Water, Energy, Food (Wind Power and Desalination), keys to Economic Development and Survival
The Texas Economic Development Council, (Economic development Executives) from throughout Texas, heard Ben B Boothe Sr., present atimely and incisive program on survival of communities in the 21st Century. Boothe's primary page is: http://www.benboothe.com
He presented a powerful test at their regional meeting on South Padre Island. "What are the 4 elements of survival?" Then he asked the audience of economic development executives:"What are the 3 basic ideas for economic development throughout history?"
His presentation was a historical, and timely report of research showing the needs for Texas survival as well as 3 "coming crisis" situations:
- Water depletion
- Oil depletion
- Historic increases in food costs and production costs
Ben cited how many citieswill be impacted by water shortages and quoted information provided by the State of Texas on the future water crisis in Texas. He cited oil production as "declining 3% per year" and the resulting "inevitable rising prices for oil and electricity". He then showed the historical relationship of the price of food to the price of energy. "When oil goes up, food goes up even higher" and the fact that food production would become more and more expensive. (Even now in international commodity markets, food is reaching higher and creating social instability in some areas).
An average city in the USA quotes $4.50 to $5 per thousand gallons as it's wholesale cost to produce water, treat it with chlorine and make it available for sale. With the new technology available in desalination, combined with Wind Inc's( http://www.wind-inc.com,) lowmaintenance turbines, the cost of water, made from brackish salt water is reduced to.95 cents per thousand gallons. This could savehundreds of cities, revolutionize agriculture, and give communities water for the next 300years. "It is time cities think about a newkind of water system that is powered by wind and solar systems that we have designed" said Boothe.
Boothe then showed solutions, provided by his company, www.wind-inc.com, in merging the concepts of desalination and wind and solar power to provide "cities with 100 year water supplies" at a fraction of their present costs.
Carlton Schwab, President of the Texas Economic Development Council said: "Our group was so impressed, you gave answers to questions we needed and showed new applications for economic development and survival."
"Boothe is addressing basic economic development and survival" Carlton Schwab, TEDC
Boothe is slated to keynote for the Texas Association of Counties, to speak to Judges and County Officials, at their meetings throughout the state, and in small group meetings. He presents research and information from the State of Texas, as well as Desalination experts from throughout the world.
"We can provide a town or city in Texas, water and energy for the next 300 years, and do it with renewable energy from the wind, and solar" said Boothe.
"It is time our leaders come face to face with the prospect of depleting water, oil and food production resources" said Boothe. "We need vision and leadership and we need it now!"
"Furthermore, areas need to move more "Greenhouse" and "High Tunnel" food production facilities near urban centers because shipping a tomatoe 2000 miles, or lettuce 3000 miles simply is bad economics." said Boothe. Cornucopia-Enterprise http://www.cornucopia-enterprise.comis the leader in that field and they can show how to get 3 crops per year on small tracts, and power the irrigation with wind turbines and solar, hook it to drip irrigation, and get maximum efficiency controlled environment food production cities, at lower cost, utilizing no paid energy, with free water. "This is a time of transition, to full utilization of the essential elements for survival in an educated way. Water, Food, Air, Energy, are all linked together and we are linked in that if we are to survive." said Boothehttp://www.benboothe.com
Boothe states flatly that his company can:
- Help develop desalination plants and show towns and cities how to get financing and grants, to provide water for 100 to 300 years.
- Provide wind power in industrial parks to attract new industry to towns
- Power city buildings, street lights, universities with wind power and save cities millions of dollars over time
- Provide systems to provide irrigation systems with little or not energy costs through wind and solar
- Power water treatment systems and save cities hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in energy costs
- Get State and Federal financing and grants
The days of hiding our heads in the sand and saying: "Water is someone else's problem. Energy is going to go up, but let's not worry about it."
For further information on Ben Boothe, wind or energy issues see these resources:
Wind Inc. http://www.wind-inc.com
Ben Boothe and Associates Consultants http://www.benboothe.com
Environmental Issues http://www.environmental-solutions.com
Green House Food Production, High Tunnels: http://www.cornucopia-enterprise.com