Growth Addiction and Water in the American West

91: Growth Addiction and Water in the American Southwest – with Gary Wockner

Written by Dave Gardner on June 30, 2025. Posted in Podcast

Prolific river protector Gary Wockner gives us the straight scoop on the state of the Colorado River (and others), and the growth obsession that keeps southwest states and cities from responding rationally to increasingly scarce water resources.

TODAY, nearly half the world’s population experiences severe water shortages at least part of the year. So far, fresh water issues in the American Southwest amount – mostly – to first world problems – like “I can’t water my lawn whenever I want,” “it’s hard to keep the golf course lush and green with less water,” or “How can I develop my next residential project if there’s no water?” But the future could be grim, if we can’t get the cities and states into a 12-step program to break the growth addiction habit. Our guest, Gary Wockner, works globally as an advocate and consultant for protection of rivers. He founded and directs:

Save the Colorado
Save the Poudre
Colorado River chapter of CASSE

He also cofounded Tell the Dam Truth, a nonprofit that supports river-protection groups by engaging with federal and state agencies to make sure that the greenhouse gas emissions caused by dams and reservoirs are counted, reported, and then considered during policy making, rulemaking, and legislation. He most recently led opposition to the Northern Integrated Supply Project. He filed a lawsuit to stop it, and recently settled the suit. He shares about the settlement in this episode. Gary is also author of numerous books, including:

River Warrior: Fighting to Protect the World’s Rivers
Comeback Wolves
Pulse of the River

LINKS:

News stories, opinion pieces, books and more related to Gary Wockner’s work

Disaster Capitalism on the Colorado River -Column by Gary Wockner:

Save the Colorado

Save the Poudre

Tell the Dam Truth

Colorado Chapter of CASSE (Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy)

Colorado River Basin Climate and Hydrology: State of the Science

Colorado River States Still Have No Unified Long-Term Management Plan and ‘Are Just About Out of Time,’ Experts Warn – May 31, 2025 Denver Post story

Water Supply Uncertainty Could Slow Growth in Colorado Springs – May 2024 news story KRDO13 Colorado Springs

Officials Fear ‘Complete Doomsday Scenario’ for Drought-Stricken Colorado River – The Washington Post, December 1, 2022

Give Us Feedback:

Record a voice message for us to play on the podcast: 719-402-1400
Send an email to podcast at growthbusters.org

The GrowthBusters theme song was written and produced by Jake Fader and sung by Carlos Jones.

On the GrowthBusters podcast, we come to terms with the limits to growth, explore the joy of sustainable living, and provide a recovery program from our society’s growth addiction (economic/consumption and population). This podcast is part of the GrowthBusters project to raise awareness of overshoot and end our culture’s obsession with, and pursuit of, growth.

Dave Gardner directed the documentary GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth, which Stanford Biologist Paul Ehrlich declared “could be the most important film ever made.” Co-host, and self-described “energy nerd,” Stephanie Gardner has degrees in Environmental Studies and Environmental Law & Policy.

Join the GrowthBusters online community

GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth – free on YouTube

Join the conversation on Facebook

Archive of GrowthBusters podcast episodes

Subscribe to GrowthBusters email updates

Explore the issues right here, at growthbusters.org

View the GrowthBusters channel on YouTube

Follow on your podcast app so you don’t miss an episode: