Of all the numbers tossed around during the recent drought discussions, here’s what popped out at me:
California produces 50% of the nation’s fruits and nuts and 25% of our vegetables. Yet all that food represents just 2% of California’s economy... not 2% of the national economy… 2% of just one state’s economy. I’ll grant that it is a big state, but that really underscores just how little we pay for food in this country.
Would the discussion have been different if stories had considered how much is grown with California’s water, instead of how little is grown with one gallon?