In this book, sea level rise leads to a smaller San Francisco in the year 2445, where all food needs are met by the city. The bay teems with life, and people eat Cioppino everyday. Most travel is done by bicycle, and streets have been turned into gardens.
As I read, I've been wondering about the population, how much lower, or higher than present SF is it? Most of the city is turned to the plow, but people live in group homes, which makes it hard to determine population.
As one of the charactors reads a news paper, we're offered a hint as to the carrying capacity of future SF.
A small item caught his attention:“Cows and Chickens Duke it out in the Dunes” that was about a small cattle ranch in the far western dunes that had challenged a neighboring chicken ranch to see which could feed more San Franciscans during the year. The ranchers and chicken farmers were pictured shaking on the bet.At stake was bragging rights, a trip as San Francisco’s entry to the Regional Protein Championships, and a banquet thrown by the loser at the winner’s ranch, including a full clean-up of the animals’ quarters. Eric marveled at the oddity of it.
With sea level rise lapping waves on 45th ave, and extending to 19th ave, from the park to Noriega st gives a ranch of 745 acres.
According to the USDA[1], you should keep about 1.8 acres per cow, or 413 cows to the ranch.
From the South Daktoa State University[2], we can expect about 750 pounds of food from a cow, (490 boneless trim + 150 fat trim + 110 bone).
It's not clear how much of the charactors diet comes from beef, which would clue us onto how many people live in SF2445, but as I keep reading, I may find out.
[1] https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb1097070.pdf [2] http://igrow.org/livestock/beef/how-much-meat-can-you-expect-from-a-fed-steer/