www.foecanada.org water soft paths: ecological and economic security for canadians david b. brooks...
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www.foecanada.orgwww.foecanada.org
WATER SOFT PATHS:ECOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC
SECURITY FOR CANADIANS
David B. Brooks
Senior Advisor – Fresh Water
Friends of the Earth Canada
www.foecanada.orgwww.foecanada.org
Hard Paths vs. Soft Paths• Large, centralized
sources of supply• Demand is macro
function of growth• Waste moved to
central plant• Waste treated
chemically
• Small, distributed sources of supply
• Demand built-up from end-uses
• Waste kept nearby or on-site
• Waste treated with bio-mimicry
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Three Aspects
1. Vision: Future lies with less demand, not more supply
2. Analysis: To test feasibility of getting to that Future
3. Tools: To bring about the transition from the present
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Four Distinguishing Principles
• Treat water as a service, not an end
• Make ecological security an absolute criterion
• Match quality of water delivered to that required by end use
• Plan backward - from future to present
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www.foecanada.orgwww.foecanada.org
Typical Soft Path Policies• Same Tasks Done Differently
– Ultra-low flow sanitary systems– Rain-fed Agriculture & Supplemental Irrigation
• Change Infrastructure– Use of grey water– Local use of storm water
• Reduce Institutional Barriers• Revise Economic Development Models
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Selected Results• Nova Scotia could cut water use by over 50%• Ontario could absorb heavy industrial growth
with no new water through at least 2031• Urban water use can drop by 45% despite
50% growth in population• Fully recycling Pulp & Paper Mills in Ontario
cut water use by 95%• Dietary changes cut water use by 1/3 to 1/2
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Sustainable development depends not only on sustainable
production, but also on sustainable
consumption
Water Soft Paths chart the course to sustainable
consumption of water
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