[Vision2020] Water. Where do you stand on the issue?

[Nils Peterson]

Much as Donovan Arnold argues that farming became more labor efficient,
should Moscow become more water efficient? Is this basis of policy
decisions-- Moscow should grow its economic base (and possibly its
population base) without increasing its water user?

Solomon seemed to be suggesting a path to that for housing developments --
retrofit existing water users to upgrade their efficiency. Solomon also
seemed to be suggesting that efficiency gain for current residents come at
no perceived change in their current lifestyle... That is, he'd give me a
newer more efficient toilet, which (as long as it worked) would provide me
the same services at less water.

The wisdom of Solomon (couldn't resist) is that his strategy doesn't have to
confront the questions of economic growth or population growth -- just do it
on a budget -- AND his method doesn't cost current residents (in theory) so
the cost is borne by the would be developers.

Do we have anyone on the list who is a developer or associated with another
engine of economic or population growth? Does this zero sum game on water
work for you?


On 4/25/06 12:43 AM, "Chasuk" <chasuk at gmail.com> wrote:

> On 4/24/06, Donovan Arnold <donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
>>  There are two different types of growth. One is economic, the other is
>> population growth. Economically we have to grow, that is what generates
>> wealth for the community. If our community has zero economic development,
>> that would mean the standard of living in Moscow would decline as the cost
>> of housing, energy, health care, and other goods and services increased and
>> Moscow remained economically stagnant.
> 
> I believe you, Donovan, as I've heard this said by people I trust many
> times before.  Still, I don't understand why this is so; does economic
> growth mean we have to continually attract new business to Moscow
> (which would unavoidably seem to increase the population, to me), or
> does it have some other meaning?