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Comment by lolinder | Hacker News Reader

I don't think anyone here is disputing that climate change plays a role, but we live in a world where, if we simply stopped shipping almonds overseas, California would have enough water for three more cities the size of LA.[0] That's just one example of the ridiculous agricultural inefficiencies we're dealing with: 80% of California's water goes to agriculture.[1]

Climate change is hurting things for sure, but it's still agriculture that needs to adapt if we stand any chance. Marginal improvements in residential usage will not solve the problem.

[0] https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2015/04/real-problem...

[1] https://water.ca.gov/Programs/Water-Use-And-Efficiency/Agric...

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Forget almonds, only alfalfa (a very cheap crop) needs to be stopped. For at least the next decade, there's plenty of water for ever current use.

> For at least the next decade

For the next decade? That's like saying there's a wildfire nearby, but my house will be fine for the next five minutes. What about the next century?

California is drying up. It's not happening overnight, but it's happening and can't be stopped. California has had centuries-long droughts far worse than the present, caused by temperature increases cooler than the present. The only way to prevent California from drying up again would be a complete and rapid reversal of global warming. Even if we merely halted climate change completely, the present climate already spells disaster for California in the long run.

> if we simply stopped shipping almonds overseas, California would have enough water for three more cities the size of LA.

Only for a while. Things are likely to dry up a whole lot faster and quicker than you're expecting. Paleo-climatology has revealed that this whole corner of the US has historically been much drier than it is presently, particularly during the Medieval Warming Period (which we've blown past.) The same dynamics which dried up California Climate change is going to make the entire region much dryer than it ever has been in recorded history. It's not just the Colorado river of course. A lot of people seem to think the Central Valley will be fine, or could be fine if we got rid of the farms, but the coming droughts will be felt there hardest of all.

One way or the other, the agriculture will go. But that won't bring the rain back.

That's how I read OPs comment (and kind of his reply too just reinforced my perception of it).

For sure I don't disagree that ag is the #1 problem.

On the same hand can't deny climate change is also a problem.

Plus ways to improve ag can also lower emissions.

The easiest / biggest one: stop eating cows so we don't have to grow as much alfalfa

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