The drain on water
Re “Brown’s drought plan is light on growers,” April 3
Animal agriculture uses more water for drinking and growing food for feed than even the thirstiest vegetable crops. California would realize gargantuan water savings if more crops were fed directly to people instead of being wastefully diverted to the production of meat, dairy and eggs.
All we have to do is alter our habits and incentivize the growing of vegetable and fruit crops. I hope to read this inconvenient truth in The Times, especially on the front page, more often. Deborah W. Elliott Pacific Palisades
Several weeks ago my wife and I went looking for wildflowers. We drove through the back roads of the Salinas Valley and the southwest side and foothills of the Central Valley.
The farms in this area are crying about the lack of water; they would have the Sacramento River drained to get their way.
During our trip we saw thousands of acres of new farming requiring more and more water. These were orchards, vineyards and fields. Many of the products will be shipped overseas. These are mostly corporate farms, not the mom-and-pop operations they would have you believe they are.
Don’t drain the state’s very limited water resources for corporate welfare. Mordy Kay Los Angeles
I respect Brown and will be knocking another minute off my shower. And I will turn the water off while brushing my teeth.
But I sure would like to hear that he will be addressing the massive use of water for fracking. And how about preventing oil companies from reinjecting their fracking effluent into our aquifers? Delton Lee Johnson Santa Paula