Putting the Problems of the Third World Into Perspective
Here’s a video that hit me hard. I hope you’ll take a few minutes and let it sink in.
It’s interesting that it’s sponsored by “WaterIsLife.com,” as it’s a reminder that third world’s problems include the sad and inexcusable fact that 1.5 billion people on this planet can’t get a clean glass of water to drink.
There are a few coincidences worth mentioning here:
a) We in the U.S. are wrestling with a number of clean water issues. Some of these are associated with our passion for building pipelines, most notably through land owned by Native Americans. Those paying attention here know that it appears that the “Water Protectors” of these tribes (and other ad hoc groups that have formed in their support) are going to win out here; ironically, this is not because they’re morally in the right (which they are), but because their protests, at least in the case of the Keystone XL Pipeline, succeeded in getting the Obama administration to quash the project, and, by the time the Trump people overturned Obama’s decision, the project had lost its economic appeal. (ExxonMobil recently said it’s no longer interested in pursuing the pipeline, because of the low price of oil and the high price of extracting, transporting and refining tar sands.)
b) There is a perverse movement in the world to privatize water, based on the argument that water is a commodity like pork bellies or orange juice. As I wrote a few years ago: Some people, e.g., the chairman of Nestlé, believe that potable water is a commodity like gold or corn, and should be privately owned; i.e., he denies that access to water is a basic human right. This may sound like a joke, like something that would offend the moral sensibilities of Ebenezer Scrooge, but let me assure you: he’s totally serious. We really have seen the end of cheap energy, water, and food; just wait to see how super-powerful and callous people (like this fellow from Nestlé) start to act as time goes on and as all the things we formerly took for granted become increasingly scarce.
From this article: The current Chairman and former CEO of Nestlé, the largest producer of food products in the world, believes that the answer to global water issues is privatization. This statement is on record from the wonderful company that has peddled junk food in the Amazon, has invested money to thwart the labeling of GMO-filled products, has a disturbing health and ethics record for its infant formula, and has deployed a cyber army to monitor Internet criticism and shape discussions in social media.
In the presence of such cold and greedy posture from the planet’s wealthiest people and corporations, the problems in the third world are going to remain totally intractable. It’s up to all of us to speak up about obvious violations of human rights, even if this means reining in the rights of uber-capitalists to get even richer.
Potable water is far more of an issue than many realize. Although it is not generally seen as an energy or technology issue there are technologies that are on point and energy will be required. As previously mentioned OTEC might be profitable on islands precisely because it can concurrently provide fresh water.
Craig,
You have correctly identified a real problem when it comes to regarding water as a resource.
However, you have done Dr Brabeck-Letmathe as great disservice by simply repeating a very biased article, without any analysis or reading the full text of his speech.
Had you contained your moral outrage and thought a little longer you might not have needed to spend all that time sharpening your pitchfork !
The issue of water is not as simple as who owns the village well !
Water is a very complex resource. Since the dawn of civilization, water has always been privately owned.
Where water resources are shared by a number of nations or neighbors, there will always be problems relating to use and ownership. Water will always be wasted, unless it’s considered valuable. Once valuable it becomes a market commodity with a market price.
The quality of water, conservation, additives, infrastructure etc in most urban areas is already determined by organizations which charge for the commodity to consumers.
Water has never been “free”. Dr Brabeck-Letmathe is only speaking the truth. The article you cited and your wildly emotive utopian statements, display a complete ignorance of how water has been managed for the last 10,000 years !
Like in the rest of the world, as a farmer, I pay for water. Both my farming properties are on rivers. In the UK we own the rights to our stretch of river, while in Australia I must pay for water usage and even pay a tax on any rainwater I collect and store in tanks !
Water systems are very expensive to keep clean and maintain. Traditionally, many water suppliers were trusts, often funded by the taxpayer.
The problems of Third World water supply are complex, but abusing individuals who are trying to solve these problems such as Dr Brabeck-Letmathe, is unhelpful.
I invite you to do a little more objective research. When you do, you might find how incredibly complex and complicated are the problems involving a resource most of us take for granted.