J. Carl Ganter is chasing a news story that's not on anybody else's radar — the scarcity of water in China, which could soon stifle its gross domestic product and economic success.
The multimedia journalist and co-founder of Circle of Blue spoke about international issues related to water shortages during his lecture "Our Water Future: Meeting the Challenge of the Century." Ganter presented the Bracken Environmental Lecture on the same day as the United Nations-sponsored World Water Day.
His lecture focused on how the group got started and it's latest project: "Choke Point China," and today Ganter heads to China to start the project.
"It's basically simple math," he said. "What we found is that China, at least at the current course, most likely does not have enough water to continue their GDP growth and their use of energy. The outcome is China's facing down a pretty serious choke point."
Circle of Blue considers itself the only non-advocacy news agency devoted to bringing water issues into mainstream daily life through stories, data and social media.
Ball State students got involved in the mission during an immersive class this semester. They're making interactive graphics based on data and reporting that's being done in China.
"They're making the data come alive and making it visible, making it understandable," Ganter said.
Two Ball State students will also work in the team's newsroom in Traverse City, Mich. this summer.
Whenever there's a disaster, the first thing people need is shelter and water, Ganter said, and the water scarcity is a huge issue around the world. So is water pollution.
Ganter said he's nervous about water contamination in Japan because of radioactive leakage.
"Now we have a potentially more complicated situation of water that's contaminated by radioactivity," he said. "I don't know how far that lasts, [and] what are the ramifications."
Ganter said the group's reporting has brought to light issues that had been buried in government reports not available to the public.
"With the China story, I'm really proud of our teams because we're advancing a story that really wasn't on anybody else's radar, the fact that one of the world's most important economies is hitting a wall because a lack of water and they're hitting that wall first because of their energy challenge," he said.
Ganter's been to 100 countries in six continents to report on water issues. One of his most memorable stories took place in a woman's tiny home in a village in Mexico.
"We had one more question to ask," he said. "I said ‘just ask her one more question, and then let's be quiet' ... We asked one question — what does water mean to you and your family? We were quiet for a minute. That's a long time with nothing to be said. Then she began to tear up, and she started to cry."
What Ganter and his team found was a water shortage had forced the woman's two sons to move to Mexico City and then to Los Angeles because there wasn't enough water to tend to their crops.
"All of a sudden here we were," Ganter said. "We were looking at water issues, and now we're looking at an immigration issue just by listening."
Ganter said looking forward, people need to learn from mistakes and from others who know how to deal with the drought.
"We have to learn who our heros are, the people doing great things, like [the woman] in Mexico who was planting a hearty crop of amaranth versus corn. Amaranth is more drought resistant" he said.
"They know how to manage the drought. They know how to manage water. We need to learn from them."
MARG-
Mission: Circle of Blue propels critical water issues into mainstream daily life with compelling stories, dynamic data spaces and engaging social media.
Methods: Through non-advocacy journalism and science, Circle of Blue informs and catalyzes public engagement, political will and technological capacity needed for a meaningful and sustained response to the global water crisis.
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