Agribusiness 50 California’s agribusiness is one of the agricultural wonders of the world, leading the country in the variety and quantity of output, and setting the pace for modern farming and food production in the United States. Technology 52 California is known around the world as a leader in technology and innovation. It has offered highly favorable conditions for innovators to flourish and put new ideas into play. Chapter Four Urban Areas 54 Cities & Metro Areas 56 California is highly urban, and the state’s cities and metro areas are among the nation’s largest, densest, and most economically significant. The Bay Area 58 San Francisco has long been world famous but is today part of a large, complex urban region: the Bay Area—high-tech capital of the world and richest big city in the country. Greater Los Angeles 60 Los Angeles is California’s largest city and the country’s second largest metropolis. It is popularly known for its remarkable growth, sprawling landscape, and mixture of peoples, but is equally a manufacturing and transportation powerhouse. Real Estate 62 California runs on real-estate development. The scale of building is huge and property values high. After the greatest real-estate bubble in history in the 2000s, the state suffered a devastating crash. Highways & Transportation 64 California has one of the most advanced transportation systems in the world, including highways, airports, seaports, and railroads. The challenges of city commuting are great, as are those of handling an immense flow of goods, within and beyond state borders. Chapter Five Water & Energy 66 Water Supply 68 Northern California has abundant rainfall and the Sierra a large snowpack; excess runoff is stored and moved south to supply agriculture and cities in the southern half of the state. Water Use 70 Water use exceeds natural supply in many parts of California, especially in drought years. Water conservation has checked the growth of consumption, and it must continue. Energy: Fossil Fuels 72 California has one of the lowest rates of energy consumption in the United States. Fossil fuels, mostly foreign and domestic imports, dominate energy supply, despite efforts to develop alternative sources. Energy: Electricity 74 Total electricity demand has been rising in California due to overall growth plus inland migration. Yet higher prices, government policies, and technical change have kept per capita electricity consumption flat over the last two decades. Renewable Energy 76 California is a leading producer of renewable energy, but the goal of significantly increasing the share of electricity generated by renewables faces many obstacles. Chapter Six Environment 78 Climate Change 80 Global climate change is being felt in California in the form of rising average temperatures and sea level, weather extremes, and more wildfires. The implications for water supply, flooding, and ecosystems are potentially grave. Carbon Emissions 82 California is a national leader in reducing carbon emissions through transportation planning, industrial controls, and the use of renewable energy, making it one of the lowest emitters per capita of greenhouse gases in the United States. Air Pollution 84 Although California has made dramatic progress in reducing air pollution, a majority of the population continues to breathe air that poses significant health risks. Water Pollution 86 California’s surface, ground, and coastal waters suffer serious contamination from farms, cities, and industry, jeopardizing health, recreation, and wildlife. Toxic chemicals pose risks to the public and the environment.
