First published 2012
Water scarcity threatens our future despite abundant global supplies. Charles Fishman argues we have entered a new era where water can no longer be taken for granted. The golden age of cheap, unlimited water has ended. Cities like Atlanta came within months of complete water depletion. Australia scrambled to rebuild its entire water infrastructure. California fights to prevent catastrophe. Fishman takes readers from Saturn's moons to Las Vegas hotels where dolphins swim in desert pools, from parched Australian rice farms to IBM facilities creating ultra-pure water. The tap water in your kitchen existed four billion years ago and may have been consumed by dinosaurs. Most of Earth's water sits locked in rock hundreds of miles underground. Water cannot be destroyed, only contaminated, and can be made so pure it becomes toxic. We possess enough water globally, but lack smart usage and proper appreciation. The book reveals how changing our relationship with water, similar to the organic food movement, can prevent crisis through innovation and conscious consumption.
Genres: science, environment, non-fiction, technology
Vibes: thought-provoking
Tropes: informative
Setting: Atlanta, Australia, California, Las Vegas, Saturn
Period: 4 Billion Years Ago, Dinosaur Era
416 pages · Paperback · Free Press