34 Million Sardines in a Can

Is there anything more frustrating than sitting in rush hour traffic, day after day, knowing that it

will never get better? How does standing in line at the grocery story, spending a full day at the crowded

Department of Motor Vehicles, or having to squeeze into the packed elevator in a downtown high-rise

sound? These are but a few minor, yet inconvenient, effects of the population explosion we Californians

are facing. Our geographical space is not getting any larger, but our population is. The 2000 census

showed Californias population increased by 13.6% over 1990 census figures to 33,871,648 people.

California adds over 550,000 people annually, which is roughly equivalent to adding the entire population

of the state of Vermont every year. Why is California so over crowded and what are the potential long-

term effects of this overcrowding?

First of all, lets look at some of the reasons why California is so overcrowded. Probably the biggest

single reason people live in California is the weather. California is, meteorologically speaking, a very

desirable place to live. There is a wide variety of weather from the snow-capped mountains of Northern

California, to the valleys and deserts of Southern California. Between the two, there is the lush, rainy wine

country of Sonoma County, the breezy coastal beach cities of Orange County, and the sweltering desert

communities of San Diego and Riverside Counties. Together, these places offer atmospheric conditions for

most everyones taste. Spend one winter in Minnesota and then try to come back and complain about how

undesirable our weather is. There will not be much sympathy given by those around the country wishing

they were here.

Other reasons people reside in California are the different forms of entertainment that are

available. From skiing in the mountains to surfing at the beaches, there is always some form of physical

activity in which to engage during most of the year. Other entertainment options include a wide variety of

amusement parks, sporting events, the television and the motion picture industry, museums, fine dining

establishments, and more shopping venues than could be visited in a year. These events might seem like a

luxury to some, or perhaps a must do to others, but either way, they are definitely a magnet to those

who do not consider themselves a couch potato.

 Our strong job market has been the dangling carrot for many over the years. The aerospace

boom of the 1990s, for example, saw thousands of jobs created when large government contracts were

signed. If California were a nation all to itself, it would boast the 6 th largest economy in the world.

Unfortunately, this strong job market has bolstered the problem of illegal immigration. Refugees from

neighboring countries enter the United States illegally with the hope of finding work and being able to

send money back to their families in their home country. This illegal border crossing is exacerbated by

Californias liberal immigration policy. Governor Gray Davis and other state officials have increased the

number of aliens it will let in on student and work visas. Statistics from the Census Bureau show many of

these people stay in the state illegally after the expiration of their respective visas. If the alien has a child,

who is born on U.S. soil, the child is automatically a U.S. citizen, thus making it very easy for the parents

to qualify for citizenship. A comparison shows one out of four of Californias residents were born outside of

the United States, while the national average is one out of ten born outside the U.S.

Now that we have looked at reasons why California is so overcrowded, lets examine some of the

short and long term effects of this problem. In the August 2001 edition of the Negative Population Growth

online journal, California Historian Kevin Starr wrote: The key challenge facing this state for the next

century will be growth. The Negative Population Growth (NPG) web site has statistics and articles related

to the overpopulation of the nation and individual states. They cite sources such as the California

Legislative Analysts Office who released the following statement:

Californias staggering population growth is diminishing quality of life in the state. This

Office warns that continued growth will produce additional strains on the states physical and

environmental infrastructure, including demands on the energy sector, transportation

system, parks, and water delivery system.

The NPG goes on to talk about how as the population increases, habitats of species are destroyed

to create room for housing and roads. Less than 1/10 th of the states original wetlands are still around.

One hundred and ten animal species and one hundred and seventy nine plant species are endangered or

threatened as a result of construction demands. There are over 100,000 new students added annually to

California schools, which are already the most overcrowded in the nation. Estimates from the State
Department of Education show that sixteen new classrooms will need to be built every day, seven days a

week, for the next five years to accommodate the ever-growing population. California averages 217

people per square mile in the state, which is nearly triple the national average of 79.6 people per square

mile. San Francisco has an average density of 16,526 people per square mile. This overcrowding has

resulted in high housing prices and apartment shortages, which force some people to live many miles from

work. This increased distance means more time spent commuting and adds to the congestion on the

roadways.

The United States will likely never institute a law like the Chinese government has which limits the

number of children a family can have. We as citizens of this country are guaranteed life, liberty, and the

pursuit of happiness by the Bill of Rights. However, as a group, we must recognize our population problem

now before it becomes uncontrollable. We must find alternative energy and food sources, plan for a

shortage in housing, look for advances in medicine to cure sicknesses, and strive to protect our

environment. We are a guest on this beautiful planet and have selfishly let our own desires get in the way

of common sense. The answer is not a simple one, nor will it likely be one dimensional. It took many years

for us to get to this point and will take many more for us to find a viable solution.

Reference: <http://www.npg.org/states/ca.htm>.