Weather forcing people to move?

[dave1949]

So, when ya going to sell that TC 40 and get a couple of mules? Can't be wasting all that fossil fuel, eh?

Do you know what the environmental footprint is for a pair of mules? I'm curious.

 

[Citydude]

Do you know what the environmental footprint is for a pair of mules? I'm curious.

I'm curious as to your answer to your question...

 

[dave1949]

I'm curious as to your answer to your question...

Roy suggested it, I figured he must know.

 

[Citydude]

Roy suggested it, I figured he must know.

Aw, you let me down. I thought you would know.

 

[TomSeller]

Do you know what the environmental footprint is for a pair of mules? I'm curious.

Two mules would have 8 feet total. So there would be 8 sets of footprints in the environment.

 

[dave1949]

Aw, you let me down. I thought you would know.

I wouldn't know where to begin fairly.

At a minimum, to produce the mule requires feeding and tending a horse and a donkey to breeding age.

Since we are comparing mules to tractors, it has to be decided if the footprint will based on the amount of work accomplished, or just ignore the footprint to work ratio and compute the footprint of the hay burned and ancillary costs (vet, grain, farrier, etc) over the average lifetime of a mule.

A mule needs shelter sometimes but a tractor can sit outside; the environmental cost of shelter and fencing needs to be included. Mules need harnesses. Water has to be pumped for the mule, that takes energy.

Will the mule be sold for pet food at the end of its useful life or be kept around for sentimental reasons? Sentiments add to the footprint.

 

[dave1949]

Two mules would have 8 feet total. So there would be 8 sets of footprints in the environment.

Roy should have thought of that.

 

[dave1949]

I think it would be fair to treat the hay and grain for the mules as renewable resources--providing the manure is properly spread.

 

[calman93611]

In California we are experiencing a weather related problem due to lack of rain. This is the 2nd year in a row that our farmers were told that they will receive 0% allotment of water through California's extensive system of canals. In my area, central California, we have about 1,600 wells that are sucking air. The backlog for well drillers is about 18-24 months. So in our case, I guess we can move up north to Oregon or Washington. But those in Oregon aren't too partial to Californian's. California is the largest agricultural producer in the world. We grow, or use to , 50% of all the food consumed in the US. Without water we will be like the Sahara forest, yes there once was a Sahara forest. Global warming? I don't know, I just know that the weather pattern across the US, and world, is changing. Our political climate here is reactive, not proactive, still no major water conservation regulations. Just use it up until there is no more.

 

[TomSeller]

In California we are experiencing a weather related problem due to lack of rain. This is the 2nd year in a row that our farmers were told that they will receive 0% allotment of water through California's extensive system of canals. In my area, central California, we have about 1,600 wells that are sucking air. The backlog for well drillers is about 18-24 months. So in our case, I guess we can move up north to Oregon or Washington. But those in Oregon aren't too partial to Californian's. California is the largest agricultural producer in the world. We grow, or use to , 50% of all the food consumed in the US. Without water we will be like the Sahara forest, yes there once was a Sahara forest. Global warming? I don't know, I just know that the weather pattern across the US, and world, is changing. Our political climate here is reactive, not proactive, still no major water conservation regulations. Just use it up until there is no more.

California is experiencing climate change, no doubt. To a detriment.