Our 2014 Grant Goes the Pacific Institute
Given the current drought that Californians are facing due to the lack of rain and rising temperatures, Kindling chose Water in California as the Kindling theme for 2014. The Pacific Institute, a think-tank and research center that produces research that advances a sustainable environment, healthy economy, and social equity with science-based solutions that lead to social and political change was our designated grantee. Their Water Program works to improve efficiency, ensure basic access to water, and protect the environment.
California’s interconnected water system serves over 30 million people and irrigates over 5,680,000 acres of farmland. As the world’s largest, most productive, and most controversial water system, it manages over 40,000,000 acre feet of water per year [Source: Wikipedia]. Agriculture in California accounts for 77% of water use. There was much debate within Kindling about what we could personally do to conserve water. After fact hunting we realized that eating red meat was the largest source of water use and eating one less hamburger per year would save the same amount of water as not taking a shower for 6 months. However, all personal conservation helps.
Water and water rights are divisive political issues in the state. California lacks reliable dry season rainfall so water is limited and there is an ongoing debate about how to best solve this complex issue. There have been 4 years of drought in a row –we are in a major water crisis and most authoritative sources feel that California has only one year of water left unless this year’s rainfall increases over prior years.
Among the solutions are both ideas to change the redistribution of water for large agricultural and urban sectors and to increase conservation and additionally preserve the natural ecosystems of the water sources. Kindling provided its funding to the Pacific Institute as they use solid scientific techniques based on real data to ensure that that various water stakeholders are not using inaccurate methods to sway discourse and policy in their favor. We look forward to hearing about what the Pacific Institute is doing to further water policy throughout the state and disseminate findings to the public.
On March 19, 2015--shortly after our donation was made—California’s Governor Jerry Brown and a bipartisan group of state lawmakers announced a one billion dollar package to provide immediate relief to try to stem water shortage problems. The emergency funding legislation comes just two days after a raft of other measures designed to limit water use across California. Watering lawns and gardens will be limited to two days a week and restaurants will only be able to offer tap water on request. Kindling is glad to be part of solution and will continue to work to keep our planet healthy and our water resources distributed wisely.
