2002-10-24_AgendaPacket - Laserfiche WebLink

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V r By Peter H. Gleick ,~''- '~ , ~~- 1 ~r- ~, P ~ ~; t ~ ~ ~ y t-': ~~ ~\ ~~ , ___ ~1 he history of human civilization is entwined with the history of the ways we have learned to manipulate water resources. The earliest agricultural communities emerged where crops could be cultivated with dependable rainfall and perennial rivers. Simple irrigation canals permitted greater crop production and longer growing seasons in dry areas. As towns gradually expanded, water was brought from increasingly remote sources, leading to sophisticated engineering efforts, such as dams and aqueducts. At the height of the Roman Empire, nine major systems, with an innovative layout of pipes and well-built sewers, supplied the occupants of Rome with as much water per person as is provided in many parts of the industrial world today. During the Industrial Revolution and population explosion of the 19th and 20th centuries, the demand for water rose dramatically. Unprecedented construction of tens of thousands of monumental engineering projects designed to control floods, protect clean water supplies, and provide water for irrigation and hydropower brought great benefits to hundreds of millions of people. Vast cities, incapable of surviving on their local resources, have bloomed. in the desert with water brought from hundreds and even thousands of miles away. Food production has kept pace with soaring populations mainly because of the expansion of artificial irrigation systems that make possible the growth of 40 percent of the world's food. Nearly one- fifth of all the electricity generated worldwide is produced by turbines spun by the power of falling water. ttilake Every Drop continued on page 3 FreshwaterSociety's The Executive Director's ~~ Weatherguide Calendars Perspective ...........:...... 2 he Calendar Marketing Association has awarded the 2002 Minnesota Water-tiVise Gardening • • •~ Weatherguide Environment Calendar and the 2002 Minnesota Weatherguide Environment Freshwater Society's Earth Day Engagement Calendar two awards. Events .......................4 Winning silver in the best educational re- ~' tail calendar category, ~ ~ .Bringing Back The Natives .....5 the wall calendar is recognized for its com- ~~~~ ~~ Dick Gray's Passwor~Is ........ 6 bination of beautiful r ~ 'natural photographs, ~`~ ~ ~ -_ '~ , FreshwaterMessage .. ..7 phenological observa- tions, astronomical ~_ ~> Membership Form............ 7 charts, and long-term climatic and meteorological data. The engagement calendar won silver in the best graphic design Win Awards division. This calendar combines the beauty and practicality of the wall calendar in aweekly-planner format. Minnesota Weatherguide Environment calendars have been published by the Freshwater Society since 1977 and support 1 vx .~ E ; ~ the Society's environmental education mission. They are x ~ second-time Calendar `~ ~ Marketing Award winners, } "~; securing gold and silver awards - ~ "~~~ ~ ~ for the 2001 editions. ~f~: For more information or to purchase the Weatherguide calendars, please visit www.weatherguide.org or call the Freshwater Society.