LETTER: How much will water cost in the future?

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How much will it cost for water in 38 years?

To the Editor:

So the Corp. of Engineers wants to charge money for water ...

“Extrapolate”: To estimate by hypothesizing based on known facts of observations.

A. Last December, did you take note that the Earth’s human population had grown from 6 to 7 billion in just 18 years?

B. Earth’s glaciers are melting away because of global warming. How do those wacky scientists know this? Sometimes it’s simple.

They stand at the bottom of the glacier and observe “Well, 10 years ago the bottom of the glacier was down there, and 20 years ago, the bottom was further down there!”

And, then they use laser surveying and global positioning satellites and regular observation satellites and computers and super computers and research the climate records from the last century and retest those old ice core samples as modern technology advances.

Then, extrapolating, based on the evidence, the research, observations, experimentation and record-keeping, they’ve concluded that by the middle of this century, the glaciers will mostly be gone.

The problem? Today, 1.5 billion people are getting their fresh water from glacial runoff.

The next time you hear disparaging comments about Al Gore, just because he’s a capitalist and is using his brain and knowledge and foresight to make a living, ignore them and use the time to ponder this question: 38 years from now, where is mankind going to find the fresh water for another 3 billion people?

Tags: climate change, opinion, letters