Today, March 22nd, is World Water Day [1] and while most people don't know this, I thought I'd take the time to give H2O its just due. Sometimes it helps to bring things down to the elemental level - as NEO residents so many of us take the 6 quadrillion gallons of fresh water that comprise our Great Lakes for granted. Few people seem to be aware that lake water levels are at historic lows, or what a rapidly dwindling freshwater supply globally has been doing to extinction rates of dependent species of wildlife. The formula is simple: freshwater use is exponentially increasing while supply is most definitely not. We use over twenty times more water per person in the U.S. than we did a century ago, and the energy costs involved with agriculture, waste water treatment, and industrial use are growing at staggering rates as well. I find it ironic that the most highly developed nations in the world are setting this kind of example. The problem is exacerbated in the most underprivileged parts of the world, which, not coincidentally, face the greatest dearth in freshwater supply. Primitive technologies and grossly inappropriate waste management and disposal practices (95% of sewage and 75% of industrial waste is returned to surface waters untreated) are the biggest problems in these nations. Global climate change throws even more uncertainty into the mix.
For all our intellectual prowess and ingenuity as a species I am bewildered by our relative ineptitude when it comes to the concept of self-preservation - the combination of ingnorance and apathy on a global scale has been the bane of sustainability advocates everywhere. Must we always wait until its too late to do the most good? The more distressing fact is that we are unable to truly hold ourselves accountable to the important conservation measures we do plan to execute. Take, for example, the core United Nations Millenium Goal to halve the population with inadquate freshwater supply by 2015. At current prevailing rates we are still sixty years behind schedule. As with so many other UN activities the political clout to enforce and implement such measures is all but absent. One in six people in the world still lacks access to an improved water supply and 2.6 billion people globally lack adequate sanitation. Every 15 seconds a child dies from water-related disease.
Yet rather than focus on the problems its best, I think to look at the most promising solutions on a global level. Developed countries need to lead by example and create opportunities for those less fortunate elsewhere. If there were an immediate first step to consider in more developed countries, it would be to cease poisoning the existing supply with an incessant introduction of new chemicals through fertilizers and industry. Agriculture alone is responsible for 70% of the water pollution problem. It would behoove the agriculture industry to think more proactively with organic fertilizer alternatives and less destructive methods. Industry could also benefit from a more socially responsible perspective that mandates water-conserving product design. Legislation could certainly mandate appropriate sanctions for violations on both the industrial and human levels. And a better job could certainly be done in raising awareness about the problems as well as polarizing actions to resolve these. Realizing business opportunities at so-called 'Bottom of Pyramid' strategies can create profitable ventures that do a world of good, primarily through innovative designs that enable shift to volume-based models. Consider the impact, for example, that could be had by a radically-cheaper point-of-delivery water filtration product that could be affordably acquired by the billions lacking such technology today.
As with so many other solutions, technology is the wild card that offers great hope. Information and awareness-raising through online activist communities like REALNEO can help play a vital role on the information end - perhaps we can help trigger a global 'domino effect' through blogspace discourse. Technological engineering and innovation is already being employed on a large scale in countries like Saudi Arabia (a global leader) with desalinization techniques that are helping to offset freshwater loss. Desalinization and distillation processes are becoming more efficient but still create secondary problems with energy costs and the disposal of waste by-products generated. Ultimately, I feel human behavior has to come in line with the realities of the situation to really drive success.
There are so many interesting discussions to be had around this issue - and so many regionally relevant ones at that, with one-fifth of the global freshwater supply on our doorstep. Let's propel some dialogue toward meaningful action. Unappetizing as it may seem, I propose one radical sewage solution [2] here. What are your thoughts or ideas?
And a Happy World Water Day to all - perhaps we can use this occasion as a launching point toward significant new progress. Should we not pay any mind the results could be disasterous. Some have predicted that wars will be fought over this precious commodity in the near future. Let's do something now to mitigate that possibility!