Shocking Facts about Water

There are many reasons to get involved with conserving and recycling water. Nationally and internationally prices are going up, regulations are increasing (hello drought season), and most importantly the environmental impacts have become overwhelming. Much of my day is spent researching news articles, research papers, tweets, and anything else that is related to the water crisis that we may or may not realize is going on. On a daily basis, I find myself gasping at the amount of information found. For example here are some of the environmental tweets I saw over the course of a 24 hour period (I don't sleep, I tweet):

@foodandwater: According to the World Health Organization, about 1.7 billion people still lack access to clean water

@planet_water: [in regards to bottle water] it takes 3 times the amount of water to produce the bottle as it does to fill it.

@planet_water: 22% of tested bottled water brands contain chemical contaminants at levels above strict health limits.

@planet100: The cost of rapid growth: half of China's water is undrinkable http://bit.ly/a29J19

@OrganicaWater: More than One Out of three U.S. Counties face water shortages due to climate change http://shar.es/mNcix

@Water: #whywater? Every 20 seconds a child dies from a preventable water-related disease. http://bit.ly/asdPga

As a middle-class American, I must say, sometimes I'm left stupified. I've always had water-clean water and it's always been affordable, or has it? As twenty something-I've only been paying attention to water bills for--never. The bill comes and I pay it, sometimes I'm shocked by how much it costs, but nothing more than it's a bill I have to pay. Since the days of highschool I can remember every summer drought statements being issued. And an obvious tree hugger, I 100% know the damage to this earth by our abundant water usage.

Where do we start?

• Do we attack the obvious bottled water industry for providing us such a ridiculous product? Go to your tap, fill it up, costs 99% less, and you're already paying for it.
• Do we attack the agriculture business for mass agriculture? If you created a wastewater treatment plant, you wouldn't have to hook up to the municipality, you could water with your own water.
• Do we start with you, the enduser, what are ways besides turning off the faucet, not buying bottled water, taking 10 minute showers only, not letting the water heat up, buying low-flow everything.

The information I recieve on a daily basis is alarming. Water is a critical commodity. Yes it is a renewable resouce, however, the rate at which we are depleting our groundwater tables does not allow for renew.

Most everyone enjoys going to rivers, lakes, and beaches. What if in 50 years, that was no longer an option for you?