Living with water scarcity: world must act now

Jan,
If you make it back to check this post, you are not alone.

We are one world with one water and that is a problem.

If you, I and others that can see past our nose could protect our individual water and that for our children, that would be some what different.

Let those that can't see the need to be concerned chock on their water.

I deal with government agencies and it seems that even when they claim to be protecting our water the actions are the opposite.

I hear others on the Gulf Coast say that we can just desalinizing seawater, however 61% of the nations polluted rivers dump into the Gulf.

44% of the communities in this nation are facing water problems now.

I am sorry to say that we live in a dead head country.

Look at the election, two idiots who don't discuss issues because they already know that if elected they will not be running the country.

VoteNader.com

Nader has done more good for this country than the two present hopefulls and the past three presidents put together.

I thank you Jan for keep trying, don't waste your time arguing with those who can not see, round up ten voters, get them each to round up ten and I will do the same.

Thanks jan

O.K. I see you don't like being called names either.
But here is my point. This planet, renewable resources or not, is finite in size and can only sustain a certain amount of people. We are quickly reaching that number now, if we haven't already.
What would you say the solution to the problem is? With the population exploding desalinizing seawater may be our only alternative.

I'm not a liberal and you still didn't address the topic. And I don't need a valium. This is an important issue to me. It's called passion and conviction.

Is it me or is it even possible to have a real discussion and not be labeled a troll. You liberals are all way to condescending and angry. You should take a valium.

Where do you see WE ARE GOING TO DIE in this post anywhere? I even wrote in my first response that we would have the water we need to sustain all if WE do not WASTE IT and POLLUTE IT and allow it to be taken to be sold for profit at the expense of people who are poor in developing countries. Do you have any real knowledge whatsoever regarding what is going on regarding this topic? Or are you simply just another Al Gore hater who comes here to crap on everything?

This post is about water SCARCITY which exists in Africa, Australia (look at a map from NASA) and also now in the United States... as was mentioned here that IS being exacerbated by climate change, and primarily caused by HUMAN BEHAVIOR by wasting it and polluting it. Are you going to sit there and tell me humans are not polluting water? Let me guess: that's "natural" too? Would you take a glass and drink straight from the Mississippi River? I dare you to do it. Also, the Gulf of Mexico is becoming a dead zone meaning oxygen depleted due to the run off of fertilizers and other toxins HUMANS are putting into it. Logically then, that would decrease the amount of POTABLE water humans and marinelife have to LIVE and use for AGRICULTURE which is the key to our survival as a species.

So don't come here with your "this is a sky is falling post BS" without ANY FACTS to back you up. Water tables are falling in rivers all over the world. READ something. Yes, the world is actually 71% water, but only a fraction of that freshwater is for human consumption, and if you knew anything about desalination and population corrolation you might be able to discuss this halfway decently on that score as well. Consider this: The water cycle or the amount of freshwater available is finite... the population of this planet keeps rising, with people continuing to urbanize which means industry, which means more pollution, mismanagement, diversion, and waste. Add to that multi nationals looking to take it out of the ground and commoditize it to make what is left more expensive for those who can't afford it. You tell me there won't be a problem concerning this resource with that occurring.

If you can't own up to your own responsibility as a human being so be it. However, this IS a real crisis in many parts of the world. Again, read something instead of just repeating troll talking points.

I'm sorry but maybe I'm missing something,but the last time I checked 75 percent of the land mass is water. There are already plants in the middle east that desalinize seawater. This story is just another "the sky is falling and we are all going to die" scare tactic. Governments have been using this type of crap for years....

Drought is already spreading in this country as well as floods. People are already seeing how water and the lack of it affects their lives.The question now is, will they learn from it?

Yes I too agree eventually She will shrug us off like so many fleas. Unfortunately, before that happens, many beautiful and majestic animals will perish and perhaps become entirely extinct ... such as those in the Arctic.

Tragic.

