. CA has plenty of room and even resources IF it was managed intelligently ......................................

[Teckeeee]

Originally Posted by GoldenZephyr

How Growers Gamed California’s Drought

Consuming 80 percent of California’s developed water but accounting for only 2 percent of the state’s GDP, agriculture thrives while everyone else is parched.

“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.

This is the problem, not people's lawn's. Big ag has not been addressed and Jerry Brown is simply socking it to the little guy as leftists always do.

His hysterics and theatrics do NOTHING to measurably reduce water consumption, but they inflict a heavy penalty on residential users.

80% of the water and no restrictions, and leftists want to worry about whether or not restaurants serve an extra glass of water and if someone waters their lawn.

"We need to limit population growth" say leftists, uhhh, except for illegal immigration, then we need MILLIONS more. Jerry Brown invited all of Latin America to come and live in CA. Exactly how worried is he about population?

Send billions of gallons of water out to sea, rather than capture and store the water. Why, a fish, so, cut water to people, but not Big Ag, which would do most of what is needed.

Actually, without Big Ag, this state would have MORE than enough water. They account for so little of the GDP, we could get rid of all Big Ag and we'd be just fine.

I could argue that the water diversion from Big Ag, does more damage to GDP than it creates and thus should be phased out.

However, leftists like all that "green" money from Big Ag, and they'd rather people sleep in dirty bedsheets than actually conserve meaningful amounts of water.

Punishing the little guy is a hallmark of leftist ideology, no matter where they strangle control.

It's good to see someone is pointing out the real crisis

[Teckeeee]

Originally Posted by ohhwanderlust

It's absolutely ridiculous. Almonds require extreme amounts of water for their yield.

Perhaps a boycott of CA grown almonds is in order. I will start.

It's not even like almonds are anything special, or a staple. I love almonds as salad garnish and snacks, but by no means is it a necessity.

Adios Almonds never cared for them much anyway

[pch1013]

Originally Posted by GoldenZephyr

Punishing the little guy is a hallmark of leftist ideology, no matter where they strangle control.

LOL. Central Valley agri-corps are all "leftist"?

The same people who put signs up on their property blaming Pelosi, Boxer, and Feinstein for allegedly stealing "their" subsidized water?

Really?

In which universe are those red-county capitalists "leftist"?

[Calix]

Originally Posted by pch1013

LOL. Central Valley agri-corps are all "leftist"?

The same people who put signs up on their property blaming Pelosi, Boxer, and Feinstein for allegedly stealing "their" subsidized water?

Really?

In which universe are those red-county capitalists "leftist"?

More to Zephyr's point:

How Growers Gamed California’s Drought

Consuming 80 percent of California’s developed water but accounting for only 2 percent of the state’s GDP, agriculture thrives while everyone else is parched.

“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.

Those seem to be mostly left leaning to outright far leftists.

I wonder why dear Jerry "era of limits" Brown hasn't tried to enact meaningful restrictions on CA Big AG?

Can you answer that? Follow the money....

[Teckeeee]

Don't play golf shut down, or raise fees.

Some will but as mentioned follow the $$$ I don't see Pelican Bay on Newport Coast getting shut down or Dove Canyon in RSM. Pebble Beach anyone $$$?

I am aware they use recly/grey water some 90% who knows rest.

[pch1013]

Originally Posted by Calix

I wonder why dear Jerry "era of limits" Brown hasn't tried to enact meaningful restrictions on CA Big AG?

Because he, like every other politician in California, of both parties, is terrified of the Big Ag lobby.

Which represents a massive failure of leadership by all involved.

But the fact remains that the farmers who are growing cash crops for export (almonds, pistachios, alfalfa, etc.) are not a bunch of tree-hugging lefties. They are as right-wing as they come. If CA were run by Republicans, they'd be pouring money into Republican campaign coffers instead.