Will Evidence Of A Coming Apocalypse Change Human Behavior?

I'm not much for apocalyptic thinking. I don't think it's productive. I have to confess, though, that this story about the Great Salt Lake got me thinking about whether human nature is such that the apocalypse is not that far away. It makes compelling reading. And viewing – do check out the video of what used to be Owens Lake, which could be described as a cautionary tale for Salt Lake City, except that no one seems to be taking precautions.

The short version is that the Great Salt Lake is disappearing, partly as a result of climate change and partly as a result of huge population growth. What's most amazing is the amount of human folly that has contributed to the situation.

I see the problem as resulting from two related, but slightly different phenomena. One is that, for some reason, Americans think that they are entitled to an unlimited supply of cheap water. This isn't news. What is noteworthy to me is that, as water gets more scarce in many places, people are