Its Time To talk About Water...
Truthmonger
Posts: 559
Its disappearing like crazy, yet we use it like there's no fucking tomorrow (at least here in N. America). I don't wanna get into a debate about whether its a natural phenomenon or a man-made dilemma. That's moot at this point. But i do wanna discuss why current water conservation efforts are so laughable.
Consider : When are we going to SERIOUSLY curtail our use of water ? When will govt's stop allowing explosive growth in areas that are already short on water - especially in the U.S.? Will it ever reach the point of municipalities rationing water to its citizens ? If citizens of a particular jurisdiction are irresponsible with this resource, is it fair for such people to then go knocking on the doors of other jurisdictions to ask for more ?
Consider : When are we going to SERIOUSLY curtail our use of water ? When will govt's stop allowing explosive growth in areas that are already short on water - especially in the U.S.? Will it ever reach the point of municipalities rationing water to its citizens ? If citizens of a particular jurisdiction are irresponsible with this resource, is it fair for such people to then go knocking on the doors of other jurisdictions to ask for more ?
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Thats a great contribution Jlew. Not.
we are talking about water? the very fluid we need to live?
ok lets talk about it
never. we need it to live.
now you want the government to control where people can live? sorry not interested in letting government control my life.
no
um, what planet are you on?
awesome thread, awesome.
A perfect example is the fact that oil companies around here keep pumping MASSIVE amounts of fresh water into the ground to "float" the oil out…they are forcing it below the water table, taking it completely out of the cycle (less surface water = less rain, no?)….
They are also using heated water to separate bitumen from sand…which makes the water toxic…..then they let THIS 'water' sit in MASSIVE open air lakes (eery looking - steaming, man-made oily lakes with ZERO wildlife around them)….so the fresh stuff goes below the water table, the toxic stuff goes to the surface to seep back into it. Brilliant! If you ever need inspiration to become an environmentalist, visit the Alberta oilsands.
*
Seriously...didn't driftin say something about areas in the South being pretty much out of water? I keep hearing about Canada's fresh water being sold in back room deals and shipped south...and that Canada's greatest resource in the future will be water....it can't all be hype can it?
water, like everything else on this planet, is a limited resource. much like finding an alternative to oil, we will find an alternative to fresh water (i.e. desalination of the huge fucking oceans on this earth)
maybe I'm too much of an optimist to live in a box of fear like mr. monger.
water, like everything else on this planet, is a limited resource. much like finding an alternative to oil, we will find an alternative to fresh water (i.e. desalination of the huge fucking oceans on this earth)
maybe I'm too much of an optimist to live in a box of fear like mr. monger.
Yes, there are cities in Georgia, North Alabama and Tennessee that are only have a couple of weeks of water supply left. However, they are working with the Corps of Engineers and supposedly a plan is in place to divert water from some areas and give to those that need it more while putting a self imposed restriction on how much water people are using. Like asking people not to water their lawns or wash their cars.
It sounds like they have a plan for this but it would make for some good anarchy if cities were to run completely out of water.
Pensacola '94
New Orleans '95
Birmingham '98
New Orleans '00
New Orleans '03
Tampa '08
New Orleans '10 - Jazzfest
New Orleans '16 - Jazzfest
Fenway Park '18
St. Louis '22
We can do it and they do do it in parts of the Middle East, but it is expensive and isn't necessary in our part of the world. At least not yet, maybe one day it will be but i personally don't think so.
Pensacola '94
New Orleans '95
Birmingham '98
New Orleans '00
New Orleans '03
Tampa '08
New Orleans '10 - Jazzfest
New Orleans '16 - Jazzfest
Fenway Park '18
St. Louis '22
well thats the question. why is it expensive (or difficult) seems like a rather simple thing to do. remove salt from water, filter and clean water, drink water.
but what do you mean it isnt in our part of the world?
We should be smarter with water just like we should be smarter with every scarce resource.
On a side note, I thought that with global warming and the melting of the Artic that an inventive sort would find a way to capture that melting ice water for use. Solving the rise in the ocean table and providing potable water.
when it hits you, you feel to pain.
So brutalize me with music.”
~ Bob Marley
you've got to think that this is a band-aid fix tho....it would HAVE to screw up the natural order in some way, wouldn't it?
when it hits you, you feel to pain.
So brutalize me with music.”
~ Bob Marley
when it hits you, you feel to pain.
So brutalize me with music.”
~ Bob Marley
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/21/magazine/21water-t.html
As for desalinisation, its expensive and there's the question of what to do with the piles of brine that result from the process. Dumping it back into the ocean presents just another problem.
*~You're IT Bert!~*
Hold on to the thread
The currents will shift
Well, I'm sure Australia has learned SOMETHING over the last year or two. I heard it was pretty bad there. You know, if someone said to me you gotta only consume half of the water you historically have, I could probably do it without seriously compromising lifestyle. So much is jsut waste.
Well, perhaps our government is FINALLY starting to understand just how dire the situation is. And there have been inititives to translate that to the general population, but we are far from sorted on the issue.
Water is going to be an ongoing problem for us and there really hasn't been the level of commitment that we need from either government or the general population. And what is going to happen is that the water companies are just going to keep putting the price up to curb consumption while they make a pretty packet it on it.
I have to say that on our water bill we are well below the consumption of a water efficient household and I can't say that I feel like my lifestyle has been compromised much at all. I've shortened my shower time to four minutes. I re-use the water from the rinse cycle on the washing machine by catching it in a bucket and pouring it on the garden. We don't water the garden at all. I don't wash the car at home. I use an electric toothbrush so the tap isn't running while I clean my teeth, just for rinsing. I use liquid handsoap so I'm not running water endlessly to clean my hands. When I rinse out containers for the recycle that water is poured on the garden. I use the half flush most of the time in the toilet.
That's just my meagre effort. Not much by comparison to some people.
We still don't have a tank or one of those recycle thingies in the laundry. And we don't have a grey water system. All things I would love to have but cannot afford at this point.
The government, both Federal and State, have not come to the party fast enough and so they're hustling some really pissy ideas now to try to dig themselves out of the big dry hole they've dug.
We are currently in Stage 3a Water Restrictions here in Victoria, but I'm sure that will be upgraded soon enough. The summer is coming and while we had some rain it wasn't nearly enough.
Anyway, here are what Stage 3a Water Restrictions entail :
http://www.ourwater.vic.gov.au/ourwater/dsenowof.nsf/childdocs/-1C8A02615F767737CA257244007B07F1.html
And here is the water website showing what the government in Victoria is planning for the future:
http://www.ourwater.vic.gov.au/ourwater/index.html
*~You're IT Bert!~*
Hold on to the thread
The currents will shift
how do i fill up my rainwater tank if it's not raining?
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
It's disappearing "like crazy"?
...are those who've helped us.
Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
yr making my day here!
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Guess you guys have different needs there in NSW cate.
Did you see the piece they did recently on Bourke's Backyard Special about water? There was some really great tips there on what to do to get water and how to utilize it once it was on your property.
When we don't get enough rain out at the bush place we have to buy water in to fill the tank.
*~You're IT Bert!~*
Hold on to the thread
The currents will shift
WHAT!? you BUY water to fill your RAIN tank? where is that water coming from?
i dont have a garden, and in the 11 years ive been in my humble abode, have never watered even the smallest blade of grass, cause as you know we got no water,
i never quite understood the fascination for a lovely green lawn in australia. must be an english thing we haven't gotten over yet. i mean come on aussies, this is one of the driest places on earth not gloucestershire.
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say