Comments on: An Interview With Fred Pearce http://calitreview.com/77 Book reviews, essays, and author interviews. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:50:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Lauradana http://calitreview.com/77/comment-page-1#comment-50008 Lauradana Sat, 02 May 2009 21:14:10 +0000 http://calitreview.com//interviews/an-interview-with-fred-pearce/#comment-50008 A great book and a must read not only for students but for everyone. I agree that references would have been really useful. Otherwise a life changing read. A great book and a must read not only for students but for everyone.

I agree that references would have been really useful.

Otherwise a life changing read.

]]> By: Neil Dignam http://calitreview.com/77/comment-page-1#comment-45732 Neil Dignam Thu, 26 Mar 2009 03:45:10 +0000 http://calitreview.com//interviews/an-interview-with-fred-pearce/#comment-45732 I have not read the book yet, however I am involved with the project management of large water projects. The money that is spent on the engineering design and ecology research that takes place before an actual piece of infrastructure is built, is astounding in Australia. Take the Traveston dam for instance, just to show how strict Australian controls over large projects are. Im unsure if elsewhere in the world applies such regulation to Dam/weir building, but im sure it helps the situation quite a bit. I believe that with a smarter approach to solving water demand issues we can lessen the negative impact on the environment. Things that can help substantially are: *Compulsory rain tanks (plumbed in) on all houses *water priced to cover large remediation projects *stricter controls over industry and households (water efficiency) *Smarter Grey Water usage from industry and households. *Storm water catchment in urban areas The list goes on. We have so much opportunity yet we do very little. This all takes action at a government level. I have not read the book yet, however I am involved with the project management of large water projects. The money that is spent on the engineering design and ecology research that takes place before an actual piece of infrastructure is built, is astounding in Australia. Take the Traveston dam for instance, just to show how strict Australian controls over large projects are. Im unsure if elsewhere in the world applies such regulation to Dam/weir building, but im sure it helps the situation quite a bit.
I believe that with a smarter approach to solving water demand issues we can lessen the negative impact on the environment. Things that can help substantially are:
*Compulsory rain tanks (plumbed in) on all houses
*water priced to cover large remediation projects
*stricter controls over industry and households (water efficiency)
*Smarter Grey Water usage from industry and households.
*Storm water catchment in urban areas
The list goes on.
We have so much opportunity yet we do very little. This all takes action at a government level.

]]> By: Paul Draper http://calitreview.com/77/comment-page-1#comment-33023 Paul Draper Mon, 13 Oct 2008 21:37:47 +0000 http://calitreview.com//interviews/an-interview-with-fred-pearce/#comment-33023 Yes, referneces would be greatly appreciated. Mr. Pearce did not "just know" that 4.1 billion acre-feet... By the way DAW, Fred Pearce is speaking at UF Oct. 13. Yes, referneces would be greatly appreciated. Mr. Pearce did not “just know” that 4.1 billion acre-feet…

By the way DAW, Fred Pearce is speaking at UF Oct. 13.

]]> By: D. Williams http://calitreview.com/77/comment-page-1#comment-27832 D. Williams Sun, 24 Aug 2008 00:57:48 +0000 http://calitreview.com//interviews/an-interview-with-fred-pearce/#comment-27832 Hello, I am an undergraduate student at the University of Florida. "When the Rivers Run Dry" is this year's mandatory reading material for all incoming freshman, part of the university's "Common Reading" program, and I've just finished reading the book. Many of the situations that the book present are unpleasantly enlightening. It is the kind of book that closes those fanciful dreams of a plentiful world and awakens one to a reality of unsustainability. To the average consumer, when he turns on the faucet, water runs. And that water will keep running for him until he turns off that faucet. For many of us, this situation describes our lives from since we can remember, and this persistance provides us with a sense of stability. We quickly accept that we have water, and with little more thought, take up the belief that we will never be without water. And it is this average consumer, all (1 - 3?) billion of us living in developed countries with this conventional belief in the unlimited availability of water that, through our inactivity, spiral the world into hydrological chaos. I believe that one of Pearce's most realistic and potentially effective suggestions concerning the hydrology of the world is more realistic pricing of water. As we do live in a market economy, an increase in the price of water and the cancelling of subsidies to pay for water will do wonders in regulating water usage. DAW Hello, I am an undergraduate student at the University of Florida. “When the Rivers Run Dry” is this year’s mandatory reading material for all incoming freshman, part of the university’s “Common Reading” program, and I’ve just finished reading the book.

Many of the situations that the book present are unpleasantly enlightening. It is the kind of book that closes those fanciful dreams of a plentiful world and awakens one to a reality of unsustainability.

To the average consumer, when he turns on the faucet, water runs. And that water will keep running for him until he turns off that faucet. For many of us, this situation describes our lives from since we can remember, and this persistance provides us with a sense of stability. We quickly accept that we have water, and with little more thought, take up the belief that we will never be without water. And it is this average consumer, all (1 – 3?) billion of us living in developed countries with this conventional belief in the unlimited availability of water that, through our inactivity, spiral the world into hydrological chaos.

