Perhaps if they’d shut down all their airports things would get better
Hawaii is “on the verge of catastrophe,” locals say, as water crisis continues
In Hawaii, one of the most important sayings is ola i ka wai, “water is life” — a phrase that not only sums up what it means to exist on an island, but what it means to live, period. But now, one of the largest of the island chain’s land masses is facing a triple threat to its sole freshwater source, and if it isn’t addressed soon, one community member says, “we’re in deep trouble.”
Despite being surrounded by seemingly endless ocean, freshwater on Oahu, the third-largest of Hawaii’s six major islands, is not easily accessible. The island relies on an underground aquifer for its water supply. Replenishing that aquifer is a decades-long natural process, as it takes a single drop of water roughly 25 years to make it there from the sky.
And recent years have seen compounding problems: less rain, leading to significant droughts, and repeated jet fuel leaks and PFAS chemical spills contaminating water systems. All of this significantly limits available water use for locals, many of whom say tourism is only worsening the situation. Just months ago, the world’s largest surfing wave pool opened up on the island — filled with freshwater.
Why would they need a wave pool in Hawaii? Anyhow, if they’d just ban all those fossil fueled airplanes bring tourists and goods to the island, as well as the ones, along with helicopters, which shuttle people around. And all those fossil fueled ships bringing goods. And all the fossil fueled boats ferrying tourists and catching fish. They could get rid of all those giant, water intensive hotels, since there would be no tourists or companies coming for vacations and conferences.
The state could also ban the use of fossil fueled vehicles for all residents, right?
Currently, the entire island of Oahu is considered “abnormally dry,” according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. “Severe and persistent droughts,” prompting water conservation measures, are not uncommon, Giambelluca said. While officials could work to desalinate ocean water, “that’s not the preferred way to get drinking water,” he added.
“It’s very energy-intensive, and so that would be in opposition to our goals of reducing our dependency on fossil fuels in Hawaii, reducing our emissions,” he said.
And as global temperatures continue to rise, that will only get worse — not just on Oahu, but across Hawaii.
Well, sorry cupcakes, things change on Earth, as warm and cool periods come and go.
Read: Hawaii Water Shortage From Climate Doom Puts Them On “Verge Of Catastrophe” Or Something »
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