Ascenta

Most people simply cannot contemplate the idea of the world running out of water. The earth has 1,360,000,000 km3 of water - that’s a lot of water. Our failure to distinguish between the “existence” and “availability” is at the heart of the global water crisis. Close to half the world’s population has no immediate access to safe water and that number is estimated to grow by 30% over the next 20 years.

While climate change is a legitimate threat to existing water supplies, the root of the current water crisis is entirely man-made. In the United States 36 states currently face a serious water shortage. A similar trend is seen immerging in the other states as well as Canada. The problem is a concept called water mining, “extracting water from natural sources faster than the hydrologic cycle can replenish”. Groundwaters, rivers, lakes and natural springs are being exploited to the extent the hydrologic cycle is irreversibly compromised.

Who is mining this water? Bottled water companies, agro-businesses, and large manufacturing companies. The privatization of our water supplies could challenge our notion that water in North America is a limitless resource. Extracting water from one natural source and shipping it to far distant areas destroys the hydrologic cycle and inevitably its availability for future use. The Great lakes is a vast reserve of fresh water, which is being mined at a rate of 4 trillion litres every day, which is far greater than Nature’s ability to replenish.

Failure to take action now will dramatically alter our way of life in North America within the next 10 years including the cost of living. I strongly urge you to watch the video below, which helps explain the water crisis and more importantly how you can help protect this precious resource.

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