WHY IS THERE A WATER SHORTAGE ON PLANET EARTH?

WHY IS THERE A SHORTAGE OF WATER ON PLANET EARTH?

No one wants to admit it, because the implications are horrifying. There is a planetary WATER SHORTAGE. How can that be, given that there is no more or less water on the planet than there has ever been?

As some areas become drier, others become wetter. THE NORTH OF AUSTRALIA has in the past decade increased its rainfall and floods are more frequent.

It is true that human beings contribute massively to climate change. It is not as simplistic as that though. Greenhouse gasses and pollution caused by humans in many and various ways definitely make a huge difference to the living conditions on the planet.

The sobering fact is that cutting down on emissions and making the atmosphere a better place, is not going to solve the problems we have. Not at all. It may make us feel better that we are doing something for the welfare of the earth, but really it is a bit like a drop in an ocean. That drop is in a literal sense. It would do nothing whatsoever to make the planet a more livable place for humanity.

Every creature in history has suffered the indignity of over-population. When any animal breeds to its maximum extent, good old Mother Nature steps in to ensure the cull of the excess, and restore the balance.

Of course there are other contributors to the problem of climate change. These are well outside of our control. THE ‘WOBBLE’ OF THE SPIN AXIS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HUGE CHANGES IN CLIMATE AND OVER THE COURSE OF ABOUT ONE CENTURY THIS ‘WOBBLE’ CAN OR WILL BE UP TO TEN METRES.

While, as far as we are aware it has not happened within living memory, the passing close, or IMPACT OF AN ASTEROID could dramatically change our climate. Even to the point of making the earth uninhabitable.

There is lot of noise being generated from ‘interested’ sources, and those sources are enabling fear. CLIMATE CHANGE PROTESTSwith the vast majority of those protesters unaware that even if we completely eradicate all damaging emissions, we will still suffer the apocalyptic consequences of what really amounts to over-population.

It might be better to reconsider the idea of climate change, and begin to think of it in a more realistic manner, and call it climate shift. At the same time, to consider GLOBAL WARMING.

Global Warming is caused through ‘GREENHOUSE’ GASSES, as one considers the earths’ atmosphere to be a greenhouse. A very large proportion, in fact the largest proportion of greenhouse gas is water vapour. The next highest proportion is carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6).

We have it within our capabilities to reduce or eliminate all but the water vapour. It will not solve an even bigger problem. One that we cannot ignore, and cannot imagine the apocalyptic effects of not doing something soon. HUMAN POPULATION and the keeping of LIVESTOCK.

In any given year more than 50 BILLION land animals will be raised and slaughtered for food. Yes 50 BILLION! That process alone contributes more than 18% of our human related greenhouse gasses.

But wait! There’s more! This is the depressingly difficult bit.

Every creature living today has a specific ‘carrying capacity’. If any species of animal over breeds, then Mother Nature redresses the balance.

THE FIGURES FOR HUMANS ARE QUITE ASTONISHING. As we have controlled and eradicated diseases; as we have made massive strides in longevity, in IVF, in health and welfare, we have exploded in numbers. Have we gone too far to turn back?

DO YOU WANT TO BE TRULY SCARED? OK. From year 0 TO 1803 the world population had reached just ONE BILLION people. From 1803 until 1903 that number had almost doubled to TWO BILLION. Briefly, in 1918 the SPANISH ‘FLU EPIDEMIC resulted in ONE THIRD of the world’s population dying. More than FIVE TIMES the number of people who died during the four years conflict of WW1. SIXTEEN MILLION died in that war, followed by more than FIFTY MILLION who died of the Spanish ‘flu. (Some say as many as ONE HUNDRED MILLION.) Even at the conservative lower figure, that would mean that between the war years of 1914-1918 and adding in the numbers for the Spanish ‘flu, then about SIXTY FIVE MILLION souls died during those four fateful years.

Medical science has also grown in an exponential manner in the past hundred years or so. Every year hundreds of millions of lives are saved by a simple influenza vaccination. Then of course there are the multiple diseases we have controlled or eradicated. We have made pregnancy and birth much safer, and introduced IVF for those who want to give birth outside of ‘natural’ circumstances.

One single drug (PENICILLIN) has saved an estimated 80-200 million lives since the early 1930’s.

Those who do modelling say that by the end of this century we will have around 11 billion human beings on this earth. That is without major strides in science and medicine being made. That is if we survive the massive over-population we are already experiencing. At around 8 billion now, there are many notable and knowledgeable who believe we have already exceeded our ‘carrying capacity.’ Our impact on the creatures on our planet, on the land, and the forests and the water are already beginning to show Mother Nature to be a starkly strict mother.

In our arrogance even those who should know better; educated, supposedly intelligent people talk about taming or controlling nature. That is just plain downright stupid! WE are controlled by nature no matter how much we think we can defy or control Her. We are not God, (should there be one) and we are not in command of everything we interact with on this little blue planet.

Have we already reached our TIPPING POINT as a specie? Has the catastrophe that will become the culling of humanity already begun? We must ask these questions because there is absolutely nothing we can do to stop it. Perhaps we can slow it down by addressing emissions, and we should make every effort to do so. Do you hear a BUT? Yes, there is a BUT.

It is a scary but. When we return to just one thing that is a part of that TIPPING POINT it is water.

Water shortages due to pollution, and the shift in climate do not address the real problem. WHY is there a water shortage when we accept the fact that there is NO MORE OR LESS WATER on the planet than there has ever been?

That is a simple and incontrovertible fact. All the water that ever existed on the earth is still here. BUT WHERE? Climate change in itself, while vitally important, will not stop us facing a guaranteed catastrophe.

