Flow

I watched the documentary Flow this weekend with the boy.  We first saw this movie at the Broadway Theatre last summer, but we/he wanted to watch it again.

The film looks at the political and environmental issues of the water supply.  It brings up national issues including the contamination of the water supply from pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals as well as international issues relating to access to clean water and the privatization of water services.

Here are some of the things I've learnt:

• Atrazine is used as a herbicide that is widely used in the agricultural sector.  It is banned in the EU but not in the US. It is an endocrine disruptor (inhibits production and functions of hormones).  This can be seen in amphibians: demasculanizing frogs and feminizing them.  Studies have linked atrazine to breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer. 

• There are three major private multinational water companies: Thames Water, Suez and Vivendi.  While water is considered a free good (such as air), these companies are profiting from the privatization of water services.  These water services provide regular access to clean drinking water for a "minimal" charge.

• Loans from the World Bank often have conditions attached, such as the privatization of water services.  These loans profit the world bank, the construction industry, and the multinational companies and their shareholders.

• In order to operate, the World Bank needs to lend 20 billion dollars a year.  This is easily done with large scale projects such as building dams.  In terms of water services this often means the construction of a central distribution point that is then piped out to outlying areas.  However, much of the worlds population live in isolated rural villages making central distribution unviable.  

This film also shows the close relationship between the private multinational water companies and members of the International Monetary Fund.  I'm not to surprised at this conflict of interest because it gives both parties the opportunity to gain economic control by controlling the worlds water supply and services.  This will payoff in the long run as the demand for clean drinking water increases.

After watching this film I'd say a good bet would be to invest in water, because you'll make a ton of money.  Or invent a device that attaches to our taps and shower heads and filters out the chemicals and hormones in our water supply.

Either way you can make a ton of money.  Isn't that what it's all about?

~b~