Although I live in Los Angeles, warnings of droughts seem to be a mere blip on most people's radar screens. This morning, I passed people (illegally) hosing sidewalks, sprinklers watering lawns and roses bushes, car washes turning on their lights to prepare for another busy day and I was greeted at yoga class by a handful of people drinking "Smart Water" in colorful plastic bottles (I thought they were smart enough to know that their beverage of choice isn't really smart or ecologically friendly). So, while reading alarmist headlines about an impending drought in California and a current one in Australia, I wondered how many people know this or care.
Australia known for its endangered kangaroos and oceanic gem, the Great Barrier Reef, is now schvitzing in the dead of their summer with their worst heatwave on record. Why should we care about a distant continent that stretches towards the bottom of the Earth and is filled with lots of friendly people who love a good beer and Aussie Rules Football? Well, Australia's current heat-wave is not just something that people stuck in snowy Detroit or Boston right now should be envious of. It's indicative of a more serious environmental crisis that has given the country the dubious distinction of being the "canary in the coal mine for climate-drive desertification."
Over 20 people have died, harvests have been reduced, rivers are drying up and Melbourne's power outage left thousands stranded last week. And, while some might want to wave this off as "Australia's problem," it's actually happening at home now.
Global warming doesn't know boundaries and California is next in line. Extreme temperatures and desertification are caused by global warming. And, for arid states, such as California, with limited water supplies, the parallels between Australia and here are striking and worrisome. According to Doug Obegi of the Natural Resources Defense Council, California is at a cross-roads because the state will not be able to continue to operate in its current mode with outdated water policies that are not sustainable, particulary as we move into a drought.
Here's a highlight of some facts about desertification and climate change:
-Science magazine predicted a "permanent drought" throughout the Southwest by 2050.
-Extreme drought around the world will increase from 3% to 30% by 2100.
-California might be at the start of the worst drought in modern-times.
Although this is alarming and frightening, there are solutions. We can continue with our unsustainable water and climate change policies. Or, we can make this issue our number one priority and drastically change our policies to greatly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions (which cause global warming) and water use. Take action today to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions and get involved with advocacy efforts.
This original post of Sarah's Social Action Snapshot appeared on Takepart.com
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Berit Anderson: Save Our California Farmers
I was surprised to discover that the culprit behind San Joaquin Valley's water shortage doesn't wear a suit to work or vote on legislation. It is the rare Delta Smelt.
Regards Penelope
I think you are right on the mark but I had this friend of mine who thinks Global Warming is "junk science" send me this article based on your article that seems to debunk it and makes your article look like it is way off the mark. Especially since it was backed up by an NOAA report and a coupe of articles from the BBC that were not mentioned here.
There are so many people talking about it these days and we keep seeing the idea move from CO2, to Global Warming, to Climate Change, I am starting to lose faith that anyone really is right about it. Help!
Could please explain? Here is the link that I was sent from American Daily Review.
http://www.americandailyreview.com/home-features-articles-blog/2009/2/7/heads-they-win-tails-we-lose-with-global-warming.html
1.) it isn't global warming...that is bad terminology because who doesn't like warmth. Also the issue isn't heat, it is energy, the more energy trapped in our system the more extreme or intense all the conditions beocme, snow, rain, drought, species die off, and diease. As an environmetnal scientist by schooling I know that our system has thresholds that if broken, can accelerate change to within a year
2.) No matter how much water you conserve or lightbulbs you change, or hybrids you drive (they still burn gas, and release the same pollutants). If you do not consider population growth (the most taboo subject in the eco movement) you will have little impact.
3billion people x 100 gallons pp=300,000,000,000
6 billion using 70 = 420,000,000,000 you still have a significant increase in consumption.
3.) Around the world 100,000s of people mostly children die from lack of water or contaminatd water. 20 is so small but it is a "developed" nation and so it scares us more.
4.)Another amplification, is we have been borrowing hugh amounts of money to keep the water infrastructure working, facing a $51,000,000,000 shortfall, diminshed water resources, and enemies at the gate (Nevada,Arizona,Utah,Northern CA), the urgency isn't in the future it is now. Since all the pieces are aligning to form a catastrophy. "did the fall of roman just happen, or were there preventable signs, that people ignored?"
Great Blog and cute picture are you single?
Susie
We're careless wasters, over-consuming at every turn, with little or no regard for our behavior. Then, oddly, we put on a stunned countenance when the effect is exactly the one aligned with the cause.
When we live in a desert it's tough to find water.
When we live near a river it's tough to stave off the floodwaters.
When we commute alone in our car it is tough to find cheap gas and fresh air.
When we allow pesticides in our food supply it is challenging to find edibles without poison.
When....will we learn? If history is any indication we will learn after the crisis reaches apogee.
Thanks for taking this issue to the next level by addressing more than just switching to compact flourescents and driving a Prius.
We all need to make several lifestyle changes and then hope that our government follows our example.
I am also a Northern California resident and we are not all too pleased how the SC population uses up all of the NC water resources.
Much of California is desert, and leaving out all of the farming issues, we have to "get over" trying to look like England - which gets lots of summer rains - with all of our lawns. Housing complexes that mandate people maintain lawns should be outlawed. A lawn takes up more water than a swimming pool. I cannot understand how our useless (SC dominated) legislature has not taken this up already.
We are one of the few states that has the snow pack (future water) in the news all winter, at least we have that in our news in NC. I am sure that all residents use much less water than other states, but more can be done and lawns should be the first thing to go! At least replace them with clover which takes much less water. Did you know that clover was *desired* in lawns until a pesticide company came up with a pesticide to remove clover from lawns?
MAN