We must diversify Kern’s economy
San Francisco is known for its grand Golden Gate Bridge protecting the beautiful Bay Area. Los Angeles is almost always tied to its foundation of the iconic Hollywood movie industry. Bakersfield can be remembered by its abundance of oil and air pollution as a result of such.
When we consider California as a whole, its rich history, impressive economy and overall progressive nature, the county of Kern stands out as a sore thumb in the Golden State. Being that California is a pioneer in the field of a sustainable transition to green energy, one might be surprised by the fact that Kern County is consistently ranked as one of the nation’s top-producing oil counties in the nation, coming in as No. 7 nationwide in 2019.
However, while Kern is showing stellar rates of oil production, our poverty rates represent some of the highest in the nation. In order to combat the natural resource curse that has pushed Kern County to become economically dependent on the oil industry, we must diversify our economy and make space for other industries to flourish.
The concept of a “natural resource curse” is pretty contradictory in itself; of course, an abundance of natural resources implies a steady supply of necessary resources, which one would automatically assume is a good thing. In the case of Kern County, we were blessed with a massive oil pool, which was discovered near the end of the 19th century, quickly turning the sleepy farm areas that made up Kern County into industry hubs serving energy needs through the form of fossil fuel extraction.
This dependence on oil has cast a long shadow over Kern County’s economic landscape. In the face of some of the highest oil contributions in the nation, Kern County reports poverty rates of 19.8%, worryingly higher than the national average of 12.6%.
While there are many socioeconomic factors contributing to this stark contrast, one of the primary concerns of Kern County’s reliance on oil extraction is the economic vulnerability of being tied to a fluctuating market such as that of the oil industry. In a county where 1 in 7 workers are employed by the oil industry, it is incredibly difficult to even imagine a scenario in which the oil industry is not a primary economic contributor to the area, especially when jobs associated with the oil industry are often regarded as higher-paying.
In addition to creating worrying economic conditions, Kern County’s oil industry has been a major point of controversy regarding the health implications of oil extraction and its consequential effects on residents. Oil-induced air pollution health effects range from an increase in heart conditions, lung disease and premature birthrates. In the United States, Kern County consistently ranks among the worst in the U.S. for air quality, and more than 30% of kids under 17 living in Kern are diagnosed with asthma.
Amplifying the health concerns surrounding exposure to oil activity is the fact that marginalized communities are significantly more susceptible to these health impacts, as 60% of residents living within a mile of oil activity are people of color.
With the county’s economic dependence and job market’s reliance on the oil industry, I call on Kern County officials to push for divestment in oil, and realize how crucial to the future of Kern County’s economy that the investment in different industries is prioritized. The opportunities for jobs in renewable energy sectors, such as solar and wind power, not only diversify the local economy but also diminish the reliance on oil activity, along with the associated pollution.
This shift contributes to a cleaner energy landscape, decreasing harmful emissions and improving air quality. However, it is vital to the success of a new, emerging job market that the jobs created are paid a livable, competitive wage, and that current employees with oil industry experience are given the opportunity to make a career shift through provided training and the adoption of new skills. To create a sustainable economy that will better serve the interests and communities of Kern County, our dependence on oil production to fuel our economy must be addressed.