permaculture

[Michael Kuehnert <mornsbar@gmx.net>]

Michael Kramer wrote:

> As far as water, it's not something I'm excited about - turning
> water into a commodity - especially when people speak of it as
> the next "oil" in terms of short supply and high demand.

As you probably know, there is talk of companies intending to
own all sources of water in twenty years' time. I suppose that
this includes persuading local governments to pass laws
forbidding private collection of rainwater or atmospheric
condensation, all in the name of economic growth. This prospect
scares me to no end, but then again it does not, as the control
mechanism necessary to implement those laws would conceivably
make life more complicated in the long run than it is worth
anyway, and hopefully the myth of ever increasing quality of life
through constant economic growth loses more and more of its
appeal, as the pricetag increases.

> I'm in favor of local control of water because it usually comes
> from a local source and can therefore be controlled by locals

True. And I am, or rather have to be, optimistic that many
communities will recognize the value of having free access to
water (and air, land, sea, etc.) that they will resist moves to
transfer this control to some generic company or investment fund.
Yet I expect this to become a major source of conflict in a few
years' time, with struggle in the cities of the "Western" world.
And this is where permaculture should, and can, step in and teach
alternatives: water conservation, rainwater harvesting,
protection of natural resources and the soil's ability to filter
water, etc. - I suppose I am preaching to the choir in writing
this.

> I think ultimately what will happen is that groundwater mining
> will destroy so many aquifers

Which would be another irrepairable damage done to a vital system
of the earth.

> that desalination will become the next big infrastructure
> movement (obviously primarily for coastal cities), and, believe
> it or not, there's talk of a Canadian water pipeline down to
> the Southwest. Talk about bizarre.

The trouble with that would be, of course, to find sufficient
energy to evaporate the sea water, then pump the desalinated
water to the settlements. This energy simply may not be available
for very long, cf. Holmgren: "earth stewardship" vs. "green tech
stability" etc.

> One strategy we must deal with is getting rainwater catchment
> to be legal, because it's not in many desert communities,

So it is illegal to catch the water falling on one's roof and
collect it in cisterns?

> as that water is "reserved" for other uses and jurisdictions.
> That being said, bottled water as an investment is a boom
> industry,

But it is nothing that can last very long, as the market will be
saturated at some point and would have to be expanded by
artificially creating scarcity. That does not appear to be a
sustainable way of living. Not even looking at the environmental
implications of all those plastic bottles being produced,
transported and then thrown away, or recycled.

> and there are also bond issues for municipalities
> which are making infrastructure improvements to their water
> systems and utilities, which seem to be appropriate
> investments.

Fair enough, although the amount of waste water could be reduced
at the same time, starting with the introduction of compost
toilets. Yet current urban structures apparently do not take this
into account - there appear to be little incentives for steps in
that direction, at least on the surface. Certainly not where I
live.


Michael