[housefinch]

I didn't know

'Coping with Water Scarcity' is the theme for World Water Day 2007, which is celebrated each year on 22 March. This year's theme highlights the increasing significance of water scarcity worldwide and the need for increased integration and cooperation to ensure sustainable, efficient and equitable management of scarce water resources, both at international and local levels.

http://www.unwater.org/wwd07/flashindex.html

Looking outside at my little creek today water scarcity isn't my first concern: its abundance ie. flooding! At the same time I think this is relevant to AboutMyPlanet.

o7O

[Raptor235]

that's great... I was always wondering do we have systems in place now that will take ocean water and turn it into drinkable water?

[workinman]

just got in from walking my dog. i was down by the river and always grab a plastic bottle or two that has washed up, bring them home and throw them in my recycling bin
anyway, i found two plastic water bottles, one was full and the other 1/2 full... got me thinking, i bet there is hundreds of gallons of water buried in landfills around the world because of people not dumping the water out before they pitch the bottle...
its the little things...

[Simon47]

Dug this out from 2004 and nearly one billion people still in this age that do not have access to potable drinking water. Canada has 20-30% of the world supply which reports to be dwindling for obvious reasons and we are one of the largest consumers of it; bottled. Raise your hand if you drank out of a lake or stream in the last decade. Would you dare?

A thirsty world awaits better access to potable water
GENEVA (AFP) Aug 26, 2004
2.6 billion human beings -- over 40 percent of the planet's inhabitants -- lack basic sanitation, and more than one billion people still drink unsafe water, two UN organizations warned Thursday.Entitled "Meeting the Millennium Development Goals," their report is a mid-course appraisal of a 25-year plan ending in 2015 to dramatically improve sanitation conditions and access to clean drinking water throughout the world. The report covers the period from 1990-2002.

A thirsty world awaits better access to potable water

Originally Posted by workinman

just got in from walking my dog. i was down by the river and always grab a plastic bottle or two that has washed up, bring them home and throw them in my recycling bin
anyway, i found two plastic water bottles, one was full and the other 1/2 full... got me thinking, i bet there is hundreds of gallons of water buried in landfills around the world because of people not dumping the water out before they pitch the bottle...
its the little things...

[workinman]

simon, if u haven't already, you should read the book 'plan b 2.0'.
i reckon that the author and you would get along well and i think that you would really agree with alot of his proposals to solving many of the earth's problems.

[Simon47]

Found it downloadable online. Thanks; I'll give it a look.
Contents of Plan B 2.0: Rescuing a Planet Under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble - by Lester R. Brown - Earth Policy Institute - Entering a New World - Restoring the Earth

Originally Posted by workinman

simon, if u haven't already, you should read the book 'plan b 2.0'.
i reckon that the author and you would get along well and i think that you would really agree with alot of his proposals to solving many of the earth's problems.

[Stepper]

Reading another of his books, "Outgrowing the Earth," is one of the main reasons I started coming to this site looking for some answers. Thanks, Workinman, for mentioning--and Simon, for providing the link!

[peachy]

Oooo...downloadable! Thanks workinman and Simon.

Stepper...haven't heard about outgrowing the Earth. Sounds cool. I'm sure Simon will beat me to finding where it on the net. =)