Water is the fundamental basis of life on Earth. Ecosystems, society and humans are completely dependent on it, and as the world's population continues to grow, there will be more mouths to feed and those people will need water to continue their daily lives. However, shortages and mismanagement lead to the destruction of natural habitats and human suffering. Land desertification in China is continually growing, transforming lush green lands into deserts. However, this is mainly due in part to human activities and global warming (Wang, Yang, Dong, & Zhang, 2009). The United States could experience a crisis similar to China's, but for now it has avoided a similar catastrophe, thanks to heavy water regulation. Although there is a water shortage in many parts of the world, it is not wise to export water from the Great Lakes to those regions. There are two main reasons why diverting the Great Lakes is a terrible idea: One: It allows water wars to start based on who is allowed to access it and for commodification purposes. Second, diverting water on such a large scale could have catastrophic effects on local residents and the environment. The regions of the United States that might have the greatest interest in the Great Lakes would be the Southwest and Southeast. The Southwest because most of the region is desert and has seen a steady increase in population (Jones, & McCormick, 2010). Population growth has added to the growing overuse of water. This excessive use of water has prompted talk of diverting water from Canada to the southwestern United States. According to Tony Clarke of the Polaris Institute, President Bush, in 2001, would like to begin negotiations with Ottawa on water exports from Canada (Cla......middle of paper.......Maybe that's the way nature controls the population. Transporting water could risk the destruction of the world's largest source of fresh water. Water wars have begun and will continue until we, as a people, begin to recognize how to better manage resources .Works Cited Clarke, T. (2008, August 3).Retrieved from http://www.polarisinstitute.org/turning_on_canadas_tapJones, t, & McCormick, J. (2010, December 22, population shift accelerates toward states in the South and West, 2010 census shows). to-south-west-states-2010-census-shows.htmlWang, X, Yang, Y, Dong, Z, and Zhang, C. (2009). Responses of dune activity and desertification in China to global warming in the twenty-first century, 67(3-4), 167 185.