4 ms·

The real problem is all the alfalfa and the cows. Per pound of protein/carbs/whatever, cows consume way more water than pretty much any plant. And much of our

by jefurii 11y ago

The real problem is all the alfalfa and the cows. Per pound of protein/carbs/whatever, cows consume way more water than pretty much any plant. And much of our alfalfa is just being shipped to China.

Retric 11y ago
Cutting Alfalfa production is fairly cheap in the long term which fits well with California's regular droughts. However, using prehistoric water to farm Alfalfa is crazy IMO. The problem with Almonds is they are trees, so letting them die is far more costly.
- vanattab 11y ago
  What is prehistoric water?
  - Retric 11y ago
    Underground water gained by lowering the water table. There seems to be several terms in common usage. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquifer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquifer Basically, if the water table is dropping then people are pumping out water faster than its being replaced. If you look into when that water was put there you quickly get into geologic timeframes. Aquifer's often do flow meaning that specific drop may only be decades old, but replenishment rates in many places are vastly smaller than extraction rates. EX: Some places in China have seen 10+ feet drops in the water table per year. PS: “Fossil water” or paleowater is a related idea. Basically water that's been undisturbed for long periods. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossil_water https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossil_water
- ScottBurson 11y ago
  But almonds are a high-value crop. If the price of water went up substantially, the almonds would get a little more expensive, but demand wouldn't collapse. I don't think it's right to say we shouldn't grow almonds in California, though they should pay for their water. > using prehistoric water to farm Alfalfa is crazy IMO Agreed -- completely insane. And we wouldn't, if water cost what it should cost.

4 ms·

The real problem is all the alfalfa and the cows. Per pound of protein/carbs/whatever, cows consume way more water than pretty much any plant. And much of our

by jefurii 11y ago

The real problem is all the alfalfa and the cows. Per pound of protein/carbs/whatever, cows consume way more water than pretty much any plant. And much of our alfalfa is just being shipped to China.

Retric 11y ago
Cutting Alfalfa production is fairly cheap in the long term which fits well with California's regular droughts. However, using prehistoric water to farm Alfalfa is crazy IMO. The problem with Almonds is they are trees, so letting them die is far more costly.
- vanattab 11y ago
  What is prehistoric water?
  - Retric 11y ago
    Underground water gained by lowering the water table. There seems to be several terms in common usage. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquifer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquifer Basically, if the water table is dropping then people are pumping out water faster than its being replaced. If you look into when that water was put there you quickly get into geologic timeframes. Aquifer's often do flow meaning that specific drop may only be decades old, but replenishment rates in many places are vastly smaller than extraction rates. EX: Some places in China have seen 10+ feet drops in the water table per year. PS: “Fossil water” or paleowater is a related idea. Basically water that's been undisturbed for long periods. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossil_water https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossil_water
- ScottBurson 11y ago
  But almonds are a high-value crop. If the price of water went up substantially, the almonds would get a little more expensive, but demand wouldn't collapse. I don't think it's right to say we shouldn't grow almonds in California, though they should pay for their water. > using prehistoric water to farm Alfalfa is crazy IMO Agreed -- completely insane. And we wouldn't, if water cost what it should cost.