Letter to the Editor: Protecting Florida's Water Resources from California's Problems

Dear Editor,

Thankfully Florida has ample water and land conservation groups fighting for water and wildlife.

Recently, California governor Jerry Brown is quoted as saying in reference to California's severe drought, "We are in an unprecedented very serious situation, and people should pause and reflect on how dependent we are on the rain, on nature and on one another."

California, the golden state, is the most populated state in USA and has a higher population then the 21 least populated states combined. The state income taxes paid by its residents are amongst the highest in the country. I guess money can't buy everything, like enough clean water, for example.

California was once blanketed with towering trees. Most of them have been cut down and continue to be cut down by loggers, building development due to its swelling population, high voltage transmission lines and even now by Marijuana Farms that are setting up shop and cutting down what is left of the thin threads of forest near the Pacific coast. It is well known that deforestation is a major contributor to drought!

Let's be grateful that in Florida we still have enough fresh water and our Turkey Vultures still have un-cemented land to live off of, unlike its close relative the California Condor, many of which require periodic capture by veterinarians to have lead filtered out of their blood; otherwise there would be no more of these vultures in the wild.

Let's also be thankful for our American Eagles residing in Florida that are worth fighting for as their cousins on the Pacific west coast are dying off as they migrate to Utah after consuming their favorite Pacific Ocean food eared grebes that are believed to be tainted from the 100+ radioactive chemicals spewing over from Fukushima.

All the more reason to grow organic foods at home and protect our water, land and forests. All the more reason to fight against developer attempts to denegrate the land and the water and that goes for developers of Marijuana Farms too. If it seems too good to be true, it is.

Susan Pang
Holmes Beach, FL