NLBS #52: Stupid in California, or, How Excess and Environmentalists Caused The Drought.

a reply to: TerryMcGuire

Not at all like Redding, actually.

a reply to: DrumStickNinja

Most of Central CA area is dry but very heavy in farming of some sort. Big draws on aquifers! Central Coast areas are very "dirty" and lawns help keep sand and dirt from damaging property. Was in a hell of a sand storm once while driving through Baker, CA.

My point is lawn, while seen as beautification, are also practical and necessary in some areas.

a reply to: SkepticOverlord

But there are desalination plants in several CA coastal cities. They just don't sell ads and make money for the media.

a reply to: Greathouse

I am a CA native and 53 years old. Not my first but hopefully my last drought here. If the Good Lord's willing and the creek rises!

originally posted by: Ultralight
a reply to: Greathouse

I am a CA native and 53 years old. Not my first but hopefully my last drought here. If the Good Lord's willing and the creek rises!

Sounds like Northern California because I detect some country wisdom?

My question about the desalination plants idea:

If they were to build a bunch of them on the coast years ago, how many people would look at it as a waste of money because "we get enough water already." Honestly, CA has been in terrible debt for a while. If the state was getting enough water when they were built, I think they would have received a lot of crap.

But now in the past years there has been terrible drought and now everyone is complaining "why didn't we build desalination plants!"

I used to live in CA, but I was young so I don't know how long the annual snow melt has been under average.

I'm not defending decision's made in Sacramento, but I am just asking for a little more clarity from those who seem to understand a bit more than I do.

Thanks peoples.

a reply to: Greathouse

Mama was from Chickasha, OK. She was indeed, very wise.

originally posted by: SkepticOverlord

originally posted by: Ameilia
a lot seems to rest on politicians...

And the video mentions two important issues that are the politician's fault.

That is great to hear - and thanks for clarifying.

This was a decent NLBS episode, but they really didn't delve into the problems associated with desalination .. like .. what do you do with all the waste brine? Seems like we're simply trading one problem for another.

originally posted by: ausername
I just drove through California, from LA, north through to Oregon. California is hot, extremely dry, and exactly what you would expect a desert to be. Because it is.

What is amazing, is the traffic, the towns and cities, the population, despite the depressed economy especially in the central valley... It's unbelievable seeing so many people, so much civilization in a desert.

Maybe that is where the stupidity is, ultimately.

You must have drove through with your eyes closed. Once into the Sac valley you run into trees, crops, on from redding is lakes rivers and forests.

You know Yosemite is Ca right? How about this...Sequoia National Park...Lake Tahoe...Lake Shasta and hundreds of other lakes rivers and forests.

It take me 7 hours to drive from the CA coast to Reno almost all forests the whole way.





Why does everyone thing one corner of Ca is ALL of the state?

a reply to: Ultralight

My point is lawn, while seen as beautification, are also practical and necessary in some areas.

I think a wonderful garden can be had by putting down fabric and rock with water friendly plants I wish more saw it as beautiful as I do. there are so many parks people can enjoy no need for areas of lawn.

originally posted by: Char-Lee

Why does everyone thing one corner of Ca is ALL of the state?

Probably for the same reason they all think we live on the beach, surf, have blond hair and talk like valley girls. Because that is all they ever see on TV.

"F" the train. We need desalination.

originally posted by: Guidance.Is.Internal
This was a decent NLBS episode, but they really didn't delve into the problems associated with desalination .. like .. what do you do with all the waste brine? Seems like we're simply trading one problem for another.

BS, batteries.

a reply to: Flux8

Not sure if you're serious or not. You're talking about the old brine batteries which utilize two dissimilar metals in a brine solution? I'd like to see if you've worked out the mathematics for whether it would be economical to run such a battery in this circumstance.

originally posted by: Guidance.Is.Internal
like .. what do you do with all the waste brine?

It's an exceptionally effective base for airplane de-icing... as well as road salt for the municipal de-icing. Last year, much of the northeast faced shortages of road salt. hmmmmmm...

Why are there no collection 'tanks' to catch the floods when it does rain?
It would too expensive to collect and ship melt water from Greenland, but are there any other places water could be collected and shipped south to Cally?

I am all for banning golf courses in Calif.

If they want to golf let them fly to Texas.

originally posted by: Char-Lee


You must have drove through with your eyes closed.

Why does everyone thing one corner of Ca is ALL of the state?

The person you were responding to travelled the I-5, which is the least scenic route one could take. When giving people advice, who plan on visiting CA, I first tell them to NOT take that route!
They think they have seen the whole state, and get a very bleak idea of it.

a reply to: Char-Lee

I disagree. I find no beauty in rocks as they do not photosynthesi and give back to the environment. Lawn does this. I am not opposed to other low water use plants, except cactus. I do not like those.