green is the color of life

Thursday, September 22, 2005

Global warming, wetlands and fresh water from seawater

Wetlands do several things, they provide habitat, of course, but in places like New Orleans, they can absorb some of the battering punishment from modern hurricanes.

Why do I say modern?

The water temperature in the Caribbean is as much as 7 degrees warmer than "it's supposed to be", the higher the water temperature, the more energy in the water. Hurricanes get their energy from warm water.

With the looming water crisis, wetlands are also important in that they can purify water.

The Louisiana wetlands were not effective in absorbing Hurricane Katrina... why? They've been removed. They've been damaged. They've had canals cut through them for easy access to oil extraction sites.

Why is it that when you find something a little messed up with the world, it's not to long before resource extraction industries come up?

Monday, September 05, 2005

Water is the next oil

Though the world is embroiled in wars over the control and pricing of oil, there is another darker period on the horizon.

Water will soon be the only commodity of as much importance as oil. Already water rights are being bought up, stolen, licensed to multinational corporations and litigated over.