From the Foreword: "Dave Dempsey's book is an important part of the effort to remind people why commercialization of Great Lakes water is a dangerous threat. It's not simply a matter of how much water in the short term is bottled and shipped away; the long-term threat is control of water and the possibility that private interests will assert ownership of the very substance of the Great Lakes. This is an issue that could determine the fate of the Great Lakes. I encourage the millions who care about the Great Lakes to read and act on this valuable book. Our Great Lakes water must always remain a public resource in public hands. It's a matter of prosperity, fairness, and survival."
—Congressman Bart Stupak, First District, Michigan Great Lakes for Sale is a book for anyone interested in saving the Great Lakes, a huge fresh-water system that contains an estimated 6 quadrillion gallons of water and about twenty percent of the world's fresh surface water. The book poses—and answers—important questions about the export and diversion of Great Lakes water. Not only does Great Lakes for Sale examine past and present water-diversion practices; it also shows readers what they can do to save this natural resource. It's difficult to understate the importance of the Great Lakes water system—economically, environmentally, or from a public-health perspective. The Great Lakes support year-round sport fishery, they provide a route for commercial and recreational navigation, and they supply many communities with drinking water. Water means jobs and life in the Great Lakes region. And, while residents of this huge region revel in a seemingly limitless quantity of fresh water today, it's likely that the future will see that same fresh water grow ever more scarce as well as become a source of contention between thirsty communities—and corporations—further afield and those who live in this giant watershed. Great Lakes for Sale is an important part of the effort to remind people why commercialization of Great Lakes water is a dangerous threat. It's not simply a matter of how much water in the short term is removed; the long-term threat is control of water and the possibility that non-Great Lakes interests will assert ownership of the very substance of the Great Lakes. Dave Dempsey is senior policy advisor for the Michigan Environmental Council and well known for his writings on environmental issues in the Great Lakes region. He is author of Ruin and Recovery: Michigan's Rise as a Conservation Leader and William G. Milliken: Michigan's Passionate Moderate. He lives in St. Paul, Minnesota. |
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On the Web Dave Dempsey's website Dave Dempsey's blog Watch an interview with Dave Dempsey on Spotlight on the News XXYZ-TV Listen to an interview with Dave Dempsey on AM Lansing | 7.2.2009 Read a review on Water Buzz Read a review on Northern Express Read a review on Lansing City Pulse Read a review on MichiganLiberal.com Read a review on the Michigan State University Libraries blog Listen to an interview with Dave Dempsey (MP3) Read a Q&A with Dave Dempsey (PDF)
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