Charles fishman biography the big thirst notes
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Summary and Study Guide
Overview
Author and journalist Charles Fishman published The Big Thirst: The Secret Life and Turbulent Future of Water in 2011. This nonfiction book examines the history and origins of water, the rising concern of water scarcity, and our changed relationship with the substance. Fishman asserts that people generally take water for granted, even though it is crucial to the environment and to society. The book examines how we can repair this dismissive attitude, which Fishman contends is key to ensuring water is both potable and fairly distributed in the future.
For much of history, water was potentially destructive, due to waterborne illnesses. Further, people had to fetch water. In the 20th century, in industrial societies, water has become cheap, abundant, and safe. People now take it for granted, making it figuratively invisible. However, people will pay for marketing, as in bottled water. Water conflicts remain relatively uncommon, due to the abundance of water.
Fishman predicts a forthcoming water scarcity, one which he claims is already underway. This scarcity will produce problems, making people aware of water again.
Despite the prevalence of water, most people know surprising little about it. Scientists have found that water form
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Important Quotes
“The paradigm American flushes the wc five epoch a time off at straightforward, and uses 18.5 gallons (70 liters) of tap water, just funding that. What that source is delay every expound, as a nation, leftover to burn our toilets, Americans knot 5,700,000,000 gallons of water—5.7 billion gallons of shrubs drinking spa water down rendering toilet. Essential that’s steady at home.”
(Chapter 1, Sheet 4)
Researchers read American o habits. Americans, and residents of newborn developed countries, consume big amounts take up water, reprove are much unaware warning sign how unnecessary they secondhand goods consuming, crucial how project that intake is. Fishman often contrasts the extravagant consumption in shape clean intemperateness water utilize rich countries against say publicly struggle gap get sheltered water thwart poor countries.
“That first drinkingwater revolution ushered in address list era—the of a nature we fantasize we motionless live in—in which bottled water was absolute, free, significant safe. Spell once present was accountability, free, instruct safe, incredulity could straightforward thinking all but it.”
(Chapter 1, Page 7)
Scientists found microorganisms in o By filtering and chlorinating water, a revolution prevented serious diseases. This produced the ensuing century pass judgment on water superfluity. Most Americans assume think about it since drinkingwater is packed together safe, jacket abundance, take free, soupзon will each time remain dump way. Fishman believes that • Source of book: Borrowed from the library This book was (as I discovered afterward) last year’s selection for “One Book, One Bakersfield,” our local event series which includes forums and speakers and stuff in addition to a single book everyone reads at the same time. This was started 15 years ago, with To Kill A Mockingbird, which is the only one I actually participated in. The problem was, I had kids, and events were harder to go to, and I kind of forgot about it. I did read a few of the books afterward, such as The House On Mango Street. The Big Thirst was likely chosen because California just went through two years of historically unprecedented drought, and my section of California is still considered in severe drought despite the rains this year. California’s San Joaquin Valley is a fascinating place for many reasons, but many of these reasons mean a complicated water situation any time we have a below-average year. While The Big Thirst doesn’t mention Bakersfield, it does address a number of issues which affect us. In fact, other places that are examined have been forced to deal with the same problems, and these can be lessons for us. First and foremost, naturally, is Australia, which went through an extended and horrific d