Think of it like this. EVERY HUMAN BEING is around 60% water. Much of our LIVESTOCK can be up to 90% of their body weight in water.

Those 50 BILLION animals that will be raised and slaughtered for food are not just methane emitters, they are, like human beings, walking water containers! By our very existence, and the existence of industrial keeping of livestock we are LOCKING UP THE WATER and thus creating a scarcity. The more people, the more livestock, the less accessible water there will be. There is no escaping that simple incontrovertible fact!

Whether we are climate change deniers or CLIMATE CHANGE ACTIVISTS, neither side seems to accept that. It is about time we did.

Climate change and Climate Shift are very real and tipping into the catastrophic. The fact is that it will come down to water, rather than the much more easily soluble emissions problems.

To remain solvent and viable humanity must begin to accept that before we return to a survivable position there is no avoiding the fact that unless we address the imminent and vital water situation.

The global move to more plant based foods is a tiny beginning, but the biggest problem to solve is that of over-population. It is here that the the catastrophe could be imminent. We have already reached the tipping point and Mother Nature may begin to cull human beings. She is not always a gentle mother.

Remember, as you get up in the morning and begin your day that we, along with many other species could imminently face near extinction. Remember that we are simply WALKING WATER CONTAINERS, and that our domesticated animals in the form of sheep, pigs, cattle, etc are, in their massive concentrations, LIVING WATER CONTAINERS.

While people starve, and die from lack of water, polluted water, disease ridden water, we the ‘rich’ nations, with running water from taps, with the ability to shower daily or twice daily, with abundant supplies of water to grow our vast crops, and supply our livestock are oblivious to the almost inevitable catastrophe.

It is not enough to protest our emissions policies. Unless we reduce human population by positive means, we will be culled by Mother Nature. That may be a tragic and apocalyptic occurrence.

Unless we reduce our LIVESTOCK raising and management, and perhaps force the economics by eating less meat, or even changing down significantly to eating other forms of animal products, we will suffer the consequences.

In Australia hundreds of millions of rabbits are infected with the laboratory created CALICIVIRUS. A terrible and lethal disease. It is unconscionable when rabbit is a nutritious and GOOD FOR YOU to simply poison them in favour of vast agricultural crops, or pasture for large livestock. There are many ways to satisfy those who still with to eat meat. It may sound yuk at first but eating INSECTS is good for both you and the planet. There would be nothing wrong with making insect burgers would there if it was another measure put in place to save the planet?

By whatever means possible we must return water to the earth instead of locking it up in livestock and our OWN EVER INCREASING BODIES.

If you look at yourself and the livestock we raise and eat as walking water containers, we may begin to see some sense of reason and stop whatever huge calamity that waits around the corner. That is not to mention the vast fields of wheat, and industrial cropping. It will require a shift in human thinking if we are to fend off what will inevitably come within the lifetime of any twenty year old.

We do not own the planet. We simply exist on it, and our presence and our methods of breeding, feeding and populating must be addressed in conjunction with the reduction of emissions from industrial scale production and farming.

We, as well as the livestock we raise to eat, emit MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF METHANE. We cannot remove methane as fast as it is created.

We are not yet too far gone, but one step more and humanity will be over the cliff and into the abyss.

PART TWO: SOLUTIONS.

Nothing is infinite. There is no perpetual motion machine. Instead of thinking of ourselves it is essential to think about our selves.

CREMATION: The cremation business is worth billions of dollars. There are all sorts of apologists for the cremation business. While the amount of mercury, dioxins etc might be regarded as low by those who support the industry, millions of people are cremated each year and the excuse that the pollutants are less than coal fired power stations simply does not hold water. (Yes, the pun is intentional.)

There are companies which sell ‘bio urns’ and that might seem like a good solution until you check into it and find that you need ashes before you can plant a seed into the urn and turn your loved one or yourself into a tree. You might as well use a much cheaper plant pot! There are even WATER CREMATIONS. The jury is still out on that one!

There are other neater and more environmental methods. Anyone truly concerned about our environment might decide on a GREEN BURIAL. This way you can truly honour your loved ones and in doing so return massive amounts of water to the environment, and have a thriving garden or even keep uncle George in a large pot with an Aspidistra!

LIVESTOCK: Simple. Eat less meat. If you eat steak every day you are either very rich or not very clever. Or both. Livestock breeders will self regulate the domestication of animals to accommodate the demand. Meat eaters do not have to give up their omnivorous natures. Just create nutritious meals that use more vegetables. Kebabs, skewers, casseroles, soups and stews. The variety is endless.

Stop poisoning perfectly edible meat and re-introduce rabbit hunting instead of the infection of those millions of rabbits that suffer terrible deaths by the use of inhumane viruses.

In Australia the camel population has exploded. Use the meat. It is not rocket science! The same applies to the explosion of kangaroos which are now flourishing in their millions. Hunting for meat is not the same as hunting for trophies. Whether it be deer or ducks, or crocs or alligators, all are rich food sources. Why waste by killing for fun?

Invest in technology to grow food in cities where transport costs are smaller. The initial setup costs might be high, but the benefits are returned by using less of the already too vast agricultural lands, and reduce the carbon footprint of heavy transport. Water usage is minimised using modern hydroponic methods.

Finally, show some selflessness and breed less!

PLANT BASED DIET: There is strong evidence that the rush to veganism and vegetarian diets can be dangerous with few people understanding that human beings are natural omnivores. Of course we eat too much meat but suddenly changing because social media is rife with ill-informed and false information is not a solution. There will always be dietary fads. Too many people mistake veganism with vegetarianism. By all means teach your children to eat their greens, but eat responsibly.

Graham Whittaker 2020-