We Could Just Wait For The Earth To Warm Up

Marin County California has a dilemma. You see, the Marin Water District was recently the first in the nation to commit to a global warming pollution reduction goal. The district will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 15 percent from 1990 levels (or 20 percent below current levels) by 2020, mostly by implementing energy efficiency measures and switching to renewable energy.

“Good for them,” you say. “But what’s the dilemma.”

Well, Marin County has been considering a proposal to build a salt water desalination plant. Desalination is wildly energy intensive. The already controversial plant, which will cost at least $111 million, could more than triple the water district’s energy use.

“The desalination plant's use of energy could be equivalent to 60,000 service connections, or customers, continuously burning a 100-watt light bulb around the clock, every day, consultants estimated.” – Marin Independent Journal

It’s way past ironic that cities concerned about drinking water shortages in drought, which may be worsened by global warming, are even considering technologies like desalination, whose emissions could make global warming worse. It’s especially outrageous in Marin which is also concerned that sea level rise could inundated its coast (right).