The future of the Bay Area

The future of the Bay Area is unknown just like anything else in the future. However, we can speculate based off what we have learned from this web page. We know the Bay Area is a diverse region with people from all races calling it home. I foresee this going unchanged in the future. The Bay Area and specifically Silicon Valley, is the economic hub of the state. With more and more advancements in technology I foresee the technology industry in the Bay Area expanding. The Bay Area and California are known for the great weather due to the Mediterranean climate. This means very little environmental hazards, however the Bay Area and California have always been susceptible to earthquakes. Retrofitting of buildings and structures is a constant task in the Bay Area because we do not know when the next big earthquake will strike, but we know it will. The relationship between Northern California and Southern California has always been very important due to the natural resources of the North that the South needs. There has always been conflict and a sense of pride over each region so the future of relations between Northern and Southern California is unknown. California and the Bay Area will continue to grow and expand. The Bay Area is an innovative, forward thinking, and creative region that will deal with whatever the future may hold.

Hawaii and the Pacific Islands and the Bay Area

The archipelago of Hawaiian islands are submerged volcanoes created by tectonic plates and hotspots of magma. Approximately 43 million years ago, the Pacific tectonic plate moved over a hotspot in the Pacific ocean causing magma to be released out of the crust of the earth. This caused the Hawaiian ridge to be formed and eventually the string of Hawaiian islands. Most of the islands are simply submerged volcanoes created by erupting magma cooling when it hits the ocean water. The oldest islands, Lauai and Niihau were formed 5 million years ago. The Big island is the youngest of the chain of islands. Eventually in thousands of years, Loihi Seamount, and active submarine volcano, will emerge from the sea creating another island. Plate tectonics have played a huge role in the creation of the Hawaiian islands we know today.

Similarly, plate tectonics have played an important role in California and the Bay Area's history. Millions of years of plate tectonics has created the diverse landscape of hills, valleys, and mountains of the Bay Area landscape. Although there are many faults running through the Bay Area, the most notable is the San Andreas fault. It is approximately 800 miles long and forms the boundary between the Pacific plate and North America plate. These plates leave the Bay Area susceptible to earthquakes. The most famous being the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and the 1989 Loma Prieda earthquake.

The Pacific Northwest and the Bay Area

The Pacific Northwest and the Bay Area have some interesting similarities. For one, both lie on the coast of the of the Pacific Ocean. In addition, both regions rely on similar economic activities. Fishing has been a staple in the economy of the Pacific Northwest for many years. In fact the Pacific Northwest accounts for more than a third of the U.S. annual commercial fish catch. Similarly, many species of fish, including salmon and halibut and dungeness crab rely on the San Francisco bay as a nursery.

In the Pacific Northwest, the high technology industry has been growing in recent years and is now a major asset to the economy. Companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, and Boeing are associated with the region. Similarly, the Bay Area's Silicon Valley is the high tech hub of the U.S.  and powers California's economy.

Tourism has also become more important throughout the years to the economy in the Pacific Northwest. With its beautiful natural scenery, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia attract people from all over the U.S. annually. Activities such as fishing and rafting also attract people to the region. In comparison, San Francisco is one of the most sought after tourist destinations in the world. The unique city with it's many landmarks including Alcatraz and the Golden Gate bridge attract tourists annually. In 2011, San Francisco ranked 44th most visited city in the world, and 6th most visited in the U.S.

California and the Bay Area

Since the Bay Area is in California, this post will be dedicated to some facts about the Bay Area in reference to California.

• San Francisco and San Jose combine to make the largest urban area in Northern California and second largest in the state to Los Angeles. 
• The Bay Area has five of the highest counties by per capita income in California. 
• Silicon Valley, the high-tech hub of the state, was primarily used for agricultural until World War II.
• San Jose was the first capital of the state and is the oldest city.
• The organic farming movement began in the Bay Area.
• California cuisine was first created in the Bay Area. 
• San Francisco bay and the Sacramento-San Joaquin delta are the most important ecological habitats in California. 
• The Bay Area is home to California's two oldest colleges; University of San Francisco and Santa Clara University. 

