In Water Worlds, we focused on analyzing the relationships between people and water. We took time to understand the ways in which water affects all aspects of people’s lives, including the social, economic, and ecological domains. While water is a necessary component to human life as well as the environment, it is also treated as a commodity. We examined the ways in which water should best be managed in order to meet all the needs for people, the environment, and the economy.
While we collectively learned about four different areas of the world and the issues they face with water management, through my research on the Belo Monte Dam, I uncovered the complicated relationships Indigenous groups have with private corporations and governments. Indigenous groups’ needs are being overlooked in favor of economic growth. While the health of the economy is important for sustaining prosperity, it must be balanced with cultural autonomy and ecological needs.
Additionally, taking the Water Worlds course allowed me to understand the connections between sustainability and the economy. If we do not manage water in sustainable ways, then there will not be enough water to utilize as a commodity. Plus, the water necessary to generate energy or maintain production will not be available, resulting in detriments to economic health. Although we think of water as being a renewable and eternally consistent resource, the ways in which humans are overusing and polluting our water resources will result in insufficient water resources to keep humans, the environment, and economies alive. Therefore, we must manage water in ways that allows us to maintain a healthy balance between culture, environment, and the economy.