Thursday, July 7, 2011
Dry Run: Preventing the Next Urban Water Crisis by Jerry Yudelson
Dry Run
Preventing the Next Urban Water Crisis
By: Jerry Yudelson
Published: July 1, 2010
Format: Paperback, 304 pages
ISBN-10: 0865716706
ISBN-13: 978-0865716704
Publisher: New Society Publishers
"Even though endlessly renewable, water supplies are inherently finite in the short term. One way to understand this is to realize that no freshwater supply has been created since the beginning of recorded time", writes authority on green building, clean water, sustainable development, professional engineer, and leader of Yudelson Associates, Jerry Yudelson, in his eye opening and practical solutions oriented book Dry Run: Preventing the Next Urban Water Crisis. The author describes the very real challenge of an urban water shortage, the evolving social and planning conditions that can create change, and presents real world solutions to ensure that people in urban areas can achieve net zero water usage now and in the future.
Jerry Yudelson understands the critical importance of fresh, clean water to people everywhere on Earth. The author focuses on the challenges posed to maintaining a sustainable supply of water to the world's urban centers. Jerry Yudelson emphasizes that the days of wasting fresh water are over, not only in the developing world, but in the developed countries as well. The author traces the decline and fall of many civilizations to the depletion of water resources, and points to the ongoing draining of freshwater supplies through reckless use patterns, global climate change, and urban planning mistakes. Fortunately, writes the author, there are many positive changes taking place as urban planners are transforming their city's water use patterns on both a macro and an individual level.
Jerry Yudelson (photo left) builds on these still new trends in urban water use planning, and provides viable and ready to apply ideas for creating what he describes as "net zero" water usage. The author describes the impending urban water crisis in three sections:
* The coming water crisis
* The colors of water
* Preventing the next urban water crisis
In each of the three areas, Jerry Yudelson covers different aspects of the water crisis, how it affects people, and the steps needed now and in the future to create a sustainable freshwater resource. The author demonstrates how the current patterns of water use are evolving toward a more sustainable model, and how a combination of planning, technology, and individual initiative are working toward the net zero goal. The author provides a hopeful and positive outlook for meeting the challenges of water use through ten actionable steps to prevent further crises from occurring.
For me, the power of the book is how Jerry Yudelson combines a strong theoretical case for the necessity of preventing another urban water crisis, with readily applicable strategies for reducing water use and waste. The author covers all aspects of water use and conservation, on scales ranging from individual homes, to buildings and factories, to entire cities. Jerry Yudelson takes the less common approach to urban water use of separating the different colors of water, and how these often not potable water sources can be harvested and reused on various size scales. The author also covers sewage treatment, new water reuse, and new technologies for increasing overall urban water supply. Overall, the book is an idea filled treasure trove of water conservation strategies that can be applied at all levels of urban society.
I highly recommend the landmark and must read book Dry Run: Preventing the Next Urban Water Crisis by Jerry Yudelson, to anyone in government, business, urban planning, engineering, or anyone who is concerned about reducing and recycling urban water use on any scale. This book is an essential resource for any community leaders who are seeking to achieve net zero water use through realistic means.
Read the important and well researched book Dry Run: Preventing the Next Urban Water Crisis by Jerry Yudelson, and discover how a holistic approach to urban water use can prevent another water crisis. The strategies and techniques presented in this book can be put into immediate practice in homes, buildings, factories, and entire urban areas, leading to reaching the goal of net zero water use.
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