Comments on: The folly of envying excess in times of scarcity http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2008/05/08/phoenix-water-excess/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:39:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Business travel and some most welcome guests | Cyde Weys Musings http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2008/05/08/phoenix-water-excess/comment-page-1/#comment-27273 Business travel and some most welcome guests | Cyde Weys Musings Tue, 20 May 2008 06:04:41 +0000 http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/?p=777#comment-27273 [...] back in Phoenix again on business travel (see my previous musings on the topic), and hopefully I won’t get sick again this time. Naturally I was seated next to a guy who [...] [...] back in Phoenix again on business travel (see my previous musings on the topic), and hopefully I won’t get sick again this time. Naturally I was seated next to a guy who [...]

]]> By: drinian http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2008/05/08/phoenix-water-excess/comment-page-1/#comment-25727 drinian Sat, 10 May 2008 05:12:38 +0000 http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/?p=777#comment-25727 Also, building codes are virtually nonexistent out here; until recently, there were lots of houses being thrown up where you could just about punch your fist through the outside walls. Since it almost never rains, I've seen a lot of corners cut that lead to leaky roofs, too. But, what can I say? People think differently in the Southwest than back home. I think I really started to appreciate this when I took a road trip from Phoenix to San Diego, and drove through some of the massive RV cities that are out there in the middle of nowhere. Folks have different priorities in life, I guess. Also, building codes are virtually nonexistent out here; until recently, there were lots of houses being thrown up where you could just about punch your fist through the outside walls. Since it almost never rains, I’ve seen a lot of corners cut that lead to leaky roofs, too.

But, what can I say? People think differently in the Southwest than back home. I think I really started to appreciate this when I took a road trip from Phoenix to San Diego, and drove through some of the massive RV cities that are out there in the middle of nowhere. Folks have different priorities in life, I guess.

]]> By: drinian http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2008/05/08/phoenix-water-excess/comment-page-1/#comment-25724 drinian Sat, 10 May 2008 05:08:40 +0000 http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/?p=777#comment-25724 Actually, there is a <a href="http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20080221005237&newsLang=en" rel="nofollow">very large solar energy collector</a> being built just outside of Phoenix, and not a moment too soon. Having spent a bit of time in the city, though, I do think it'll be one of the first places (along with Vegas) to be abandoned if drought conditions ever hit crisis level. There is no natural reason for a large city like Phoenix to exist where it does -- no water, no mineral deposits or anything else, just cheap land and clear skies on most days. Maybe that's why the city government has been so spectacularly incompetent at providing any kind of public transportation infrastructure. Actually, there is a very large solar energy collector being built just outside of Phoenix, and not a moment too soon.

Having spent a bit of time in the city, though, I do think it’ll be one of the first places (along with Vegas) to be abandoned if drought conditions ever hit crisis level. There is no natural reason for a large city like Phoenix to exist where it does — no water, no mineral deposits or anything else, just cheap land and clear skies on most days. Maybe that’s why the city government has been so spectacularly incompetent at providing any kind of public transportation infrastructure.

]]> By: William http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2008/05/08/phoenix-water-excess/comment-page-1/#comment-25602 William Fri, 09 May 2008 15:37:17 +0000 http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/?p=777#comment-25602 As a kid who hated mowing the lawn, I wouldn't object to watering lawns with seawater. That said, I don't see how pumping the water <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=phoenix&ie=UTF8&ll=32.454156,-112.609863&spn=4.467704,10.26123&z=7&iwloc=addr" rel="nofollow">150 miles</a> to be distilled would help anybody. I agree with Cyde Weys on this one. Besides, cacti are cool. As a kid who hated mowing the lawn, I wouldn’t object to watering lawns with seawater.

That said, I don’t see how pumping the water 150 miles to be distilled would help anybody. I agree with Cyde Weys on this one. Besides, cacti are cool.

]]> By: Kelly Martin http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2008/05/08/phoenix-water-excess/comment-page-1/#comment-25437 Kelly Martin Fri, 09 May 2008 00:30:15 +0000 http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/?p=777#comment-25437 All they really need to do is build one of these <a href="http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/04/14/solar_electric_thermal/" rel="nofollow">solar energy collectors</a> and use it to distill seawater. Then they can have as much water as they want, and without any carbon emissions at all. All they really need to do is build one of these solar energy collectors and use it to distill seawater. Then they can have as much water as they want, and without any carbon emissions at all.

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