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Aussie commentary: US looks in our direction for wisdom on drought

Posted by: Maven on January 24, 2010 at 8:11 am

From the Sydney Morning Herald, this commentary by Cynthia Banham:

“A few hours out of San Diego, taking the scenic route along Highway 1 to San Francisco, I spotted a large creature by the roadside. We turned the car around and joined a few people taking a closer look. Lolling on the grass, like a beautiful giant slug, was an elephant seal.

The bulls can grow over 4½ metres long, but they have only recently returned to this part of the US coast. They were hunted almost to extinction in the late 19th century, until hunting was banned in the 1970s. Two decades later elephant seals have made an astonishing comeback, and colonies began reappearing on central Californian beaches in the ’90s.

I was in the US for the West Coast Australia America Leadership Dialogue. Much of the discussion centred on gloomy environmental issues, such as the impact of rising temperatures on oceans, and population, drought and climate on fresh-water resources. But seeing the return of those majestic elephant seals made me more hopeful about the prospects of us tackling environmental challenges. When humans stop or modify their destructive behaviour towards the environment, sometimes, given half a chance, nature finds a way to bounce back.

When it comes to environmental challenges, specifically water scarcity, Australia has a lot in common with the US. … “

Read more of Cynthia Banham’s commentary by clicking here.

January 24, 2010 · Filed Under General Water Issues

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