This past week has me once again thinking about the issue of water. In his Dune books, author Frank Herbert explores water as a limited commodity, one that, in his futuristic universe, has taken importance over fossil fuels. He depicts a planet where water is so scarce that the humans inhabiting it must recycle, and ingest, the water their own bodies produce.
This may be science fiction, but out here in the real world, we may not be that far off from having to think about water with similar attention to detail and concern.
If you take a moment to Google “world water facts,” you will find an extensive list of websites (many of them credible) that talk about the need for water conservation and awareness around the planet.
On the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website, there is a list of facts and tips about water, posted for Earth Day.
The site states that only one per cent of the worlds water is available to humans. One per cent. Over 1.4 billion people live without access to clean drinking water, according to Food and Water Watch, and between 15 and 20 percent of the water used worldwide is not for domestic consumption, but rather for export.
We live in a rain forest, and here in Lake Cowichan, we live next to what seems like an endless supply of clean, fresh drinking water. And though the Town of Lake Cowichan introduced watering restrictions for our lawns back in August, many of us are still watering whenever we want, and for excessive amounts of time. Not to mention how much is used each day domestically for dishes, laundry, showering, flushing, and well, you get the idea.
My point is, that we should be thinking of our future and our children’s future when it comes to our water sources. If we use this precious resource like we have so many others, we will eventually end up with nothing, and it will be our children that suffer.
— editor@lakecowichangazette.com