New Decisions from IDEO on Vimeo.

Fresh water is a tricky resource. It’s often described as “renewable”, like some forms of energy, but unlike energy, it is bulky, heavy, and hard to hold. What’s more, it’s hard to simply get more of it. So as climate change drives temperatures higher, fresh water won’t be so easily available. What will we do to preserve a western lifestyle with less water?

This sketch of the future from IDEO gets beyond water-saving showerheads and looks to a future where we make decisions based on the availability of fresh water. Including big, life decisions, like buying a home.

When choosing where to live, we consider many criteria – location, cost, size, community, and aesthetics. As the availability of fresh water changes, new criteria will emerge. Access to natural may become as important as proximity to schools.

If we begin to address climate change today, how will that impact our other big decisions in the future?

Source: Livingclimatechange, IDEO