M.G. McIntosh

OPINION

09/22/2019 (Draft)

05/05/2021 (Publish)

CONCEPT REPORT

• Voice in the Wind Magazine Inc.

INTRODUCTION

*Editor’s Note – this article was originally written in September 2019. It was pulled from the archive to show how the writing has evolved over time.*

Lately, I have been reading about subsidence (the sinking of the ground) in California. This is due to the tremendous amount of groundwater used for crops in the valley. This water is sourced from underground aquifers and when they are emptied the resulting cave-like structure collapses, filling in the space. At the surface level this can mean that a crater forms as the ground sinks too.

PROPOSAL/CONCEPT

I propose desalination plants to replace groundwater. Moreover a water pipeline from the Arctic (North of Yellowknife, NWT, Canada down through the American Midwest. This pipeline would serve farmers who need water to irrigate their crops, anyone with lead in their drinking water (Flint, Michigan and Newark, New Jersey) and many other uses.

The principle behind this is that the ocean makes up the vast majority of the water in the planet and can therefore handle the vast majority of the water needs. This is like saying a human should carry a weight in their thighs because they are the biggest muscles in the body and most capable of load-bearing. In the same way, the ocean is much more capable of load-bearing than a much smaller aquifer, like ground water sources.

The water pipeline could potentially be piggy-backed on the Keystone XL pipelines, saving taxpayers the cost of building a whole new route. The pipes would just be stacked one on top of the other or side by side.

REFLECTION

I’d like to think that my writing has improved over time. You can usually see that my earlier writing is a little more stilted and the concepts are less fleshed out. Over time I learned my style and my voice, allowing me to expand on topics and seamlessly connect ideas in multiple parts (see Redefining the Dishpit Parts 1 -4 for comparison). This type of ‘mega project’ format turned out to be helpful in a few instances. Mostly I just thought it might be an interesting little glimpse into my process, but the idea itself has some merit. 

Looking back on this idea, and keeping to my more recent format (under the discussion heading) I would probably have discussed the merits of running the pipelines together more in depth. It would have meant talking about my love of reusing existing infrastructure (in this case the existing pipeline route), cost savings and efficiency. I would also have talked more about why it is important to conserve our naturally existing freshwater sources, which boils down to compassion for the environment and our right to clean drinking water. In short, I could add more to this concept report but that would hide the evolution of my writing. I would also have included a benefits section and the corresponding numbered bullet points.

CONCLUSION

I hope you enjoyed this examination of my earlier writing. It was nice to look back on where I started and see how far I’ve come. Perhaps one day I’ll have a large enough audience to have a meaningful and thought-provoking discussion that can truly bring us together. Until then, I will continue to write just for the love of it – it’s a great hobby.