Big ideas for a thirsty planet

If the recently-approved water rate hike has you worried about our drought, tonight's Water episode of Sundance's eco-show, "Big Ideas for a Small Planet," should give you more food for thought -- and a ray of hope.

The show takes a broad look at looming water shortages, covering everything from the pros and cons of controversial desalination methods to the heartwarming story of a river cleanup project to the potential promise of rainfall catchment systems --  systems available now, but slow to be implemented.

Local enviro-activist Andy Lipkis of TreePeople's one of the experts in the program. If the show inspires you, check out TreePeople's "Rainwater as a Resource" report.

So far, the second season of "Big Ideas for a Small Planet" has covered some fascinating stuff. The "Power" episode took an in-depth look at the annual Solar Decathlon competition, where 20 universities compete to create hi-tech, comfy houses that are powered entirely by the sun. Last week's episode, "Decorate," featured Venice's own eco-friendly store and showroom Organic Interior Design, along with the recently-completed Venice Beach Eco Cottages, former crack houses now revamped into gorgeous vacation suites.

The "Water" episode airs tonight, April 15, at 9 pm on the Sundance channel.

Comments

[KateNonymous]

I thought the show had potential that it didn't meet. It's good to know what's going on in the world of desalination, and I was glad to hear them say that the way in which it's done--and the quantity of ocean water that is used--needs to be carefully thought out. The parallel to the seemingly endless oil fields of the last century was pretty good.

However, it would have been nice if the rainwater catchment segment was longer. I can't build a desalination plant in my backyard, but we do want to put in a catchment system when we buy a house.

The large-scale stuff is great, don't get me wrong.

[Terry Spragg]

A less expensive and more environmentally friendly alternative to desalination, waterbag technology, has the support of several Southern California water agencies (MWDOC & West Basin MWD). A video can be see at www.YouTube.com/watch?v=4TEJp6UZaDI, or in photos at www.waterbag.com, and in a speech in the South Australia Parliament by MP Liz Penfold at www.lizpenfold.com/speeches.spraggbag.htm. Is Australia ahead of California on developing waterbag technology? Why?