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Crown Prince Willem-Alexander (of the Netherlands) has warned, during the World Water Week in Stockholm, about using large quantities of water to produce biofuels, because there may be too little water left over to cultivate crops for the growing world population, according to SenterNovem.
You can see a report on the meeting from AP here.
Hear hear, your Majesty, hear hear
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Comments (4)
Haven't I (and you Simon) - been saying about the water issue being a potential problem... and that governments (especially in this current/future climate - excuse the pun) need to start thinking national/international in terms of their water/energy infrastructure...........
(Look at what's happened in southern Europe this summer - and the opposite extreme in the UK....)
The same goes for effluent in the biofuels processing and the biofuels industry.
We need to close the box / create more of a closed loop!
Posted by Mark C R UK | August 21, 2007 1:22 PM
Posted on August 21, 2007 13:22
Who gets first rights on scarce water: People or crops? That question could become much more important in the future.
Posted by Biofuelsimon | August 21, 2007 3:05 PM
Posted on August 21, 2007 15:05
Not just that - where's all the waste effluent going to go from industry?
Water utilities are going to have to (partner up or) gear up for water effluent treatment on a grand scale. To regulate the COD / BOD demands managed by the EPA/Environment Agency/etc.....
The old idea of "dilution is the solution" was short termism. Water becomes an even greater issue as our "mass intensity" (use of it) keeps increasing year on year.
Dilution is certainly not the solution prevention is better through intelligent design/simplification. The "polluter pays principle" will come back and hurt the bottom lines of anyone who deviates from that idea in future.
We're going to see ever increasing integration of industries as a general theme - if they want to establish sustainable supply chains...
Posted by Mark C R UK | August 22, 2007 11:24 AM
Posted on August 22, 2007 11:24
Those of us who are lucky to have clean water will have to find uses for grey water. Dilution is not the solution, you are quite right.
Posted by Biofuelsimon | August 23, 2007 3:50 PM
Posted on August 23, 2007 15:50