pdq...I was being, for me, low key!...it is, indeed, true that California's central valley can't produce like this forever. (And I have already several times on Mudcat been admonished for baseless predictions.)

When a situation is just too uncomfortable to consider, the reaction of many is to rely on religion, bad math...or faith in 'science' to get us out of it. As you say, population is it....it is the key...meaning that if we solve ALL the other problems, population will still eventually get us (and population exacerbates the other problems, making them more difficult to deal with)...but as you indicate, any solution that suggests limiting growth will be condemned by someone as being racist or showing preferential treatment.

If I had the power and we had an 'ideal' society,I would have a lottery, and all little girls at puberty would be given an implant...some containing contraceptive, some not. But it would never work in reality, as some would cheat and some would claim THEY were being cheated, and there would civil unrest like you wouldn't believe! (Much like the food riots when that valley won't grow that big asparagus anymore)

*bracing myself for the stones* they still hurt...even in cyberspace