For Fresh Water, Don't Look to Seas

Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink: that's how it was for the Ancient Mariner and, says a World Wildlife Foundation study on the practicality of turning salt water into fresh, that's how it is for us.

"Desalinating the sea is an expensive, energy intensive and greenhouse gas emitting way to get water," said Jamie Pittock, director of WWF's global freshwater programme.

"It may have a place in the world's future freshwater supplies but regions still have cheaper, better and complementary ways to supply water that are less risky to the environment."

So those coming water shortages don't have an easy solution after all, except maybe conserving water -- and not just by taking shorter showers, but by reducing the industrial use of water by consuming fewer products and cutting back on energy use. And then there's lawns. What is it with people's need for lush, hyper-green front yards, even in the middle of August? It's albatross necklace time for them...

Related Wired coverage here, here and here.

Desalination 'not the solution' [BBC]

Image: Gustav Dore