Solving the Water Problem | Breakthrough

our lifestyles are very thirsty and it’s

our lifestyles are very thirsty and it’s not just the water that comes out of the

not just the water that comes out of the

not just the water that comes out of the tap at home you know if we think about

tap at home you know if we think about

tap at home you know if we think about our daily lifestyle everything we use

our daily lifestyle everything we use

our daily lifestyle everything we use and where and buy and eat takes water to

and where and buy and eat takes water to

and where and buy and eat takes water to make and sometimes really a surprising

make and sometimes really a surprising

make and sometimes really a surprising amount it can be 30 gallons of water

amount it can be 30 gallons of water

amount it can be 30 gallons of water just to make a glass of wine energy is

just to make a glass of wine energy is

just to make a glass of wine energy is another really water intensive thing you

another really water intensive thing you

another really water intensive thing you know it takes about 13 gallons of water

know it takes about 13 gallons of water

know it takes about 13 gallons of water to make one gallon of fuel to the extent

to make one gallon of fuel to the extent

to make one gallon of fuel to the extent we can walk carpool bike those are

we can walk carpool bike those are

we can walk carpool bike those are saving energy but also saving water do

saving energy but also saving water do

saving energy but also saving water do we have to have brand new clothes can we

we have to have brand new clothes can we

we have to have brand new clothes can we share can we recycle every time we get

share can we recycle every time we get

share can we recycle every time we get something from a thrift store we’ve got

something from a thrift store we’ve got

something from a thrift store we’ve got something new but it’s not taking

something new but it’s not taking

something new but it’s not taking additional water to make it new so

additional water to make it new so

additional water to make it new so there’s a lot of opportunity to actually

there’s a lot of opportunity to actually

there’s a lot of opportunity to actually be part of the solution most of our

be part of the solution most of our

be part of the solution most of our water use and water management has been

water use and water management has been

water use and water management has been around controlling water with dams and

around controlling water with dams and

around controlling water with dams and diversions to supply water when and

diversions to supply water when and

diversions to supply water when and where we need it and that’s allowed

where we need it and that’s allowed

where we need it and that’s allowed places like the western United States to

places like the western United States to

places like the western United States to really grow and flourish and expand and

really grow and flourish and expand and

really grow and flourish and expand and become major food producing areas for

become major food producing areas for

become major food producing areas for the whole nation and parts of the world

the whole nation and parts of the world

the whole nation and parts of the world what we haven’t done is really bring

what we haven’t done is really bring

what we haven’t done is really bring nature to the table we haven’t really

nature to the table we haven’t really

nature to the table we haven’t really decided that ecosystems themselves

decided that ecosystems themselves

decided that ecosystems themselves deliver a lot of benefits to us which

deliver a lot of benefits to us which

deliver a lot of benefits to us which they do in the form of purifying water

they do in the form of purifying water

they do in the form of purifying water you know fish and biodiversity habitats

you know fish and biodiversity habitats

you know fish and biodiversity habitats clean drinking water and so I think

clean drinking water and so I think

clean drinking water and so I think governments and industries that are

governments and industries that are

governments and industries that are figuring out how water is allocated and

figuring out how water is allocated and

figuring out how water is allocated and used can begin to bring that important

used can begin to bring that important

used can begin to bring that important piece of nature into the picture and

piece of nature into the picture and

piece of nature into the picture and policies can help do that markets can

policies can help do that markets can

policies can help do that markets can help do that in some ways I think the

help do that in some ways I think the

help do that in some ways I think the new frontier of water management is

new frontier of water management is

new frontier of water management is going to be bringing together efficiency

going to be bringing together efficiency

going to be bringing together efficiency technologies like drip irrigation which

technologies like drip irrigation which

technologies like drip irrigation which is used in agriculture with information

is used in agriculture with information

is used in agriculture with information technologies that allows us to know how

technologies that allows us to know how

technologies that allows us to know how much water is really in the soil right

much water is really in the soil right

much water is really in the soil right now how much water do those crops really

now how much water do those crops really

now how much water do those crops really need so that we can target delivering

need so that we can target delivering

need so that we can target delivering just the right amount of water when

just the right amount of water when

just the right amount of water when crops need it to make sure that they get

crops need it to make sure that they get

crops need it to make sure that they get what they need but not necessarily more

what they need but not necessarily more

what they need but not necessarily more than they need right now agriculture

than they need right now agriculture

than they need right now agriculture consumes about 80 percent of all the

consumes about 80 percent of all the

consumes about 80 percent of all the water that’s used in the West and so if

water that’s used in the West and so if

water that’s used in the West and so if we can get more efficient and more

we can get more efficient and more

we can get more efficient and more targeted about delivering that water we

targeted about delivering that water we

targeted about delivering that water we can free up water for the natural

can free up water for the natural

can free up water for the natural environment