Posts Tagged ‘global water crisis’
“Together we dig in, for all we’re worth,” so says award-winning author and journalist Barbara Kingsolver in this month’s National Geographic’s special water issue, as she describes how the world’s water crisis does not discriminate between Australian farmers and migratory salmon.
“Fresh Water” takes a poetic and utterly sober look at the world’s diminishing freshwater supply. Even though the amount of water on the earth hasn’t changed since the age of the dinosaurs, variables such as drought, population growth and climate change now threaten our abundance and access to that water.
Kingsolver carries the reader on a journey from damp Appalachia to irrigation-happy Arizona to the Piura Desert, one of the most arid regions on the planet, reminding us that if we have access to ample fresh water today (nevermind indoor plumbing) we are one of the fortunate few.
Exactly a month ago today GreenLink Water Solutions publicly endorsed John Tynan for the Greenville Water Commission. Hopefully you read John’s article about water conservation, but if you missed it, you can see evidence of his commitment in the video below.
Like John, I am passionate about the waters of the Upstate. I grew up swimming, boating and fishing in the nearby lakes and rivers, and I understand the importance of protecting our local water supply. If you think the threat of encroachment on these bodies of water sounds outlandish, think again. It is already happening in Charlotte, Atlanta and elsewhere.
Perhaps no one better articulated the inherent value of water than former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes. In a 1931 decision involving the sharing of the Delaware River, Holmes wrote, “A river is more than an amenity, it is a treasure; it offers a necessity of life that must be rationed among those who have power over it.”
Holmes penetrating quote holds true today more than ever, and it’s the very reason we need people like John Tynan fighting on our behalf. Keep up the good work, John.
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.