MexAmerica and the Bay Area

The Bay Area has undoubtedly been influenced by Mexican culture. Mexican influence dates back to the Spanish and Mexican era. California was first settled by the Spanish until becoming Mexican territory in 1821. It stayed Mexican territory until 1848 when California was ceded to the United States. Mexican influence is obvious in city names such as San Francisco, San Jose and San Pablo bay. Many street names in the Bay Area are also influenced by Mexican culture. Mexican culture can be seen throughout the Bay Area in pueblo style architecture especially in San Jose. There is a substantial Mexican presence in the Bay Area with almost 25% of the population being Hispanic or Latino.

The Intermontane West and the Bay Area

Mining has played a crucial role in the history of the Interior West. The discovery of gold, silver, copper and other minerals attracted people from all over the U.S. to this region. During the 1800's, mining communities were springing up all over in the intermontane west as miners migrated here in hopes of making quick profits. A lot of these mining communities became permanently settled towns and created opportunities for other people such as farmers and lawyers to settle in the region in support of the miners. Over time, mining became the primary economic activity in the region. 

The California gold rush is a vital time in the history of California and the San Francisco Bay Area. When gold was discovered in California in 1848, approximately 300,000 people migrated to California that year. This influx of people had a huge impact on not only California, but the Bay Area as well. For example, San Francisco grew from a population of 200 in 1846 to 36,000 in 1852 as people from all over the world including China migrated to the Bay Area and California. This meant an increase of goods being imported and exported through the San Francisco bay. With the spike in population also came increased building of roads, schools, and towns and the Bay Area began to grow. 

During the gold rush, gold-seeking miners were called forty-niners. Today the San Francisco 49ers pay tribute to the Bay Areas gold rush and its effects on the region with their name. 

The Rocky Mountain Region and the Bay Area

As you move west past the Rocky Mountain range towards California and the Pacific Ocean, you will reach the Sierra Nevada mountains. The Sierra Nevada mountain range runs for 400 miles and is 70 miles long. Within the Sierra Nevada's on the border of California and Nevada lies Lake Tahoe at an elevation of 6,225 ft above sea level. Surrounded on all sides by mountains and forests, Lake Tahoe is the 2nd deepest alpine lake in North America and the 16th deepest in the world. Lake Tahoe is a major tourist attraction for people from California and Nevada with its beautiful scenery, ski resorts, and casino's on the Nevada side of the lake.

What does Lake Tahoe have to do with the Bay Area? With its proximity to the Bay Area and various year round activities Lake Tahoe is one of the most popular tourist destinations for people living in the Bay Area. Every year thousands of people flock to Lake Tahoe from the Bay Area during both the winter and summer. With only a three hour drive from most parts of the Bay Area, it is the closest ski area for Bay Area winter sports enthusiasts. During the summer, boating and water sports are extremely popular as well as hiking and mountain biking. Lake Tahoe also has many scenic beaches that are popular during the summer. The various casinos located just across the Nevada border attract vacationers year round.

The Great Plains and the Bay Area

The Great Plains region is very different than the Bay Area. The first and most obvious difference is the environmental setting. The Great Plains are relatively flat, with a gentle slope from about 1000 feet above sea level in the east to 5000 feet in the west. On the other hand, the Bay Area is a region with multiple terrains including lowlands, hills, and even a few mountains. The Great Plains hydrologic system is also very different from that of the Bay Area. Many rivers run through the Great Plains including the Missouri, Platte, Arkansas, Canadian, and Red rivers. Also, groundwater is found ans stored in underground reserves called aquifers. Although there are a few rivers in the Bay Area including the Napa and Russian river, there aren't any rivers comparable to the size and scale of the Mississipi for example. Instead, the biggest bodies of water are the San Francisco bay, the Pacific ocean and Half Moon bay located on the coast in the South Bay. Half Moon Bay is where the Mavericks surf competition is held. Surfers from around the world come to compete here and ride waves up to 50 feet tall. Lastly, the Great Plains are susceptible to tornadoes which virtually never occur in California. The biggest hazard to the Bay Area is earthquakes, which also virtually never occur in the Great Plains.

Although the Great Plains and the Bay Area have little in common, there are some similarities. The most notable similarity is the importance of agriculture. The Great Plains are the world's leading exporter of wheat providing 60 percent of the U.S. total wheat crop. Other important cash crops produced in the region include cotton, oats, and sunflowers. Being that the Bay Area is located in California, agriculture is also important to the region. Here, tomatoes, almonds, and grapes thrive in the mediterranean climate.