<——- Continued from
Water was a challenging topic because ultimately water has one key factor which cannot be overcome: There is no substitute for water.
With most things, if you run out of something, you can always find a different, possibly more expensive substitute. There is no such thing, at the levels we need as a society, to be found in nature.
Humans need water to live. Quite a bit. At least 60% of the adult body is made of water. Where a Human can go without food for about three weeks, they can typically only last three to four days without water.
Water is the lubrication which allows society to exist. And we are taking it for granted.
The two greatest threats to water are:
Scarcity is a primary threat as aquifers continue to diminish as demand for water only grows. Technology for conservation is improving and a tiny part of the manufacturing industry is becoming more aware but a far greater portion of society remains wasteful and unaware of how to improve.
The subtle alteration of weather patterns due to climatic shifts brought on by rising ocean temperatures has begun to alter rainfall patterns, which can affect regions which depended on seasonal rains. This has also begun to affect snowpacks which fuel rivers as they melt in the spring and summer. It may also affect reservoirs which can also be supplied by those natural waters.
The second threat is through freshwater pollution via the oil industry’s hydraulic fracturing and profligate manufacturing processes which don’t care where they dump their toxic wastes. Said wastes are poisoning fresh water in rivers and in aquifers as well as creating dead zones and algae blooms at the mouth of rivers which dump into the oceans, affecting aquaculture, aquatic ecosystems, tourism, and local community health conditions as many algae blooms are toxic and dangerous to Human life.
That was quite a bit, I know. But even though we talked about ALL THIS, there was still so much more covered in the conversation.
The most important things to take away:
We also talked about permaculture and vertical agriculture as ways of changing our relationship to food and water use while beautifying cities and keeping them cool. Trees are good for cities too.
Our nations across the planet need to subsidize finding solutions, designing new conservation methods, and creating a National Stewardship Program funded by taxpayers.
The NSP’s job it is to create a national conservation mindset toward water, waterways, aquifers, and improved conservation methods.
It would also be tasked with creating a national program paying people to protect the environment rather than exploit it purely for profit. Reseeding forests, diversifying undergrowth and managing forests to protect ecosystems from Human development.
What’s Next?
Our community talks about WATER as part of our series on Climate Change by the Elements. Join our LIVE CALLS and you can be a part of the change.
Climate Change by the Elements:
A Good Men Project ConvoCast with Thaddeus Howze and Carol Bluestein
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