I believe that one of Pearce’s most realistic and potentially effective suggestions concerning the hydrology of the world is more realistic pricing of water. As we do live in a market economy, an increase in the price of water and the cancelling of subsidies to pay for water will do wonders in regulating water usage.

DAW

]]> By: A. Britton http://calitreview.com/77/comment-page-1#comment-23971 A. Britton Thu, 17 Jul 2008 05:54:39 +0000 http://calitreview.com//interviews/an-interview-with-fred-pearce/#comment-23971 Please can you advise me of the exact location of the levees that rise 70ft above the floodplain along the Yellow River / "Hanging River" I am a Geography teacher in the UK traveling to China later this month and I intend to visit several sites along the length of river for my teaching. AnthonyGBritton@Gmail.com In anticipation , Many thanks. Please can you advise me of the exact location of the levees that rise 70ft above the floodplain along the Yellow River / “Hanging River” I am a Geography teacher in the UK traveling to China later this month and I intend to visit several sites along the length of river for my teaching.

AnthonyGBritton@Gmail.com

In anticipation , Many thanks.

]]> By: W.A.Hundt http://calitreview.com/77/comment-page-1#comment-11597 W.A.Hundt Thu, 06 Mar 2008 04:58:25 +0000 http://calitreview.com//interviews/an-interview-with-fred-pearce/#comment-11597 To Erika If you have not noticed any changes in the Climate, I dont know where you live. For the last 15 years we are noticing changes every year. Here it should be cool about 24 Celsius with a south westerly wind coming from Antarctica, it will be 34 again today with no wind. Too long to explain all details, b ut we are beginning to suffer. To Rosemary Haskell As far as sources is concerned, I have no problem with this. I am the author of a technical book of 512 pages. I have only three references to other publications in my book. Another, smaller book on a similar topic has 1243 references in it. My own research is in the book, 400 photos of which are many high-speed pictures taken with equipment developed by me. My question was always, how much did the other author, who collected information only but never did research really know? My other point is, of all my knowledge, I could only really quote 5% of sources where it came from,for instance I could not quote a reference to where the workings of a transistor to be found, but I have designed lots of electronic circuits. And yes, in the 50's and 60's there was experimentation with silver nitrate rockets making rain. In South Africa, it was stopped by religious idiots who still believed the super-proton hippie in the clouds would not like rockets zipping past him. Regards from Namibia WAH To Erika

If you have not noticed any changes in the Climate, I dont know where you live. For the last 15 years we are noticing changes every year. Here it should be cool about 24 Celsius with a south westerly wind coming from Antarctica, it will be 34 again today with no wind. Too long to explain all details, b ut we are beginning to suffer.

To Rosemary Haskell

As far as sources is concerned, I have no problem with this. I am the author of a technical book of 512 pages. I have only three references to other publications in my book. Another, smaller book on a similar topic has 1243 references in it. My own research is in the book, 400 photos of which are many high-speed pictures taken with equipment developed by me.
My question was always, how much did the other author, who collected information only but never did research really know?

My other point is, of all my knowledge, I could only really quote 5% of sources where it came from,for instance I could not quote a reference to where the workings of a transistor to be found, but I have designed lots of electronic circuits.

And yes, in the 50’s and 60’s there was experimentation with silver nitrate rockets making rain. In South Africa, it was stopped by religious idiots who still believed the super-proton hippie in the clouds would not like rockets zipping past him.

Regards from Namibia

WAH

]]> By: Rosemary Haskell http://calitreview.com/77/comment-page-1#comment-10149 Rosemary Haskell Mon, 04 Feb 2008 20:41:54 +0000 http://calitreview.com//interviews/an-interview-with-fred-pearce/#comment-10149 Fred Pearce's book When the Rivers Run Dry is useful and illuminating. I plan to ask my undergraduate students to read it this semester. I wonder, however, why the version of the book I have (published by Beacon Press, 2006) has no list of sources, or commentary on where Mr. Pearce's information came from, and no bibliography. These omissions make the book less useful from the instructor's point of view, and somewhat less credible. For example, on p. 250, Mr. Pearce claims that the Lynmouth flood disaster (in England, in 1952), "may have [been] triggered" by "a secret military rainmaking experiment over southern England." This startling--and serious--- statement deserves and requires more documentary support, as do many other sections of the book. I realize that this is a journalist's book, a "popular" book; but some information on sources would make it even more useful and impressive. Rosemary Haskell Elon University North Carolina, USA Fred Pearce’s book When the Rivers Run Dry is useful and illuminating. I plan to ask my undergraduate students to read it this semester. I wonder, however, why the version of the book I have (published by Beacon Press, 2006) has no list of sources, or commentary on where Mr. Pearce’s information came from, and no bibliography. These omissions make the book less useful from the instructor’s point of view, and somewhat less credible.

For example, on p. 250, Mr. Pearce claims that the Lynmouth flood disaster (in England, in 1952), “may have [been] triggered” by “a secret military rainmaking experiment over southern England.” This startling–and serious— statement deserves and requires more documentary support, as do many other sections of the book.

