| Global warming is a phenomenon that is
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| | not be able to hold that much water
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| way beyond and over the level of
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| | anymore. This spells disaster for
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| awareness of the man on the street, but
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| | California's $32 billion agriculture
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| whose impact is felt by him wherever he
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| | industry. San Joaquin Valley produces
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| is - in every nook around the world, in
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| | nearly 50% of the US supply of fruits and
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| our very residences, in every
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| | vegetables, San Joaquin County ranking
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| geographical location in fact. Everyone
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| | 5th in the countries total agriculture
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| is starting to feel its impact in our
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| | production.
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| daily lives. Already there are
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| | This is a painful eye-opener; global
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| indications of the sad plight of the
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| | warming hurts not only the physical
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| earth's climate in some areas of the US
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| | environment, but also society and the
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| that are blessed with very good climate.
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| | economy. Worst of all realizations is:
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| There is ample evidence of the effects of
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| | mildly put, it was initiated by human
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| a changing climate in California, for
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| | activities and it is perpetrated by human
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| example. Records show that in the half
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| | indifference.
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| century that passed, temperatures in
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| | San Joaquin Valley may, for the most part
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| winter and spring have been warmer. There
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| | of the year, be dry. Not the case for the
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| has also been a recorded drop in the
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| | area north of the valley. Higher sea
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| level of spring snow in low elevation to
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| | levels (another dangerous consequence of
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| mid-elevation mountains. Blooms show up a
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| | global warming) would pose a danger for
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| couple of weeks earlier, while snowpacks
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| | the Delta areas like Stockton and
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| are also melting earlier by 1 to 4 weeks.
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| | Sacramento. They stand the risk of being
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| This is very much related to the
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| | flooded, especially Stockton which is at
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| worldwide increase of average
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| | sea level. Seawater seeping inland would
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| temperatures by 1 degree Fahrenheit over
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| | destroy agriculture that thrives on fresh
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| the last 100 years. It is important to
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| | water.
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| note that the US is the biggest
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| | Another consequence that is not as highly
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| contributor to air pollution that traps
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| | felt as the effect of global warming on
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| heat (CO2 emissions from cars, trucks and
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| | water and land resources, is the effect
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| industrial plants) and causes global
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| | of warmer temperatures on the quality of
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| warming. Such kind of activities is
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| | air. San Joaquin Valley will suffer from
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| projected to be the gauge at how much
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| | poorer air quality; as it is, it is
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| warmer the state's climate will become as
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| | shoulder to shoulder with LA and Houston
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| it is also a scientifically projected
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| | in not so healthy air quality.
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| that California temperatures will rise by
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| | These are no laughing matters. Foreseeing
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| 4.7 10.5 degrees Fahrenheit in this
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| | the dismal developments, state leaders
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| century. If state laws and Washington
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| | are starting to legislate to address
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| declarations prevail, emissions could be
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| | global warming concerns by cutting
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| cut and consequently contain the
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| | greenhouse gas emissions. Last year saw
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| temperature rise to around 3 to 5.6
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| | California as the very first state to
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| degrees Fahrenheit.
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| | implement a law limit emissions of these
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| In addition to warmer climate, continued
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| | dangerous gasses.
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| abuse and misuse of the environment can
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| | Concerned agencies are also actively
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| cause corollary incidents of widespread
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| | advocate awareness of global warming and
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| wildfires, as well as reduced production
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| | encourage helpful measures. The
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| and quality of agricultural harvest.
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| | University of the Pacific continually
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| San Joaquin Valley, according to
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| | conducts campaigns for the cause.
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| climatologists, may also bear the brunt
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| | Recycling is highly recommended anything
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| of global warming. There are existing
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| | from bottles, to cans, to paper. So is
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| problems, like water shortage, that can
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| | lesser driving and the use of fluorescent
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| be aggravated by climactic change. At
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| | bulbs over incandescent ones. These are
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| present, South of Fresno for instance,
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| | very simple solutions which can be easily
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| gets only 8 inches of rain annually; the
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| | done by everyone, but are usually
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| residents depend on the melting of Sierra
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| | overlooked and disregarded. If only
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| Nevada's snowpack to compensate. But this
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| | everyone would stand up to the challenge
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| will be where the main problem would lie
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| | now!
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| with warmer temperatures, the Sierras may
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