Letters to the Editor: Should more desert farmland in California be used for solar?

To the editor: Because of reporter Sammy Roth for his glorious piece on repurposing huge Imperial Valley farms for photo voltaic vitality era.

For these not accustomed to the challenges we face on a warming planet, Roth has supplied up shut and private views about farmers dropping water and crops, cities rising regardless of diminishing assets, and the folly of those that promised Colorado River water to everybody with out understanding the implications.

I encourage local weather science skeptics to learn this and provides extra severe thought to our state of affairs. We are able to clear up this, nevertheless it’ll take many a long time.

Within the meantime issues will worsen. There shall be extra misplaced farm acreage, larger meals prices and extra water restrictions. In already sizzling locations just like the Imperial Valley, extra folks will die when it’s even hotter.

Begin supporting fossil gasoline discount together with your vote and your private home equipment utilization. We are able to keep away from whole disaster.

Edward Dignan, Lengthy Seaside

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To the editor: The query within the article, “What’s the land’s finest use?” ought to be adopted by, “What’s water’s finest use in California?”

The important thing lies within the precise worth of water in comparison with what the farm barons pay. They profit from contracts which are many a long time outdated with low water costs that distort what crops are economically viable. Rising water-thirsty alfalfa within the arid Imperial Valley is clearly not the reply.

We can’t dwell with out consuming water, however we will get the greens presently grown within the Imperial Valley from different elements of California with the “true worth” of water factored in.

Local weather change will create extra havoc in California. Let’s worth water primarily based on the precedence of its use: consuming water, sustainable meals manufacturing, and sustainable environmental safety.

Raju Yenamandra, Thousand Oaks

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To the editor: Far-right political extremism appears to have contaminated the considering of no less than one Imperial Valley farmer who opposes solar energy installations on the area’s more and more un-farmable land.

Whereas farmer Eddie Wiest properly acknowledges the necessity to diversify native land use, his neighbor Trevor Tagg “refuses to just accept the science of worldwide warming,” whilst his personal mom has repurposed a part of her property from farming to solar energy era.

I hope Tagg’s eyes will open to factual actuality earlier than his land turns into too unbearably sizzling and dry to supply any crops in any respect.

Marcy Miroff Rothenberg, Porter Ranch

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To the editor: I can’t perceive why the photo voltaic corporations select to cowl acres and acres of farmland when only a few miles away, there are lots of of acres of open desert land that get as a lot sunshine as the remainder of the Imperial Valley.

This place is “America’s salad bowl.” When the farms are lined over by photo voltaic panels, your head of lettuce will develop into a luxurious merchandise, and alfalfa shall be consumed solely by racehorses.

Mike Hatchimonji, La Palma

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To the editor: Roth’s article leaves the impression that to keep away from local weather catastrophe, will probably be essential to sacrifice both farmland or distant desert lands for photo voltaic farms.

I hope to learn extra sooner or later about photovoltaic panels being positioned on residential rooftops, over parking heaps, on industrial buildings, over canals and on contaminated landfills.

Hazards and prices associated to long-distance electrical transmission have to be thought-about in California’s efforts to scale back greenhouse gasoline emissions.

Craig Deutsche, Los Angeles