Water: A Scarce Resource

March 22nd was the United Nation's World Water Day. World Water Day started in 1993 and occurs annually to recognize the UN's initiatives towards meeting basic human and ecological needs for potable water by the year 2015. You can find more information about World Water Day and the UN's initiatives at the following website: http://www.worldwaterday.org/page/107

In the wake of World Water Day, I've gotten to thinking a lot about the increasing value of water...something that's just always been there for me, running freely out of a tap in my own home no less. Have I been taking advantage of the fact that I've always had access to safe water? Running out of water is definitely not something I imagined would ever be an issue in my lifetime...and maybe it won't be, but I have an infant who I strongly hope will always have access to the basics of personal hygiene and nutrition. Having said that, thousands, if not millions of people, including children, struggle and suffer daily as a result of a lack of potable water.

Closer to home, the Alberta government is supportive of a water regulation system that is far from prioritizing basic human rights. Believe it or not, industries and municipalities actually own water licenses, something I was completely unaware of. Currently, environmental groups have expressed concern about the possibility of WATER - yes, WATER - being 'up for sale' in a provincial, deregulated, private market. What? Making profit off water? A basic necessity to human survival? How is this possible? I stumbled across this shocking information in a recent edition of Vue Weekly, a local, free publication here in Edmonton. Check out the full article at the following link: http://www.vueweekly.com/article.php?id=14560

Despite the seemingly crooked nature of provincial legislation regarding water allocation, this is further indication that the threat of running short on safe water is very real. I certainly encourage everyone to pursue any ways in which they can support provincial movement towards fair sharing of water: the elixir of life I always say! But in the meantime, I believe that many small movements in any one positive direction surely makes for one big, impactful change. So, what kind of small things can YOU (and I) do to make one big difference that ultimately saves water? I have a few suggestions that I've been exercising:

- You know how when you're camping and you have about 5 cups of water for that whole load of dirty dishes? And you know how it always works out just fine anyways? Well, pretend like you're camping every day when you wash dishes.

- "If it's yellow, let it mellow, if it's brown, flush it down." The water-saving motto for toilet flushing.

- Furthermore, you can save several gallons of water per day if you put a plastic bottle filled with pebbles and water in the back of your toilet tank.

- If you have dinner guests and not everyone finishes their water, put the extra water in a jug for watering plants. Same goes for any source of extra water that would otherwise get dumped down the drain.

- Another camping take on water conservation: pretend you're camping whilst brushing your teeth. Use a small cup full of water, which surely conserves more than running the tap. And if you insist on running the tap, at the very least, turn it off whilst brushing!

- Use lesser amounts of water for boiling vegetables, pasta, quinoa, etc. and bring to a slower boil. Water otherwise discarded from vegetable boiling can be used as a broth rich with valuable nutrients, minerals and vitamins.

Please comment below with any further suggestions. And let me thank you in advance for your efforts towards what I hope will be a sweeping global movement towards water conservation. Years from now, I know my son and his counterparts will thank you too.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic