A few months back, the New York Times Magazine ran an article entitled, ”The Future is Drying Up” documenting the growing crisis over water in the western part of America. For the most part, it was a thoughtful and sobering look at a situation that desparately cries out for action. It is hard to argue with the fact that the region’s surging population is putting an enormous amount of pressure on the area’s dwindling water supply. The picture above of Lake Powell, alone, is quite telling.
Nevertheless, the article has a major fault: it barely touches on technology’s ability to help address—and potentially alleviate—this problem. Now, I’m not suggesting that people in the region should count on a quick, technological fix to their situation; but, at the same time, I believe it is silly to not acknowledge how various emerging technologies might help resolve this problem. More specifically, I take offense with the author’s suggestion that to even look at technological solution is, and I quote, “almost certainly the wrong way to think about the situation.”
To my way of thinking this is yet another example of linear thinking — or what I describe as a view of the world that is almost incapable of understanding how emerging technologies might radically reshape the environment around us.
For example, new advances in sensor technology will help people better monitor their water usage. These same sensors can be used to more accurately price water. If people know both how much water they are using and how much it costs, my prediction is that water usage will decrease.
Secondly, because agriculture is the biggest source of water consumption, I find it troubling that the author didn’t at least acknowledge how new advances in genetically modified corn and wheat might lead to new strains of crops that need little water.
Third, new advances in wind and solar power might drive down the cost of powering desalination plants to the point where some water can be economically shipped from the Pacific Ocean to Arizona and Colorado. Related to this point, new advances in nanotechnology might also improve filtering technology. Again, such advances might make desalination a more viable solution.
Finally, new advances in nanomaterials could lead to some very innovative applications in how people get there water in the future. For instance, this piece explains how researchers are studying how the African beetle can collect water droplets from the air. The implication is that large swaths of the material (which would mimics the beetle’s wing) might capture enough water everynight to fill a bath tub or wash a load of clothes.
Again, I want to make it clear that I am not advocating people take no action to address this serious problem, my point is that when assessing any situation it is important to view the world not just as it is today, but as it will be in 10, 25 and 50 years.
Jack Uldrich is a writer, futurist, public speaker and host of jumpthecurve.net. He is the author of seven books, including Jump the Curve and The Next Big Thing is Really Small: How Nanotechnology Will Change the Future of Your Business. He is also a frequent speaker on future trends, innovation, change management and executive leadership to a variety of businesses, industries and non-profit organizations and associations.
