Not to be picky, but in the US anyway, coal fired electricity is what kept our "drinking" water systems full. Municipal water systems will depend on petroleum fired backup generators and engines to flush our toilets, water our lawns, wash our clothes and dishes, fill our automatic ice makers, put out our fires, and keep water thirsty industry running around the clock. The "efficient" electric motor is what keeps the whole scheme working. And to be fair, these days lots of the coal has been replaced by natural gas, so maybe in the end petroleum should get the credit for the water pressure. Beside cheap energy, growth is the other requirement needed to fund the operation and maintenance costs of these extremely complicated machines. For with out growth, the cost of operating, maintaining, and replacing these complicated systems becomes impossible to keep up in small towns where the booms have past, and the bust's determine who gets to water their lawn. And as Walter pointed out, we wealthy folk now pay good money to go to the fitness center and run around a track to keep from becoming obese. And most of the water that comes out of our faucets gets dumped into the parallel waste-water treatment system designed to carry away the luxurious water we dump from these overpriced hearts of our Cities. It might also be worth looking in to who actually benefits from these good things and who pays the real costs? A number of years ago I spent some time touring drinking water systems in Rwanda, where in the places where folks can't afford the cost of the pumps, and pipes, and power, people did still carry their drinking water, and it seemed like they wouldn't dare waste it the way we do. We also don't pay much attention to the environmental and human costs that come from the mines needed to produce all the pipes, valves, motors, tanks, computers, energy, and treatment systems needed to keep the whole contraption flowing, a key factor in making sure those things aren't built in our backyards. Oh well, in the US anyway, the days of the miracle of unlimited fresh water seemingly free for the taking may still be flowing in the wealthy boom towns, but the bust is creeping across our overly developed Country already, and the days of cheap and clean water are indeed coming to an end already, depending on where you live.
Good point. I was being a little parochial. I was thinking of Italy and southern Europe in general. Here, widespread electricity didn't arrive before the 1930s, and it became common only in the 1950s. Mostly, it was powered by engines running on diesel fuel. Coal had only a limited importance in the Mediterranean area. So, there are still people around who remember having carried the "mezzine" from the well to the home -- especially in Southern Italy.
These days feeling a need to tone down my criticisms and maybe keep the focus more on the root causes of the state of our States. My take away from being a former civil engineer is that much of our infrastructure is over kill for what we need and the over kill is killing us and the planet so a few can profit, by design. I find the painting of the two young ladies carrying water with the simple system something I wouldn't mind doing. It would be a great way to get some exercise and a get enough water to drink and wash up for the day, assuming the distance to get the water wasn't too far. Of course I have the luxury and free time and need of exercise that allows me to think that. I think as you suggest, that finding much simpler solutions is definitely something we need to pursue if there will be a transition to a simpler life. Anyway, I guess that is where the sorry comes from if that makes any sense and I'll stop rambling on and on. Be well!
People go to the gym and do "farmer carries" with kettlebells now. Carrying your own or your family's water is not a bad thing. The forced slavery is the bad thing.
Not to be picky, but in the US anyway, coal fired electricity is what kept our "drinking" water systems full. Municipal water systems will depend on petroleum fired backup generators and engines to flush our toilets, water our lawns, wash our clothes and dishes, fill our automatic ice makers, put out our fires, and keep water thirsty industry running around the clock. The "efficient" electric motor is what keeps the whole scheme working. And to be fair, these days lots of the coal has been replaced by natural gas, so maybe in the end petroleum should get the credit for the water pressure. Beside cheap energy, growth is the other requirement needed to fund the operation and maintenance costs of these extremely complicated machines. For with out growth, the cost of operating, maintaining, and replacing these complicated systems becomes impossible to keep up in small towns where the booms have past, and the bust's determine who gets to water their lawn. And as Walter pointed out, we wealthy folk now pay good money to go to the fitness center and run around a track to keep from becoming obese. And most of the water that comes out of our faucets gets dumped into the parallel waste-water treatment system designed to carry away the luxurious water we dump from these overpriced hearts of our Cities. It might also be worth looking in to who actually benefits from these good things and who pays the real costs? A number of years ago I spent some time touring drinking water systems in Rwanda, where in the places where folks can't afford the cost of the pumps, and pipes, and power, people did still carry their drinking water, and it seemed like they wouldn't dare waste it the way we do. We also don't pay much attention to the environmental and human costs that come from the mines needed to produce all the pipes, valves, motors, tanks, computers, energy, and treatment systems needed to keep the whole contraption flowing, a key factor in making sure those things aren't built in our backyards. Oh well, in the US anyway, the days of the miracle of unlimited fresh water seemingly free for the taking may still be flowing in the wealthy boom towns, but the bust is creeping across our overly developed Country already, and the days of cheap and clean water are indeed coming to an end already, depending on where you live.
Good point. I was being a little parochial. I was thinking of Italy and southern Europe in general. Here, widespread electricity didn't arrive before the 1930s, and it became common only in the 1950s. Mostly, it was powered by engines running on diesel fuel. Coal had only a limited importance in the Mediterranean area. So, there are still people around who remember having carried the "mezzine" from the well to the home -- especially in Southern Italy.
Sorry, I need to expand my knowledge of things beyond the USA, and think more globally.
Why sorry? We all keep learning things!
These days feeling a need to tone down my criticisms and maybe keep the focus more on the root causes of the state of our States. My take away from being a former civil engineer is that much of our infrastructure is over kill for what we need and the over kill is killing us and the planet so a few can profit, by design. I find the painting of the two young ladies carrying water with the simple system something I wouldn't mind doing. It would be a great way to get some exercise and a get enough water to drink and wash up for the day, assuming the distance to get the water wasn't too far. Of course I have the luxury and free time and need of exercise that allows me to think that. I think as you suggest, that finding much simpler solutions is definitely something we need to pursue if there will be a transition to a simpler life. Anyway, I guess that is where the sorry comes from if that makes any sense and I'll stop rambling on and on. Be well!
People go to the gym and do "farmer carries" with kettlebells now. Carrying your own or your family's water is not a bad thing. The forced slavery is the bad thing.
Have you ever seen a homeless encampment?
Those people live in the petroleum age.
They don't look that comfy to me.
Perhaps the effort those women are expanding was in fact more pleasant than today's poor experience.