I want to open a contentious discussion about the conflict in the Middle East and the role that water access (or lack thereof) plays in prolonging and potentially resolving this age old conflict. Please share your thoughts!
NYT Gaza Sewer Crisis
This NYT is an opinion peice sparked by the recent sewage crisis in Gaza. Recently, the lack of electricity in the Gaza Strip has caused systems of water distribution and sewage treatment to fail and sewage to flood the streets of the Gaza strip.
Though the current acute crisis has resulted in the current catastrophic conditions, this issue is not a new one. The above article talks about the history of water insecurity in the Gaza region and highlights the need to stop groundwater extraction and
contamination of the region's aquifer. Instead, the author argues that other technologies such
desalination need to be implemented to address the demand for water.
I have always
thought that the conflict in the Middle East is, more than anything, a
water war. Big picture: I think that with the advance of purifying
technologies and distribution systems, Israelis and Palestinians will be
able to move and disperse more into the Negev Desert.
Water is the way to peace!
World Water Wars-The west bank
Al Jazeera: Can Water End Arab-Israeli Conflict?
For anyone that wishes to see the hard facts and numbers about trash in the united states, here are the figures from 2011
ReplyDeletehttp://www.epa.gov/osw/nonhaz/municipal/pubs/MSWcharacterization_508_053113_fs.pdf