AMERICA'S BIG MISTAKE: Watershed Democracy REJECTED!

The video discusses John Wesley Powell's 1878 proposal to divide the western US based on watershed boundaries rather than arbitrary grids. This approach aimed to improve land and water management, but was rejected. The current grid system leads to unequal resource distribution, environmental issues, and inefficient energy use. Powell's ideas could have transformed urban development and governance, promoting a more sustainable and equitable society.

What was John Wesley Powell's main idea for dividing the arid western US?

• Following the existing state boundaries

• Dividing based on natural landscape divisions

• Using the population density as a guide

• Using arbitrary grids of lines and squares

What is one major problem with placing a grid over natural watershed patterns?

• It causes unequal resource distribution

• It enhances water management

• It improves soil quality

• It leads to equal distribution of resources

What did Powell propose regarding the ownership of water?

• Water should be owned by corporations

• Water should be a public resource

• Water should be transferred between watersheds

• Water should be privately owned

What is the term used for political boundaries that conform to the shape of the land?

• Geometric boundaries

• Geomorphic boundaries

• Geographic boundaries

• Geopolitical boundaries

What was the Senate's response to Powell's watershed democracy proposal?

• They rejected it

• They ignored it

• They accepted it

• They implemented it partially

How does the grid system impact urban water flow?

• It prevents groundwater depletion

• It creates a hydrologic desert

• It improves stormwater management

• It enhances natural water flow

What is the foundation of passive solar design?

• Blocking sunlight from entering buildings

• Orienting buildings on the north-south axis

• Using artificial heating systems

• Elongating buildings on the east-west axis

How does the grid system affect energy consumption in homes?

• It has no impact on energy consumption

• It increases energy consumption

• It optimizes energy use

• It reduces energy consumption

What percentage of houses are optimally oriented for passive solar heating and cooling?

• 100%

• 25%

• 75%

• 50%

What is one potential benefit of adopting Powell's geomorphic design?

• Higher urban density

• Improved environmental sustainability

• More complex political systems

• Increased energy consumption