Tag Archives: James Salzman
Cultural, Historical, and Political Implications of Water
As seen on WUNC.org:
Drinking Water
Thursday, November 29 2012 by Frank Stasio and Nicole Campbell
When your body’s feeling crummy, someone will likely tell you to remedy it by drinking more water. Whether it’s for clearer skin or lower anxiety, people have a lot of faith in the healing power of this liquid. But water isn’t a plentiful cure-all everywhere. For many people living in places bordered by water masses, it’s hard to gain access to this necessity. In his latest book, “Drinking Water: A History” (The Overlook Press/2012), James Salzman explores the cultural, historical and political implications of water around the world. James Salzman is a professor in environmental policy at Duke University’s School of Law, and he joins host Frank Stasio today in the studio.
To listen to the audio, click here.
New York’s Water System
As seen on TheWashingtonPost.com:
Our water system withstood Hurricane Sandy, but the threats aren’t over
By James Salzman, Published: November 9
James Salzman, an environmental law professor at Duke University, is the author of “Drinking Water: A History.”
As the fury of Hurricane Sandy crashed into the Northeast last month, online postings along the storm’s path recounted the collapse of one service after another — no lights, no heat, no phones, no subway and, ultimately, no Internet. But amid the darkened buildings and flooded subways of Lower Manhattan, one service remained largely intact and, as a result, largely ignored: the water supply. As Mayor Michael Bloomberg confidently tweeted, “NYC Tap Water is absolutely safe to drink.”
Scientific American Review
Recommended: Drinking Water
Drinking Water: A History
by James Salzman
Overlook Press, 2012
Salzman’s account of drinking water makes the liquid seem as mythic as the fountain of youth. He explores the engineering, politics and health implications surrounding humans’ quest for water, as well as the toxins and changing climate that threaten our supply. The history includes how physician John Snow methodically traced an 1854 cholera outbreak to a single water pump in London, New York City’s evolution from a disease-ridden metropolis to one that boasts about its tap water, and the innovative technologies that may avert global water poverty.
Learn more about Drinking Water at http://drinkingwaterhistory.com/
