California Resident Poll Expresses Wide Concern Over Drought

A recent Care2 poll has found that slightly over 90 percent of respondents express major concern over the current drought engulfing the state, despite the fact that only 60 percent of respondents consider themselves strong environmentalists.

Fewer than 1 percent expressed no concern about the drought.

Nearly 75 percent of respondents cited fears about the fate of wildlife. Concern for humans came in second at 71 percent and agriculture at 61 percent.

Gov. Jerry Brown failed to include agriculture in the water restriction guidelines, even though the industry uses roughly 80 percent of the state’s water. Nearly 65 percent of respondents expressed that this was nonsensical.

In fact, over 40 percent of respondents listed the exclusion of agriculture as their primary concern about urban water restrictions.

The lack of inclusion of industry in water restrictions was a wide concern throughout our polling. Seventy-one percent of respondents listed industry cut-backs as a top priority for additional restrictions, with nearly 65 percent singling out Big Agriculture.

Respondents wrote in that it was “outrageous” that the state continued to cultivate crops that use heavy amounts of water (like almonds) and suggested an end to animal agriculture, which uses an exorbitant amount of water compared to plant options.

Sixty-four percent of respondents also thought tiered pricing for heavy water users would be an effective method of curbing water use.

There was a wide consensus about the role of personal responsibility in the interest of curbing the effects of drought.

More than 95 percent of respondents reported a willingness to do more to reduce their own water usage, including taking shorter showers and flushing toilets less. Nearly 5 percent were willing to completely remove the grass from their yards and replace it with artificial grass.

Continue reading at ENN affiliate, Care2. 

California drought image via Shutterstock.