Water Always Wins.
Erica Gies' Inspiring Journey with Water and the Lessons for Humanity.
In a world grappling with the increasing challenges of floods and droughts due to climate change, the voice of Erica Gies emerges as a beacon of hope and wisdom. As an award-winning independent journalist, she has dedicated her career to unraveling the complex relationship between water, climate change, and the environment. Her latest book, "Water Always Wins: Thriving in an Age of Drought & Deluge," offers profound insights into the fascinating world of "Slow Water" innovations. These innovations are the key to adapting to the escalating floods and droughts brought about by climate change. Erica Gies joins the Brave New Girls podcast to share her wisdom, and her message is clear: just as water always finds a way, humanity too must learn to flow and adapt to the changing times.
Erica warns, "Water always wins." Our interference with natural water cycles through damming rivers, draining wetlands, and building on floodplains has severe consequences. It's time to understand that we cannot continue to subvert the natural flow of water, just as we cannot deny the natural ebbs and flows of our own lives.
Understanding the Importance of Scale
One of the key takeaways from Erica Gies' work is the critical importance of scale. We've drastically altered the world's waterways, filling or draining 87 percent of wetlands and damming two-thirds of large rivers globally. This scale of interference has far-reaching consequences, impacting everything from flood risk to ecosystems and greenhouse gas emissions. While it may seem overwhelming, Erica reminds us that every small effort matters. Every community has the potential to create small spaces for water, reducing flood risks for everyone. It's a call to action on a local level that can have global implications.
The Downside of Dams
Erica sheds light on the environmental and societal impacts of dams. While once seen as a green energy solution, the reality is far from it. Dams contribute significantly to global emissions, both in the construction process and through methane emissions from large reservoirs. Moreover, they disrupt natural river systems, devastating aquatic life and food sources for communities. Erica highlights a compelling example in the Mekong River, where millions depend on fish for protein. The decision to abstain from building dams in Cambodia showcases the importance of considering the broader impact on ecosystems and communities.
The Rights of Nature
Erica also delves into the growing movement to recognize the rights of nature. Just as the legal world once grappled with the question of whether trees have standing, the rights of nature movement seeks to establish the inherent value and right to exist of natural entities. Bolivia and Ecuador have enshrined rights of nature in their constitutions, challenging corporate power that exploits nature for profit. This shift in perspective emphasises the need to coexist and collaborate with the natural world.
Empowering Slow Water Projects
One of the most inspiring aspects of Erica’s work is her documentation of "Slow Water" projects worldwide. These projects represent a decentralized approach to working with water across landscapes, as opposed to the centralized, concrete-heavy solutions of the past. By making space for water and collaborating with it on a community level, these projects empower communities to protect themselves from floods and droughts while also addressing broader climate impacts. These projects are not only more effective but also more cost-efficient than traditional infrastructure.
Rethinking Our Approach
Erica challenges our perception of control. In an increasingly unpredictable world, our attempts to control natural systems are proving futile. We must embrace the idea of giving more space to natural processes and learn to work with the flux of nature. This requires humility and a shift in our worldview to prioritize the common good over the interests of the very few.
Erica Gies' work serves as a powerful reminder that water, in all its forms, is life. Our relationship with water, soil, rock, microbes, and ecosystems is interconnected and delicate. As we face the pressing challenges of climate change, we must adapt and find harmony with the natural world. Gies' vision for the future includes making space for water within our human habitat, returning marginal agricultural lands to floodplains, and restoring natural river runs. It's a call to embrace the concept that "water always wins" and to prioritize solutions that respect and coexist with nature. Erica Gies' courageous work challenges the status quo and offers a path towards a more sustainable and harmonious future for all.
WATER AND HUMANITY
There is a striking parallel between the way we corral water in concrete structures, leading to blockages and eventual breakthroughs, and the manner in which we often restrict and confine ourselves, resulting in breakdowns. The concrete structures we create to control water are a reflection of our impulse to control nature. Just as we attempt to corral water within concrete structures, leading to blockages that eventually give way to forceful breakthroughs, we often find ourselves doing the same to our own lives. It's a profound comparison that sheds light on the need for both water and humanity to find balance and room to breathe.
Concrete vs. Control
When we control water with concrete, we build structures that aim to dominate and confine it. The result is often an illusion of control, as water inevitably finds its way, breaking through barriers and causing destruction. Similarly, in our lives, we sometimes seek to control every aspect, constraining ourselves with rigid plans and expectations. We believe this control will lead to stability and success. However, just as concrete cannot contain water indefinitely, our attempts at absolute control over our lives eventually give way to unforeseen challenges and crises.
Allowing Room for Flow
What works for water and humanity alike is the recognition that life is not about total control but about finding harmony, balance, and room for expansion and contraction. Just as water needs space to flow freely, we too thrive when we give ourselves the space to breathe, adapt, and evolve. It's about embracing the natural ebb and flow of life, just as we must respect the natural cycles of water.
For water, this means restoring natural river systems, allowing wetlands to flourish, and giving floodplains room to expand during high-water events. In the realm of humanity, it means accepting change, acknowledging vulnerability, and letting go of the illusion that we can control every outcome. It's about recognizing that, like water, we have the capacity to adapt and grow when we are not confined by rigid structures.
Resilience and Adaptation
Water's resilience lies in its ability to find new paths and adjust to changing conditions. Similarly, human resilience is rooted in our capacity to adapt to challenges, learn from setbacks, and continue to flow forward. By giving water and ourselves the freedom to contract and expand, we become more adaptable, agile, and capable of weathering the storms of life.
Conclusion
There is a profound comparison between the way we treat water and the way we treat ourselves serves as a poignant reminder that both require the space to breathe and flow. Just as water always finds a way, humanity, too, can navigate the complexities of life with greater resilience and adaptability when we let go of excessive control and allow room for growth and change. The key is to find a harmonious balance between structure and flexibility, where both water and humanity can thrive.
PS. Listen HERE to ERICA GIES’s journey on BRAVE NEW GIRLS podcast to hear how she helps us help the planet.
