Archive for the ‘Water Shortages’ Category
If you live anywhere in the Southeast, you know that we have been getting a great deal of rain lately. All different kinds of rain. Little bitty stinging rain. And big ole fat rain. Even rain that flew in sideways. Despite this rainfall, the fact remains that many areas are still in a severe drought.
Drought happens in cycles. It comes and goes. Cecil Bothwell, an activist and conservationist in Asheville, says that we need to start thinking of ourselves as living in a permanent state of drought. While I don’t like the thought, I like the mentality. Knowing how serious our water shortages are might actually cause changes in our behavior.
It’s also important for us to understand the real reason for the shortages, since places like Atlanta continue to grapple with water restrictions. Yesterday I came across an article that examines the true cause of water shortages in the Southeast. The article was printed in the New York Times, and it confirms what many of us already knew: growing water shortages are caused by population growth, not global warming.
By now you’ve probably seen the IBM commercials that talk about building a smarter planet. IBMer’s everywhere have banded together to tackle energy, traffic, health care, cloud computing and, now, the global water crisis. Let’s work smarter, not harder, right, guys?
What if a corporation were to take control of your local freshwater supply and then sell the water back to you at a price of its choosing? If you think this could never happen, think again. Flow: For Love of Water is a documentary that addresses this issue and other water-related concerns.
Released in 2008, Flow dispels the myth that bottled water is better than tap water, explains how antibiotics end up in our streams, and examines water’s connection to other environmental challenges. While the movie is both informational and entertaining, the driving force of Flow is raising awareness for the global water crisis and the potential dangers of water privatization.
What a difference a year makes. At this time last year, it was as dry as a bone in most counties in South Carolina, especially here in the Upstate. Thankfully, plentiful rains have replenished our lakes, rivers and streams again.
Below are two images from the US Department of Agriculture that show each summer’s drought conditions. Click on the images for a larger view.
According to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the state’s drought officially ended on June 10, 2009. Let’s hope that, despite this year’s ample rainfall, people will continue to use water wisely. You can keep up with current drought conditions by visiting the state’s online climatology office.
