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> the existential problem of water scarcity Basically, everything is an energy problem. If we have cheap, clean, energy, we can solve a lot of our problems. F

> the existential problem of water scarcity Basically, everything is an energy problem. If we have cheap, clean, energy, we can solve a lot of our problems. For example, if we had nuclear powered desalination plants, we could have more than enough fresh water.

bell-cot 4y ago
Except that, in today's world, everything is basically a NIMBY problem...
- formerkrogemp 4y ago
  Except that, in today's America, everything is basically a NIMBY problem... Sorry, friend, but I just wanted to fix that for you.
nicoburns 4y ago
> Basically, everything is an energy problem Yes, and in the vast majority of cases the easiest way to solve an energy problem is to use less energy rather than produce more. This applies to water (where it's much easier to use it where it naturally rains), transportation, heating/cooling, etc, etc.
newaccount2021 4y ago
it would take twenty years to build enough power generation to satisfy desalination for the west....what do you plan on drinking in the meantime?
- s1artibartfast 4y ago
  A portion of River waters or Agricultural water would be more than enough
AA-BA-94-2A-56 4y ago
This isn't as simple as it sounds, the byproduct of desalination plants is brine. If dumped into the ocean, it can sink and cause ecological damage. I'd be for it, as long as they find a useful use for brine that doesn't involve dumping it back into the ocean.
- JetAlone 4y ago
  I'd rather have a "We need to do brine disposal labour" problem than a "We have nothing to irrigate/drink/wash with" problem.
- s1artibartfast 4y ago
  Yes, and if it comes to that point, I think people will simply choose to let some fish die before millions of humans die of thirst. We are still quite far from true existential threat if the worst case is some minor ecological damage.
- pasttense01 4y ago
  I was just reading about an alternative where for 2 gallons of ocean water you get one gallon of fresh water and one gallon with twice the concentration of ocean water--which you return to the ocean.

bell-cot 4y ago

Except that, in today's world, everything is basically a NIMBY problem...

formerkrogemp 4y ago
Except that, in today's America, everything is basically a NIMBY problem... Sorry, friend, but I just wanted to fix that for you.

nicoburns 4y ago

> Basically, everything is an energy problem Yes, and in the vast majority of cases the easiest way to solve an energy problem is to use less energy rather than produce more. This applies to water (where it's much easier to use it where it naturally rains), transportation, heating/cooling, etc, etc.

newaccount2021 4y ago

it would take twenty years to build enough power generation to satisfy desalination for the west....what do you plan on drinking in the meantime?

s1artibartfast 4y ago
A portion of River waters or Agricultural water would be more than enough

AA-BA-94-2A-56 4y ago

This isn't as simple as it sounds, the byproduct of desalination plants is brine. If dumped into the ocean, it can sink and cause ecological damage. I'd be for it, as long as they find a useful use for brine that doesn't involve dumping it back into the ocean.

JetAlone 4y ago
I'd rather have a "We need to do brine disposal labour" problem than a "We have nothing to irrigate/drink/wash with" problem.
s1artibartfast 4y ago
Yes, and if it comes to that point, I think people will simply choose to let some fish die before millions of humans die of thirst. We are still quite far from true existential threat if the worst case is some minor ecological damage.
pasttense01 4y ago
I was just reading about an alternative where for 2 gallons of ocean water you get one gallon of fresh water and one gallon with twice the concentration of ocean water--which you return to the ocean.