To humanity in the desert the sudden appearance of dark clouds was not ominous. They may have prayed or danced to summon their appearance. Rain was a blessing; water was sacred; life was in the balance. Globally a ritual repeats itself: the washing of the body for purification, the sanctity of the garden lush with greenery and water. Civilization began in proximity to water and flourished when mankind learned to manipulate it. When the resource became inadequate, civilizations collapsed (Moran 2008).
Globally, the process continues, but perhaps at an extreme never before experienced. Water on Earth isn't rare. From space our planet glows iridescently blue with the shimmer of sunlight on the ocean. Water that humanity can use is exceedingly rare. For every person on Earth now, there is just 1700 cubic meters of fresh water, the amount an average American uses in 11 months, the largest component of which is stored in underground aquifers. Very little exist in liquid form on the surface. And a trend is becoming evident. An already rare resource is becoming rarer. If it seems water is plentiful, it is because water is disparately distributed. Many regions have very little and though others may have more, cyclical process produce periods of prolonged drought. Pollution and overuse threaten freshwater reserves remaining. In the United States for instance, less than half of the freshwater available 55 years ago is available now. In many countries, fresh water supplies have been decimated. Eighty percent of Chinese rivers can no longer support healthy ecosystems and have suffered ecological collapse. Nearly half of American rivers and lakes are considered too polluted to be safe for human beings (Alois, 2007).
Oil, a substance important economically, but not needed to support life, has already sparked global contest. Many worry that conflict, and possibly war, over water will be next, escalating to global proportions. Examples already abound: Palestine, India, east Africa, and China already experience conflict that can be linked to water shortages and pollution. And these shortages may be exacerbated by global climate disruption (Foulkes, 2006).
Humanity began among the arid and semi arid regions of the world. When we study these cultures it may be important to consider that we are not studying the past or present, but planning for our future.
Additional Links:
Water Wars
Blue Gold
Global Trends in Water Availability
Alois, P. (2007, April). Global water crisis overview. Retrieved from http://www.arlingtoninstitute.org/wbp/global-water-crisis/441#_ftn6
Foulkes, I. (2006, August 16). Water shortage a global problem. Retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4796909.stm
Moran, E. F. (2008). Human adaptability. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
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I like your writing style. You write about a very important issue, as this has been an ongoing problem for so many years. It's interesting though because many people complain about the drought, however, when you turn on the faucet... there's ALWAYS water. So I've heard that many people listen to the news but never follow through because they don't see it.
ReplyDeleteI know in many countries there dying due to the lack of clean water that we American's take advantage of. Is it possible to transport our water to them? I hope there never comes a time where there will be a war over water, as there is over oil... because then, they will point the finger at Americans, as we waste, use and overuse more than necessary.
"If it seems water is plentiful, it is because water is disparately distributed. "
ReplyDeletethis statement is so true. we hear about water shortages but it is hard to take these warnings to heart when we do not see it.
i can imagine when the time comes that we DO see water shortage more people will want to act. however, it will probably be too late. and then the war over water will begin.
maybe water companies should shut off our water supply randomly to not only save water but to open our eyes to how much water we actually use/waste. i will definitely be more aware to my water usage.
Very interesting post. I agree that future wars will be fought over water sources. It seems that most, if not all, battles have been fought over some resource. With something as important as water, there needs to be drastic steps taken to ensure it is being used sustainably so that these conflicts never arise and that populations can exist without assistance.
ReplyDeleteJust one point: I would argue that oil is a substance needed to support life. Without it, we would be unable to support life on this planet with the current population and percentage of people living in urban environments. How would we get are food into the cities without oil or fossil fuels? Oil is an integral part of the life cycle in the modern world.
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