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One of the cheapest resource available to us as Americans is [tag]water[/tag]. Though we can be a bit snobbish about our water (bottle over tap for example), our water supply is relatively safe coming out of the tap. Yet for the rest of the world, what we have would only be a dream.
World Vision’s latest quarterly newsletter/magazine focuses on water resource issues. Americans use anywhere between 80-100 gallons of water a day (compare that with the average African family that uses a total of five gallons of water a day).
When we compare numbers, our privileges are astounding. Diseases linked to contaminated water kill a child every fifteen seconds—these are preventable diseases.
In the near future, countries will not go to war over oil, but over water. The desperation to find clean water supplies that can be used toward industry, domestic use and agriculture will be an important security priorities for many countries around the world.
There were a few fascinating points that these articles made:
- The simple solution to poverty in much of West Africa is water. For example, trustworthy water supplies will free women (who do much of the search for clean water) to pursue other types of vocations.
- As North Americans, we use (or waste) so much more water than many people in the world.
- When people are thirsty, they will drink anything, regardless of whether the thing they are drinking is poison. That poison doesn’t just quench thirst, but it’s used in cleaning and preparing food.
- There is hope. World Vision and other organizations have been working hard at developing wells and better access to clean water.
What can we do?
- We can use our financial resources to support [tag]World Vision[/tag] and other organizations committed to developing clean water supplies
- Petition world leaders to work hard at providing better access to clean water.
- Pray for the prevention of conflicts and peaceful resolve in regards to water issues.
- Identify with the poor when it comes to how we manage our water use. Live on less water, drink tap, and remember those who don’t have.
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i think that the main reason for needing to conserve water and use water prudently is not necessarily for the sake of identifying with the poor, but for the sake of justice. justice means that everyone has enough water to live, and that this water is distributed equitably. if everyone used water the way americans do, there wouldn’t be enough for everyone, thereby violating that justice. so i don’t think it’s a matter of identifying with the poor (although this is powerful), because that suggests an extraneous action, but rather than a matter of seeking just distribution of resources around the world, which suggests that it is an absolutely necessary action.
… just thoughts…
oh, and i got the book. thank you very much
Well said…
I agree, Eddy. Americans can and should make a socially/environmentally choice to drink tap water, not bottled water. Many people aren’t aware that our tap water in America is actually extremely safe - tests show that tap water is as safe as bottled water, and even provides health benefits like fluoride. Additionally, bottled water creates all sorts of waste - plastic waste, air pollution from factories, etc. We can all stand to do our part, and drink from the tap
Thanks for that Larissa. I’ve actually heard that tap water is significantly safer than bottled water for several reasons: 1. The standards governing tap are much more strict than those of the bottle water industry; 2. The plastic containers can pollute the water that it contains (I think the science here is not totally worked out just yet)