Let's Predict the Future
Should we be looking to the California Drought as a reference point for what is to come?
Climate change continues to have a hand in the issue of water scarcity around the globe and at our rate, it's only going to get worse.
As temperatures stay on the upward climb, seasons begin to change and increase, and so does the amount of perrcipitation, ice cover, evaporaton and how much snow sticks around to February.
We depend on water for so many things from brushing our teeth right up to the food we eat. As the world population increases, so does the demand for water both locally and globally. At some point, the water supplied by cities won't be enough and they'll end up having to import water from other courtries if things don't change, and soon.
Not only do we love water and over use it, utility prices do not reflect the limit of supply. As Karl Marx suggested way back in the day, when an item, Water, is in limited supply and demand is very high, the price of water will be high to reflect the novelty and rarity of the item. Therefore, we would expect water prices to have increased vastly to reflect it's limited abundance.
BUT, this isn't the case. Bottled water continues to be between $1.50 and $3.50. The same can be said for your monthly utilities bill, water prices don't seem to fluxuate very much. With this idea of supply and demand, should we see changes in our water bills as frequently as gas prices change? It's as though no one really cares because there isn't a problem yet.... but once there is one, you'll know who said it first!
Don't you think it's time that corporations, government officials, and businesses start making a change and restructuring how water is sold and used? Incentives and programs need to be put into place to encourage individauls, as well as farmers, to conserve water and use it more sparingly.
We need to come up with more of a plan before it gets too late. Let's not let our precious lakes and water bodies become drained, dried, and barren like California.
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Happy water saving, Friends!
Folsom Dam, California In 2011 (Top Image) and again in 2014 (Bottom Image). Now in their fourth year of drought, California struggles to meet water needs.