Water shapes every aspect of our lives, but how many of us know where our water comes from or who decides how it's distributed? In his new book, Chasing Water, Brian Richter argues that our water shortages can best be addressed by teaching people how water supply works and giving them a seat at the table in deciding how it is allocated. Richter shows why, just like our bank accounts, the water accounts of individual rivers and aquifers are shaped by deposits and withdrawals.
Lester Brown of The Observer and Preside of the Earth Policy Institute explores the future of agriculture as our dependence on water hits its peak.
Peak oil has generated headlines in recent years, but the real threat to our future is peak water. There are substitutes for oil, but not for water. We can produce food without oil, but not without water.