World Water Day – Calgary (March 22)
Author: alla | Date: March 13, 2009 | Please Comment!World Water Day Forecasts Calgary’s Parched Future
“The flows of all major rivers, including the Bow River, will fall substantially, perhaps by 50 percent or more.” On October 22, 2007, Thomas Homer-Dixon, author of The Upside of Down told Calgarians this bad news about Calgary’s future water supply.
Calgarians are invited to the Alberta premiere of the documentary film “Blue Gold: World Water Wars” will take place in Calgary on World Water Day, March 22. The film describes severe future water shortages and is narrated by actor Malcom McDowell, famous for his role in the 1971 distopia film Clockwork Orange.
World Water Day coincides with the fifth annual World Water Forum taking place in Istanbul, Turkey March 16-22, 2009. Participants at the Forum are predicting future water shortages in Alberta with severe affects on Calgarians. Forum participant, Albertan Anil Naidoo of the Blue Planet Project, will be linked via satellite for a discussion with the Calgary film audience.
The City of Calgary is beginning to address the issue, in part through the installation of water meters on all Calgary homes. Alderman Druh Farrell commented that “Calgary uses more water than other Canadian cities”. Alderman Ric McIvor has advocated to move up the water meter installation deadline. “I want to put in water meters as fast as possible because it’s environmentally the right thing to do. Everyone knows the glaciers are melting. I’m also concerned about the price of water for low income Calgarians.”
The Calgary event is part of the Arusha Centre’s Action Series and is sponsored by Clean Calgary, Water Matters, The Parkland Institute, Calgary Dollars, and The Council of Canadians. The City of Calgary will be offering free water reducing aerators and toilet leak detector tablets to attendees. The City of Calgary will also be financing a dual flush toilet give-away.
What:
-Screening of documentary “Blue Gold: World Water Wars”
-Satellite link with Albertan Anil Naidoo, Blue Planet Project staff attending the World Water Forum in Istanbul, Turkey
Where: Plaza Theatre, 1133 Kensington Road NW Calgary
When: Noon, Sunday March 22
Cost: $10 at the door
More info: action.arusha.org
Media copies of Blue Gold are available by request, gerald@arusha.org.
Contacts:
Calgary Organizer – Gerald Wheatley, Arusha Centre, 403-270-3200
Blue Planet Project – Anil Naidoo, 613-233-7177
Council Of Canadians – Sheila Muxlow, 780-233-2528
Clean Calgary – Natalie Odd, 403-230-1443 x229
Calgary Dollars – Kirti Bhadresa, 403-270-8002
Water Matters – Danielle Droitsch, 403-538-7785
Parkland – Julie Hrdlicka, 403-270-9669
Public Interest Alberta – Bill Moore-Kilgannon, 780-420-0471
5:50 am on March 14th, 2009
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