Author Charles Fishman remembers when bottled water was sold only for use in steam irons.
“When I was young, they sold a gallon of water in the laundry aisle … that’s it,” said Fishman, who is 51 years old. “And it was covered in dust and no one ever bought it.”
Things have changed. Bottled water has lined store shelves and checkout counters for decades now.
But it was an exotic, upscale brand that caught Fishman’s attention about five years ago — Fiji Water.
Fishman traveled to Fiji — the water is actually from Fiji — to the bottled water maker for an article he was writing for Fast Company magazine. He also went to San Pellegrino. And Poland Springs.
The trips became the impetus for his new book, The Big Thirst: The Secret Life and Turbulent Future of Water, which goes beyond bottled water and examines humans’ relationship to the resource.
“The days of easy water are over,” Fishman said. “We have to rethink how we use and manage our water.”
The book tracks water from Saturn to Australia. Fishman writes about scarcity, water systems and drought. He argues that the world has plenty of water — we just don’t use it smartly.
But there’s a big “20 percent of the world’s surface water” sized piece missing from the book’s global water puzzle.
“I didn’t get into the Great Lakes much … they get a fair amount of attention,” Fishman said. “I was looking for things that people could learn lessons about.”
Fishman notes a general lack of respect for water. In Fiji, for example, the locals see water harvesting as a cash cow, with little regard for how it may affect their own country, he said.
“They are like, ‘we may not have clean water but who cares? The idiot Americans want to buy it.’
“It is complete absurdity.”
Solutions to scarcity don’t have to be complex, he said.
Florida pumps its aquifers dry and constantly panics about water. But every year about 48 inches of rain fall in Florida where it is collected and spilled into the ocean.
“If God gives you all the water you need, don’t complain when you send it to the ocean,” Fishman said.
Charles Fishman, author of The Big Thirst.
He compares water to the food movement, which, in his eyes, has progressed much faster. Just as people have begun to re-imagine their relationship to food, a change that is driving the growth of the organic and local food movements, people need to develop an appreciation and understanding of where their water comes from.
And even though the Great Lakes weren’t a main character in his book, Fishman still had words of wisdom for the region.
“You all have the ability to understand water the way that people in places like Nevada can’t,” he said.
Fishman said the Great Lakes region has an opportunity to be world leaders in sustainable water usage.
But, as factories are huge consumers of water, he said that water should also be used as a marketing tool to spur economic activity in the region.
“Market it … develop strategies … teach the world,” he said.
Fishman’s book is not all doomsday. For all the misuse, mismanagement and ignorance, there are good things happening. Among them: IBM software that helps utilities use just the right amount, heavy investment in water recycling technologies at General Electric and rain barrels in cities all over the planet.
Ultimately, he argues we have the water to quench everyone’s thirst — we just have to wake up.
“Our relationship with water is changing … we didn’t have to think about it much before,” he said. “Now we’re starting a new era and people around the world need to be more conscious about water use.”
Pingback: Rethink, respect water and there will be plenty, author says « Environmental News Bits
There is no consensus by the majority of Americans to deviate from the contamination of water. The disposal of carcinogens mixed with water and sand for energy is ludicrous! When the fluid is removed but not in its entirety it is then injected deep into the ground where a living ecological system (life) will be destroyed beneath the earths surface. Marinating poison fill crevices possible entering earths aquifers or potentially reaching other sources of fresh water for our in gestation. With few or no scientific studies having been done we can not quantify the possible effects creating an irreversible crises.
Jobs are important but at what cost! Poisonous flow back fluid that requires permanent disposal only merits the profitability of Mining Companies. We currently do not have the technology to remove this cocktail of carcinogens from the water resulting in less renewable water. Michigan does not have the proper geology for deep well injections under ground so the transporting of this now highly toxic substance is not environmentally safe regardless of where it is stored under ground.
There are over 1000 documented surface water cases of contamination due to Fracking. Hydraulic fracturing is a new concept and due to the lack of studies it is impossible to quantify the lasting effects to our vast but diminishing supply of water.
So even if the author is correct that we have plenty of water who in their right mind would want to risk an ecological system below the earths surface and potentially contaminate any of our water?
I also want to repeat Gary Wilson as saying “Corporations are responsible to shareholders not citizens or the environment.” And not to forget their own personal prosperity!
I agree with Dan. I can’t decide whether I agree or disagree with the article. I’m not so sure about the value of marketing water for profit. We see this every day with the bottled water industry and the conflict that is involved with that market. I would like to hear some of the specific ways he suggests taking on this new relationship with water. I’m not too clear on what he is suggesting.
http://www.trevipools.org/intex-pools.html
I’d be interested in reading this book, not to give the author his royalty, but to see what he thinks some of the solutions are. That way I can decide whether to agree or disagree.
I know the author is correct that we have plenty of water. Earth is a water planet, after all. And, we even create more of it, along with CO2, by burning fossil fuels. However, water distribution and water quality is a concern and problem. Water can keep you alive, or it can make you very sick or kill you. It’s not the water, but what is in the water.
Of course, if you’re in a place where water is not available, or scarce, then distribution is a problem. We have the technoligical capability to distribute water wherever it’s needed, but that takes energy which those in need may not be able to afford.
Consequently, we live on a water planet where water is scare in some places and plentiful in others; readily available for drinking in some places and not fit to drink in others. Maybe that’s why he says we need to rethink our relationship with water.
It sounds like I need to rush out and not buy this book.
‘But, as factories are huge consumers of water, he said that water should also be used as a marketing tool to spur economic activity in the region.’
“Market it … develop strategies … teach the world,” he said.
——————————————————————-
It’s troubling that the author sees water as a marketing tool for business. Business is not a good steward of water. If you want proof look at Ohio’s just passed water law.
It was essentially written by the Ohio Chamber of Commerce and sponsored in the legislature by the owner of a bottled water company.
Not one enviromental,fishing, or boating group supported it. It denies
boaters and commercial fisheries the right to challenge it.
It did not have the support of former elected officials who were architects of the Great Lakes Compact.
Mr. Fishman is either naive or uninformed if he believe business and industry will be good stewards of our water. It’s not what they do.
They’re responsible to shareholders not citizens or the environment.
Gary Wilson