Social Studies

Article explores whether we will have enough water to sustain an ever-growing population on earth.

Barbara Kingsolver, “Water Is Life,” in National Geographic (April 2010), http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/04/water-is-life/kingsolver-text.

CNN Video about tapwater.

CNN, “New York Bottled Water Ban,” Riverkeeper (video), September 2, 2009. Accessed August 14, 2013, http://www.riverkeeper.org/campaigns/tapwater/.

National Geographic, “Why Care about Water?” National Geographic (video), n.d. Accessed August 14, 2013.
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/environment/freshwater/env-fre....

Water speaker and The Big Thirst author Charles Fishman outlines how almost everything that's important in the world relies on water, and water issues will quickly find a place atop the list of priorities for the young people of today.

The Lavin Agency, “Charles Fishman: Why College Students Should Start Paying Attention to Water,” YouTube (video), February 25, 2013. Accessed August 14, 2013.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XM7S0_Qi3B4.

From ancient civilizations to current day metropolitan cities, all societies have been shaped by the struggle to control water. The future of humankind will be shaped by the element of water and this struggle for control will establish the balance between peace and war, profoundly influencing relations between countries and continents. Climate change will also greatly affect water resources in the future. In the next decades huge water projects will radically change the face of the Earth.

Water runs our world. From creating soup and computer servers, to driving hurricanes and erosion, to maintaining the human body temperature at a precise 37 degrees Celsius. Author Charles Fishman says we take water completely for granted. He joins Steve Paikin to discuss his book, "The Big Thirst", and how we are leaving the "golden age" of thoughtlessly abundant, cheap and safe water behind.