"Supplies will be cut or reduced to homes in many areas of the capital this weekend, making a scarce resource even scarcer. 'We are running out of water,' a [Mexico city] official said.
One of the world's largest cities is launching a rationing plan in a drastic -- and some say overdue -- effort to conserve water after rampant development, mismanagement and reduced rainfall caused supplies to drop to dangerously low levels.
Starting Saturday, water will be cut or reduced to homes in at least 10 boroughs in Mexico City plus 11 other municipalities in the state of Mexico, which surrounds the capital. The action affects an estimated 5.5 million people and includes neighborhoods ranging from affluent Lomas de Chapultepec on the western edge of the city to poor, densely populated Iztapalapa in the southeast." (From an article by Tracy Wilkinson, 'Reporting from Mexico City -- Already-scarce water gets even scarcer this weekend for millions of Mexicans', in the LA Times, January 30, 2009 S)
Australia
Readers will recognise that Australia is in the same situation as Mexico, for the same reasons. Perhaps now the "New Class" that has shushed protests about our water and soil security with silly accusations of 'Racism' and equally irresponsible accusations sof "pessimism" will realise that they too are responsible.
Don't let us forget the role of the ABC and the commercial press in silencing protest along the same lines, whilst pretending that scarcity was a reason to moralise to the poor and to throw money at corporations promising technical fixes. Most of these big concerns leave a trail all the way back to the interest they had in the sub-prime and earlier land speculation bubbles.
An easy and informative read on this is:Submission to Victorian Government Housing Affordability Inquiry, Oct 2003 : Land and Housing Prices and Land-use Planning and Housing Systems in Australia and Elsewhere and the Impact of Globalisation, the Internet, trends in Natural Increase, Households and Immigration
Most amazing, all the State governments and the Federal Government in Australia are STILL trying to help the growth lobby get away with the money and persist with their unsustainable shennanigans. For recent articles about this click here.
We really are going the way of Easter Island.
Australian leaders must answer to Australian citizens for their unspeakable acquiesence to the growth lobby
Recent and current premiers and prime ministers of Australia should be publicly tried for their part in this life-threatening situation. We should be looking at the encouragement politicians gave to the industries and corporations of the Growth Lobby, especially at changes made to laws affecting democratic ability at local and state level to block land-use intensification and population growth. States which have instituted policies (visible in their websites) to encourage people to come and live here when they were also advising their own populations that water was at a crisis level, have left a clear trail of responsibility.
Queenslanders should note that there IS one candidate running against the growth lobby - James Sinnamon - in this state election.
Comments
Vivienne (not verified)
Sat, 2009-03-14 10:07
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Growth is about serving businesses and investors
Growth is about serving the business class, and being accountable to investors. Policies are being made to gain their support, at all expense. "Sustainable" is just a green-washing term, and is being used to justify growth that is contrary to any "sustainability" principles. Population growth implies economic growth, and a continuing demand for goods and services. "Skills shortages" and an "ageing population" are smoke-screens! We could easily make more TAFE and university courses, but they are being taken up by foreign students, many of whom plan to stay here! As for the "ageing population", it is very hard for "older" people (over 40) to get jobs due to ageism!
The Western district in Victoria is turning into a dust bowl, a desert! No growth is sustainable! The canaries in the mine are dying and dead, as shown by our wildlife eliminations! So much for what was once the "Garden State". It will become like Dubai, with desalination plants along the coast, and imported food.
Anonymous (not verified)
Sat, 2009-03-14 17:24
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The "New Class" and water and soil
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