Here’s something you don’t see everyday: a U.S. Senator gleefully dynamiting a dam. We could see more of it, too. A growing number of communities are facing the choice between removing old dams — or having them fail. This episode explores how you can help them make the right choice.
Citations for today’s episode
Download this episode to your computer or video iPod
Few people seem to realize that the owners of big hydroelectric dams can control how much water to release at any given moment, but that doesn’t mean that those corporations are off the hook from their environmental responsibilities. Before you dive into the difficult vocabulary like instream flow, peaking, and FERC, paint the big picture for the average well-meaning citizen:
The Whatever Power corporation has a responsibility to work together with local residents to balance their profits from the dam with the health of the Whatever River and Lake Whatever. Whatever Power Corporation is accountable to our nature protection laws, and has a responsibility to share the river with wildlife and families that live there. The corporation should plan ahead and invest wisely to make sure there is enough power, clean water, and wildlife for future generations to enjoy.
Even if the dam in question is publicly owned, you can still reference corporations!
The Dam Owning Agency is accountable to the law and to the public. It should hold itself to a higher standard than a corporation, and find a true balance between providing power and providing enough clean water for wildlife and families.
Citations for today’s episode
Download this episode to your computer or video iPod
There’s only a modest amount of information available on Americans’ priorities for water during a shortage, but the findings are reasonably consistent, so watch today’s video to see how nature stacks up against humans. The results might surprise you but the reasons for them won’t: it’s that familiar mix of altruism and ignorance at play once again.
Citations for this episode
Download to your computer or video iPod
Do you have information on this point that I don’t? Leave a comment here or send me an email at eric dot eckl at water words that work dot com. Thanks.
Generally speaking, I frown on trying to squeeze an environmental education into news story soundbites or 30 second public service announcements, but an hour long documentary is something else entirely. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department produced a striking and ambitious film this February that reminds me what a powerful educational tool video can be — if you give yourself enough time to do justice to a big story.
It’s a joy to watch. The film was narrated by Walter Conkite and the beautiful videography is ready for the big screen plasma jumbotron TVs that dominate the American living room these days. After watching it, I’m suddenly very self-conscious about the tiny, grainy, jerky Internet video and amateurish narration you get here at Water Words.
The content and interviews are also well balanced — problems to get your attention, solutions to inspire hope, and profiles of real people making a difference. People of the “if they can do it, I can, too” variety. You can learn a lot about good conservation communication by watching this video — and comparing it to Leonardo DiCaprio’s well-intentioned but otherwise awful “Water Planet.”
I’ll blog about this video again, but for now I’m tipping my ten gallon cowboy hat to the TPWD. So here’s a question for the producers: why did you mail me the DVD anonymously? Who are you? Show yourself!
Visit the companion site
Download a trailer for the film
Buy the DVD
A couple of other people have blogged about the film:
