economicmultipliers_145

Economic Multipliers (145)

Do you know what these are?

They help CREATE wealth in systems.

Leaders can be economic multipliers.

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You’d think that if a person was a ‘leader,’ they would automatically be an ‘economic multiplier.’ The word has positive connotations.

More people in the United States are discovering that the oceans are full of water and it’s a bit ridiculous to have water shortages along coastlines.

Of course, shortages have never been about a lack of understanding that the oceans are full of water.

Desalinating water takes time, energy, equipment and money. When people pay for water, they want it to be ‘cheap,’ easy to access (like at their tap) and verifiably as clean and safe as necessary.

Water issues are much more challenging though than just getting water to individuals on the coastlines.

We need to figure out economical ways to recharge aquifers at elevation while ‘becoming beavers’ … which help maintain wetlands and forests at elevation (so the forests and wetlands don’t burn and can help recharge deep aquifers) (See P.S.).

When adults haven’t solved problems that prevent crises (because their time and attention is usually focused on making a living), intelligent and resourceful youth many times fill a critical void.

What are all the possibilities available for creating clean water … in the least expensive way for any community or industry?

I don’t have all the answers. There isn’t just one answer.

Someone reminded me the other day that when oil prices are high, drillers can be willing to pay up to $10.00 for the water required to produce just one barrel of oil. Imagine that cost being added to the price of your gasoline … OR that water not being available for other uses.

A distillation unit needs heat and ‘coolth.’ Heat pumps (refrigerators and air conditioners use them) have the ability to drain heat (providing ‘coolth’ for condensation) and concentrate heat providing extra heat for evaporation. Wind offers mechanical power. Stirling style engines are effectively heat pumps driven by temperature differentials which could be run by wind (mechanical) power to ‘lose/shift heat’ … (In a Stirling engine, a heat source/heat differential provides the engine’s power … a variation on a theme).

Add sun to the mix, radiative daytime and nighttime cooling and the value of absolute and relative humidity and dew point temperatures (see P.S.(2)). Enhance evaporative and condensative surfaces. Take advantage of pressure differentials if possible.

These are some simple and useful statements:

  • It’s easier to move heat than to create it (i.e. less energy is needed).

  • Moisture seeks cold (Of course it only seems so since condensation occurs at the dew point temperature and moisture laden air, in the right environment, can continually ‘feed’ condensation on cold (in a relative sense) surfaces).

  • Direct current is more efficient over short distances than alternating current if electricity factors in.

Some ‘mechanical types’ who understand the interconnecting natures of moisture, heat and coolth are going to ‘lead’ in designing some relatively passive, extraordinarily efficient solar distillation systems that are going to change how the world thinks about and is able to use water.

Will that thinking come from China? … India? … one of the Middle Eastern or African countries? … the United States? … some small island that no one has ever before heard about? … a global corporation lacking bounds on ideas? …

Who will lead? Who is already leading?

And, is it too early to say that if ‘water’ becomes the ‘new oil,’ it has the potential to ‘jumpstart’ economic growth in a lot of areas and possibly prevent a lot of natural and humanitarian disasters?’

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P.S. … No. 88 is a short summary about the value of beavers (and a possible option when they are missing).

P.S.(2) … No. 55 provides a quick summary of dew point temperatures, absolute and relative humidity and the value of temperature differentials.