Saturday, June 6, 2015

More On Climate Change

As I left the motel room in Solvang, Amy Goodman’s show  Democracy Now was on. She had two climate scientists talking about the climate change drought in California. Water is a big part of the agricultural valleys, including the valleys I have traveled so far. 

I spoke with a man who assists farmers and well drillers find what they need to grow those wonderful salads I have been eating on this ride. Their wells go very deep. What decisions will California make this summer? We are in the fourth year of a drought. NOAA says we have a one year supply of water. Sao Paulo Brazil, a city with a population proportionate to California’s, just went through a period of water service twice a week. 

As I left Solvang on Alisal Road, I crossed the Santa Ynez River bed. It could be that it is always this dry in early June, but when I then passed golfers at the River Course at the Alisal the combination of these three events was striking. Dry river bed, green golf course, and Democracy Now speaking about the devastation that is prolonged drought. Will we save the natural environment or will we divert the delta waters to feed ourselves? That is what those looking for water want to know. 

My only response to the man in the Salinas Valley is that we too are part of the natural world. We are its product. It is something we must protect.

1 comment:

  1. Thank you Dan for keeping us in touch with our environment.

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