Water23

This summer I read an interesting book Blue Gold: The Fight to Stop the Corporate Theft of the World’s Water. I have to say I found the book a little disquieting as I learned more about the  environmental, economic, and political issues arising as corporations rush to privatize water resources.  The authors argue that access to water should be a basic human right and should not be controlled by corporations who can then determine who gets water based on their ability to purchase it.

The book draws some of the parallels between the oil shortage and the impending water crisis that will face the world in the 21st century. In fact, the water industry has grown to $425 billion dollars which makes it the third largest industry in the world, behind electricity and oil.

One of the authors Maude Barlow, is the national chairperson of the Council of Canadians is an activist who is helping spread the word about the world’s water crisis. Here is an interesting two part interview with Barlow in which discusses the water issue and the 2008 documentary FLOW: For Love of Water.

Here is a trailer for the movie FLOW.  I think the film will get your attention.

You can also view the entire movie.