Re:Cities turn to ‘extreme’ water recycling
by ericmay on Tuesday June 20, 2023 @01:21PM
(#36407342)
and it has great positive externalities!
If California is growing a little less stuff that I'm buying in Ohio, Ohio farmers can start selling it at a profitable price point. Then we're not transporting as much across the country, not draining California of water, employing more Ohio farmers, and diversifying our food supply chains.
Re:Cities turn to ‘extreme’ water recycling
by mrguyorama on Tuesday June 20, 2023 @01:43PM
(#36407652)
We probably SHOULD ban all farming in California, simply to improve the conditions of rural communities that used to farm but can't profitably compete anymore. We could use a revival of some blue collar communities, and the only losers would be agribusiness in california, to which I say, don't create a farming company in the desert maybe.
Re:Cities turn to ‘extreme’ water recycling
by ericmay on Tuesday June 20, 2023 @04:21PM
(#36409926)
I'm open-minded here but why would we ban all farming in California? My understanding is that farming can be done economically and environmentally friendly, it's just moreso the scale that is the problem. I'd like to see more independent farmers throughout California and the country as a whole if possible.
Re:Cities turn to ‘extreme’ water recycling
by singleshot_ on Wednesday June 21, 2023 @05:24PM
(#36424814)
It’s very interesting that I’ve heard it suggested to build a water pipeline to deliver water from the east to the west because the west is out of water, but I have not heard it proposed to create a pipeline carrying nutrient slurry from Ohio to California in case California has to stop growing food on account of being out of water.
Maybe there’s a reason we are supposed to be thinking inside of boxes, after all.
Re:Cities turn to ‘extreme’ water recycling
by hparadiz on Tuesday June 20, 2023 @03:03PM
(#36408907)
Current reservoir capacity lasts 3 years during a drought at normal water usage. Agriculture uses 92% of all the water. There's absolutely no need to "ban farming". Lmao. It would be vastly cheaper to build a few more reservoirs and increase our capacity by 2x or 3x.
Capacity behind dams doesn’t create new water, and in fact cases evaporation thus reducing average available water in the long term. It’s a pointless expense unless there’s regular surplus water to refill them.
The issue isn’t that farming is using 92% of all water, the issue is farming is extracting water from aquifers faster than it can replenish. This reduces not only the amount stored but also the amount that ends up in streams and rivers.
Banning farming in California isn’t the same as banning farming globally. Across much of the US not only is water plentiful crops get enough rainfall to not actually need irrigation.
And of course banning CA farming is hardly needed, even a 5% drop would free up plenty of water. Cities would be much better off simply buying farmland with water rights and leaving it fallow than implementing severe water conservation methods.