That is true. It has to effect some personally before it is seen as important... but by then, many times it is too late to do anything about it.

Water is the life giving source, therefore, as you have stated, Jan, it is impossible to do without. However, many don't see that importance while the water is flowiing from the spiget. They will only see it when it is gone.

More and more, we are seeing the effects of climate change on the weather patterns worldwide, which should serve as evidence of the warning, but too many turn a blind eye and too little is done. They must have their excess to satisfy their needs. But I actually believe that a lot of the waste comes from lack of intelligent or smart use, due to ignorance.

As the science of water management becomes more widespread and the knowledge of its studies more prolific and prevalent, I believe that society will learn to better control their use.

Keep at it, Jan, this is a very important issue...

As a very intelligent, kind and good hearted man once said, "water washes away the sins of iniquity.." ...Jesus the Christ

You should have seen it when I first posted it here... 66% red. It seems to happen to most of my posts about water here. Some either hold grudges here or they don't need water to survive. Beats me what some consider important. Thanks for your comments.

I just looked at the percentages.....75% liking....25% stupid......how on this use to be green Earth can you not care about preserving and conserving this Planet....I only hope that the figures at Current are counted just like political votes.....not at all......Golden Ruler...Johnnie Hargrave...

Relevations: So true. I do believe this Earth is tiring of us. All of the open wounds we leave with our blowing off mountains and our bombs of war to prove our "superiority" and "omnipotence" in all our arrogance ... our pollution of her water that is our lifeblood... our fouling of her air... our pulling out of the trees which are her lungs which give us breath. We have poisoned every main artery of this planet and are now content in pulling her very heart out thinking it actually benefits us. I doubt myself that she will take it for much longer.

I live in a beautiful place outside Austin.....I see the tremendous growth....people that lived here first mad at the newcomers.....they never think about the Indians and Mexicans they stole the property from......water...is so important....the Colorado river furnishes the area.....all of the underground water is in cavernous limestone.....it was mostly desert.....just like Los Angeles.....so many people are trying to turn it into to their own little garden of Eden......massive yards of exotic grass.......swimming pools......two of many wonderful places....Jacobs well.....it use to spray sixty feet in the air....no more.....Hamilton's pool....a trickle......underground water comes down to who has their straw in the best place.....it took so long to deposit....we are using and abusing it so rapidly.....the good news is that no matter how bad we abuse this planet...someday it will shake us off like a dog shakes off fleas.....keep on going....always remaining glorious.......act now or react latter........Golden Ruler......Johnnie Hargrave....

This is also not only about "eco talk" as some label it. This is about who we are as human beings. Climate change is affecting water tables, glacier melt, weather patterns that affect rainfall, and driving drought in many places, particularly in Africa and Australia, and now beginning in North America. However, much of this crisis is due to people wasting this precious resource, mismanaging it, polluting it, the proliferation of dam building for profit that cuts off basic water supplies that devastate environments and marinelife, overpopulation, lack of education, and violating the basic principle that guides its use: it is a human right.

If we are to see any progress in water management in the next 50 years, there will have to be a massive shift from apathy regarding its use and management with an emphasis on making sure it is declared a human right globally to keep corporatization and commoditizing it at bay and holding polluters accountable.

This is why I believe any global climate treaty agreed upon next year (should that miracle actually occur) must include water conservation as one of its principle points of reference based on the severity and rapidness of glacier melt currently taking place globally. Billions depend on this water for their lives. Once it is gone, well, should we even contemplate what will happen then?

This crisis is real and is being made worse by human behavior. We have the water we need to sustain our planet if we only look beyond our egos and do what must be done now to preserve it for all. However, melting glaciers will not wait, and the longer we wait the more peril we put our own species in. This is also for me the most crucial environmental challenge of this century, and I have devoted my life to writing about it and bringing that information to others. I can only hope that with the water justice movement gaining steam and other events currently taking place, that we will see that shift in time.