Multi-national corporations already own the seeds from which comes our food, and the energy we need to power our lifes. It makes sense that they would make a play to control water, access to which is becoming dangerously scarce for many. Access to clean water and air is a basic human right. "According to United Nations estimates, one third of the world's population lives in areas with water shortages and 1.1 billion people lack access to safe drinking water." The privitization of water will lead to huge disparities in access and consumption of this precious and absolutely necessary commodity. Once the mega-corps own our water we will all be their serfs. Water conservation depends upon ending inefficient uses, restoring hydrological systems, and guaranteeing access - and a whole bunch of other challenging policies truly adequate to achieve ecological sustainability such as reducing human population.

Posted by Dr. Glen Barry at 6:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A new book entitled "The Great Lakes Water Wars" warns of coming conflict over Great Lakes water resources in an increasingly parched world.

"His premise is that an era of warring over the Great Lakes [search] is under way -- and will intensify as the global water shortage worsens. The lakes' future and the region's way of life hang in the balance as leaders grapple with the challenge of preserving what amounts to nearly one-fifth of the world's fresh surface water. The book comes nine months after representatives of the eight Great Lakes states signed a compact to ban most diversions of water outside the drainage basin, require each state to regulate water use and establish a regional standard for large-scale water withdrawals."

Posted by Dr. Glen Barry at 6:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)