We do.
In the Great Lakes region that includes the upper Midwest and parts of southern Canada, we have the largest fresh water system on earth. Did you want to start siphoning off our water and selling it to China? Not so fast…
On July 9, 2008, Jennifer Granholm, governor of Michigan, signed the Great Lakes Compact. Now that all state and provincial leaders have signed the Compact, it heads to Congress and the White House. If federal lawmakers sign this treaty, then few people outside of the Great Lakes Basin that includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin as well as Ontario and Quebec could tap into our water supply. It will be restricted to residents and businesses located right here. Local proponents of the treaty want to hold onto our water supply, especially as droughts are leading to worldwide water shortages. Those who oppose the treaty say restrictions could hurt business.
As for me? The lakefront is delightful this time of year. I am going to fill up our water bottles from the tap and then head to the beach with my daughter. When we come home, we will water our garden, take showers, and give our dog a bath. We have water here on the shores of Lake Michigan. Lot’s of it.
photo from my personal collection
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Sarah Pressman Lovinger
In trying to find the most effective way to help other people reduce their carbon footprints, Sarah turned to one of her favorite activities: writing. She started a green business, chicagogreenlife.com, to help her clients plan newsletters for their eco-friendly businesses. She also started her blog, mygreenerlife.blogspot.com, to provide useful advice to anyone who wants to lead a more environmentally friendly life. She also regularly contributes to www.afreshsqueeze.com, to let other Chicagoans know about eco-friendly stores, restaurants, and events. Sarah, an internal medicine doctor, works part-time in community health centers in the Chicago area. She graduated from Barnard College and Columbia University, and she lives in Evanston, IL, with her daughter and her husband. Stop by some time for some delicious, sustainable food--Sarah and her husband love to cook and entertain--any extras will end up outback in their composter.
4 Responses to got water?
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The water issue is a tough one. As a country, we’ve definitely built where it’s unwise, yet it’s also hard to leave millions of home- and business-owners holding the bag. Our way of life is non-sustainable in so many ways, and moving en masse to a sustainable ethos and lifestyle is going to years. Not to mention the enormous effort.
I agree that people not should build in places where there is no water – or on flood plains, either. Our government should find non-repressive ways to curtail such growth in non-sustainable areas. We are lucky in the Midwest to have a great source of water and we must keep it pure and available. Health trumps business profits.
Everyone says a current must-read is “Water Wars”. I think the Great Lakes are figured prominently.
With all the hoopla over the recent Midwest floodings, comments reminiscent of Katrina were heard: Why do those people insist on living in environmentally unstable areas?
I’ve always wanted to know why municipalities in AZ, NM and CA allow wealthy people to build and develop (and build and develop) in places where there’s no water?!?