Climate Change, Waste, Not Reclaiming water for human consumption, and… Farm Subsidies?
You got it!
California is going through one of the most significant droughts in the last 100 years. Many factors play into the situation, such as climate change, waste, overpopulation in a Mediterranean climate area, etc.
Yet, one of the more surprising sources for the geographical dehydration is due to farming. Farming such things as cows (not a plant, ha!), almonds, avocados, and even rice!
Side note: rice requires constant saturation and, often, total submersion in precious water.
Not only do farms in California grow such water guzzling produce, but the State Government even pays the farms in Subsidies, whether or not the farm produces. This can, and does, add to the loss of water as well as adds to the State Debt.
So, what can be done about this growing problem?
Well we can start with our personal usage of water and become more conscious. We can also pass bills that would allow for reclaiming water for drinking purposes (this would not only help to save water, but it would also create jobs). Furthermore, we could stop providing subsidies to farms that either don’t produce or use over a certain amount of water. This would force the industry to change their current methods of water usage with their own money, and not that of tax payers.
Why should Californian tax payers have to pay for the negligence of government and farming companies?
You can join the fight by signing this petition and creating others like it: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/722/274/548/limit-water-use-by-california-farms-and-agriculture/
Here is a link to the amounts of money given to rice farmers in California: http://farm.ewg.org/progdetail.php?fips=06000&progcode=rice
Here is a link to CA debt: http://www.treasurer.ca.gov/cdiac/graphs/index.asp