I realize that this is a journalist’s book, a “popular” book; but some information on sources would make it even more useful and impressive.

Rosemary Haskell
Elon University
North Carolina, USA

]]> By: Janine Somma http://calitreview.com/77/comment-page-1#comment-6194 Janine Somma Wed, 24 Oct 2007 10:27:39 +0000 http://calitreview.com//interviews/an-interview-with-fred-pearce/#comment-6194 Monsieur Pearce Je suis passionnée par votre livre. Toutefois je me promène à l'aide de Google Earth sur les sites que vous décrivez et je constate qu'il y a des informations qui ne collent pas. Un exemple: vous dites que le barrage de St Etienne du Vigan a été détruit, or il n'en est rien. Le barrage existe bel et bien (sur GE comme sur Géoportail). Il y a d'autres sites qui contredisent vos écrits également. Pouvez-vous m'expliquer comment cela se fait. Merci Monsieur Pearce
Je suis passionnée par votre livre. Toutefois je me promène à l’aide de Google Earth sur les sites que vous décrivez et je constate qu’il y a des informations qui ne collent pas. Un exemple: vous dites que le barrage de St Etienne du Vigan a été détruit, or il n’en est rien. Le barrage existe bel et bien (sur GE comme sur Géoportail).
Il y a d’autres sites qui contredisent vos écrits également.
Pouvez-vous m’expliquer comment cela se fait.

Merci

]]> By: Alison Walker http://calitreview.com/77/comment-page-1#comment-4577 Alison Walker Mon, 17 Sep 2007 16:45:38 +0000 http://calitreview.com//interviews/an-interview-with-fred-pearce/#comment-4577 I just finished reading this book, and I found it to be a really enjoyable read while also being very informative and eye-opening. As for the global warming comment, I thought one of the most interesting points in the book was that when jungle areas are flooded for hydroelectric dams, the rotting wood in the forests have actually been found to release so much methane gas that they end up actually contributing more greenhouse gases than a coal plant would have. So hydroelectric dams do not always provide us with the perfectly clean energy we had hoped for. I just finished reading this book, and I found it to be a really enjoyable read while also being very informative and eye-opening. As for the global warming comment, I thought one of the most interesting points in the book was that when jungle areas are flooded for hydroelectric dams, the rotting wood in the forests have actually been found to release so much methane gas that they end up actually contributing more greenhouse gases than a coal plant would have. So hydroelectric dams do not always provide us with the perfectly clean energy we had hoped for.

]]> By: Derek E.Jebson http://calitreview.com/77/comment-page-1#comment-599 Derek E.Jebson Mon, 28 May 2007 19:51:13 +0000 http://calitreview.com//interviews/an-interview-with-fred-pearce/#comment-599 On the previous comment. As I see the situation it is not so much the effect of global warming that will prove to be cataclysmic for it is beyond mans capability to do anything about this that will be of real value. Climatic change will happen naturally and the input of man has yet to be proved as a major factor. Can we in the West really have any influence over the developing countries in the East that will in the next few decades by far exceed that which we in the West curtail at tremendous cost by way of greenhous gasses? Mr Pearce is right in pointing out to us that it is the way in which we utilise the water resource that is causing disastrous consequences to tens of thousands of hectares of land worldwide. Some of this will no doubt be attributed erronenously by some to global warming. Especially when some areas are flooded with terrible consequences not because of abnormal rainfall but because of mans interference with some of the major and natural river systems of the world. On the previous comment. As I see the situation it is not so much the effect of global warming that will prove to be cataclysmic for it is
beyond mans capability to do anything about this that will be of real value. Climatic change will happen naturally and the input of
man has yet to be proved as a major factor. Can we in the West really have any influence over the developing countries in the East that will in the next few decades by far exceed that which we in the West curtail at tremendous cost by way of greenhous gasses? Mr Pearce is right in pointing out to us that it is the way in which we utilise the water resource that is causing disastrous consequences to tens of thousands of hectares of land worldwide. Some of this will no doubt be attributed erronenously by some to global warming. Especially when some areas are flooded with terrible consequences not because of abnormal rainfall but because of mans interference with some of the major and natural river systems of the world.

]]> By: Erika http://calitreview.com/77/comment-page-1#comment-598 Erika Mon, 28 May 2007 19:50:35 +0000 http://calitreview.com//interviews/an-interview-with-fred-pearce/#comment-598 I enjoyed reading about the topics of concern but would like to know more about global warming. I understand that it effects our water ways and is a major problem, but what else does global warming effect? What are all of the consequences of not taking care of our earth and trying to contain green house gases to prevent global wamring? How do we know that global warming is actually happening? Thanks for the good reading. I enjoyed reading about the topics of concern but would like to know more about global warming. I understand that it effects our water ways and is a major problem, but what else does global warming effect? What are all of the consequences of not taking care of our earth and trying to contain green house gases to prevent global wamring? How do we know that global warming is actually happening? Thanks for the good reading.

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