Reading to Be Done Before This Discussion:
Gleick, Peter H. "Facing Down the Hydro-Crisis." World Policy Journal 26, no. 4 (Winter2009 2009): 17-23. 
Carpenter, Susan.  2010.  Australian water crisis offers clues for California. Los Angeles Times Greenspace.  January 10th.

Scientific American. 2008.  Freshwater Crisis: Current Situation: Lots of Water But Not Always Where it's Needed.  Scientific American.com. July 21.  Very short article. Focus your attention on the map.
 

Things to Bring to Class: Your own notes on the article and/or a printout.

Due in Discussion This Week: Answers to the questions below.

Due in Discussion Next Week: Questions as Usual.

Context: In Lecture we will examine many of the large political and philosophical questions surrounding population geography. You will be introduced to definitions and measurement techniques of the demographic conditions prevalent in particular places. In particular, you will be asked to understand and interpret two graphical models for the representation of population growth and change - population pyramids, and the Demographic Transition model.  The chapter on population in Knox and Marston provides a fairly thorough overview of the various issues involved in population growth, change, and politics.  As will become clear from lecture, your text book, and this reading, numbers and mathematical models are seldom simple neutral “facts,” but are used in specific contexts to support specific positions.

To Prepare for Discussion: During the later half of the 20^th century one of the major environmental concerns was the coming "population explosion."   At the beginning of the 21st century it seems that we have largely avoided the predicted catastrophes.  While population continues to grow, birth rates are declining in many countries and increases in agricultural production at the global scale have kept pace with population growth. On the other hand, it is clear that local and regional shortages of resources mean that large proportions of humanity lack access to sufficient supplies of food.  Moreover, many continue to argue that there may still be limits to the planet's overall carrying capacity.  One potential limit is the supply of freshwater.  The article for this week's discussion discusses the history of humanity's use of water and argues that we are entering a new era in which water scarcity will be a reality for a greater proportion of the world's population. There is a limited supply of water on the planet suitable for human consumption. Consequently, the per-capita supply of water necessarily declines with population growth.  Climate change may make matters worse.  Yet, the article argues, there is much that we can do to avert a crisis by rethinking the way we use and supply water.  We can increase supplies of water by being more efficient in the way that we use water.  We can also develop new ways of supplying water through recycling, reclamation, and desalinization. The second article provides a potential glimpse at the future of water supply and conservation in the face of population growth and climate change.  It discusses the recent water crisis in Australia.  Drought conditions have reduced Australia's already limited water supply leading to significant restrictions on water use.  The third article has been assigned primarily for the map which shows that water resources are unevenly distributed across the globe.  As you read think about your own use of water? Where does your water come from? How much do you think you use? What would your life be like if you had to severely limit your use of water?

The questions that begin on the next page will help guide our discussion.  Spend some time thinking carefully about answers to them.

Questions to be answered and turned in at the beginning of Class

Name:
Honor Code:

1.    What are the main characteristics of each of the three Water Eras?

 

 

 

 

2.  Why do you think the article didn't suggest limits on population growth as a solution? How effective do you think limiting population growth would be for helping to prevent a future water crisis?

 

 

 

3.  What are three of the most important ways that the articles suggest for dealing with a water crisis?

 

 

 

 

4  How much water do you think you use in a day?  What are actions that you might take to reduce your water use?

 

 

 

5.   What is one issue or question on this reading that you would like discussed in class?