Here in the American Midwest we are experiencing dry summers. My gardens have done poorly two years in a row. But our western states are doing worse, going through a historic drought, with reservoirs sinking to new low levels of water in reserve.
Agriculture dominates 80% of all the water use in the West. California's mild weather means that farming products are a significant part of their economy. From 2015 to 1985, crop yield increased by 38%. Amazingly, water use went down over that same time by 14%.
How? Farmers have figured out how to grow more crops on less land, with less water. They innovated to find new ways of doing what needs to be done in a way that consumes fewer resources.
It's what human beings have been doing since the beginning. It's how wealth is created. It's how progress is made for the benefit of all.
Water use is down in cities too. Impressively.
from Human Progress
(cont'd tomorrow)
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