Professor Eugene Moll, Kirstenhof
Janine Myburgh, president of the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s comprehensive letter to the Bulletin (December 14) was excellent in many respects.
Her analogy with load-shedding was appropriate, but where she missed a beat was her solution which was more of the same; in simple terms, she was suggesting a further exploitation of resources. Where do wise-use and sustainability come into her solution?
No one, thus far, has sufficiently emphasised the point that in this day and age we all need to realise that we cannot live as we once did. We cannot continue our exploitative way of life without consequences, and if we are wise now, we can continue to enjoy a great life for a long time.
The recent focus on our “Plastic Oceans” is but one startlingly example of what we are doing to the planet, highlighting the fact that somewhere, somehow, we have to make changes to our everyday lives.
As far as the water crisis is concerned, we all simply have to learn to live with less water.
This current “drought” may well be the new norm of Cape Town (Can we continue to predict next year’s rainfall on historical “norms” when the climate is changing? Surely the “experts” know this?).
For far too long, the City has turned a blind eye to those community-criminals who continue to use excessive water.
If a year ago the City had taken the firm stand to limit monthly household water we would be in much better shape today.
And there are many other water-saving solutions that are not energy and resource intensive. Yes, desalination is one answer, but is it the best for the planet?
People have to take more personal responsibility for their excessive use of limited resources and adjust their daily lives. If they will not do so willingly then they must be punished to conform to the new norms we have to adjust to in the Anthropocene!
