Book excerpt: We need to change to solve the water crisis. It is impossible for 10 billion people to exist together on this Earth – as predicted for the year 2100 – unless the ricer part of the world no longer merely focuses on its own health, prosperity and happiness, and instead starts working seriously on developing a higher consciousness. In this essay, Cess Buisman sharply analyses some of the problems facing mankind, such as fresh water shortages, whilst overturning several clichés and offering unexpected, positive solutions. Overpopulation is not the problem; the effects of our actions on the rest of the world have a much greater impact. ‘Back to nature’ is not the solution, nor is an overreliance on science and innovation. In fact, large-scale technologies could even increase our problems. The growth of humanity depends on the growth of our consciousness. We need to change now. We Need to Change to Solve the Water Crisis, published by Bornmeer & Noordboe in 2018 as Humanity is not a Plague: How 10 Billion People can Exist Together