Taking A Look at Peak Water
The Green Market Oracle
Peak water is the condition where water demand is higher than the rate at which supply is replenished. As referenced in an EcoSeed article, climate change, burgeoning population growth, pollution and increasedindustrial and agricultural capacity are putting more pressure onalready stretched water resources.
Although it is contentious,many believe that we have passed a tipping point in water consumption,the same way many believe we have passed a tipping point for oil. Inmany places there is clear evidence of over-extraction of groundwater in relation to recharge rates.
Around the world rivers and lakesare dead and dying, and groundwater aquifers are being utilized fasterthan they can be replenished. The result is aquatic life is being driven to extinction. These growing rates of water use have direct adverseimpacts on both human and ecosystem health.
A rise in globaltemperatures will be a major burden on water resources in the comingyears. Other factors like population growth, changes in dietarypatterns, urbanization, and economic development may prove even moreproblematic. Increased agricultural irrigation and increased water usage for industrial purposes are exploiting water reserves at anunprecedented rate. In India alone there are over 23 million deep borewells that are using technology created to access oil.
Althoughwater is not a finite resource like oil, the concept of peak water canfocus attention on water demand surpassing rates of replenishment. Theconcept has particular usefulness in countries like India, Pakistan andChina. It can also draw attention to the inefficient use of water whichis a global problem. Peak water could just be the wake-up call we needto better manage our water resources.
Richard Matthews is a consultant, sustainable investor, writer and owner of The Green Market. The Green Market is a leading sustainable business blog that covers the convergence of sustainable capitalism and the global environment. The Green Market is one of the most comprehensive resources for information and tools on sustainability. Richard is a regular contributor to more than 50 publications including, The Green Economy Post and Environmental News Network (ENN). Find him on Facebook and Linkedin and see The Green Market’s twitter feed and Facebook Fan Page.
Original Article on The Green Market Blog
Richard Matthews is a consultant, sustainable investor, writer and owner of The Green Market Oracle, a leading sustainable business blog that covers the convergence of sustainable capitalism and the global environment.The Green Market is one of the most comprehensive resources for information and tools on sustainability. Follow The Green Market's twitter feed and see the Facebook Fan Page.
Richard is a contributor to more than 50 publications. Find him on Facebook and Linkedin.