Water

Water, it is the life force of our planet. The one thing that all living creatures have in common. We all need water to life. But only humans take water for granted. Why is that? Is it because we look at pictures of the earth and see the overwhelming amounts of it. Water covers 70.9% of the earths surface. Yet only 1% of this water is drinkable.

Humans exploit water. We use it for every aspect of our lives. Not only to drink and cook with but for everything. We use it to clean ourselves, our houses, our cars, our clothes and anything else we think is dirty. We use it to warm our houses or to chill our food. I bet most people don't even know that their fridges need water to work. We use water to create electricity to power our lives. Not only with hydro electric dams but also with nuclear, coal and gas burning plants. It's steam that spins the turbines. We use it in the manufacturing of almost all goods on earth. We also use it to transport those goods around the world. It's not something we every really think about. How much we depend on water to survive. Not just directly but also in an indirectly way. Think of all the people on earth that use water to make a living. From plumbers to fisherman. Water provides us with an abundance of food to eat. Think of how much food we harvest from the oceans each year. But the oceans provide us with much more than food. There is one more essential thing humans need to live oxygen. And 75% of the world oxygen is produced by the algae living in our oceans.

The human body is made up of about 60% water. Water that needs to be replenished on a daily basis. I am lucky enough to live in a part of the world that has the best drinking water on earth. All I need to do is turn on the tap and I have an endless supply of fresh clean drinking water. This is the case for the majority of the first world. It is something we don't even think about. But we have become accustomed to the convenience of bottled water. North America alone drinks around 34 billion liters of bottled water a year. That sends 30 million plastic water bottles to the landfills a year. All that waste created all because we are too lazy to turn on our taps. 884 million people lack access to safe water, yet us who do waste so much water every day. The ancient Romans had better water quality than half the people alive today. Meanwhile we keep buying our bottled water. These companies give us all these claims as to why we should drink their water. They pay celebrities millions of dollars to promote their water. Some even give 5 cents a bottle to help build wells in third world countries. But it isn't enough. EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO CLEAN AND ACCESSIBLE WATER.  So why can't we make that happen?

We need to start respecting water more. It is one of the most powerful forces on earth. Just as it brings life to us all it can take it away just as easily. We need to start learning from the past. Water has destroyed some of the great civilizations in our history.  Completely wiped them from the face of the earth. Barely leaving any trace of their existence. The many tsunami's of the past few years have shown us that we haven't learnt much. Still we leave ourselves vulnerable to the mercy of the oceans. It sweeps in and takes lives at will. Destroying everything in its path. We have the know how and the technology. Not to defeat water but to live in harmony with it.

Lake Titicaca

It was a unconventional morning to say the least, but it was a morning to remember. It was pitch black and there was an eerie silence in the bakery. It was a nice change to the fast paced and hectic life we are accustomed to at work. I enjoyed just getting to spend some time with you without the distractions of work.  I needed today. I needed the break from the monotonous routine that plays over and over again each morning. 

It was just a great couple of hours all around. Jello shots, Double Quarter Pounders with cheese and cones. The breakfast of champions. Our heart to heart on the flour bags. Playing cards at McDonalds and just having a good chat. I claimed my first two victories ever at speed and you taught me how to play Egyptian war. I should have listened to you when you told me not to answer my phone. Snap back to reality. Power is on and it's time to work. I could have stayed there with you all day. Oh well  it was fun while it lasted. 

Space Station

I wish I was up there right now. Looking down on earth. It must give you a whole different perspective on the world. You would almost have an omniscient view of the planet. Looking down at all the countries from above. Seeing the lights of all the big cities lighting up the land below. To see the deep blue of the oceans and how they stretch around the world. To look down at the storms sweeping over those oceans. I wonder what the tsunami looked like from up here. You wouldn't even know the severity of it from here. I bet it just looked like a tiny ripple in the water. Like a wave in a puddle. You would have no idea that thousands of people were being killed in an instance. Washed away from existence. You must have a sense of safety up here. Knowing that all the troubles of the world below can not reach you way up here. Safe from wars, dictators, diseases and disasters. I wonder if you start to get an arrogance about yourself. Looking down at billions of people struggling through there daily life must make you feel superior to them. The laws of the earth don't apply to you when you are up there. Or maybe you just get a sense of helplessness knowing that there is nothing you can do for all below you. You are stuck there watching as millions of people die every day. As the world turns bringing a new day and a new night. Life goes on without you. Maybe you begin to feel left out, lost and lonely. Maybe the world has forgotten about you. Cast you away from earth. Stranded in the vast nothingness of space. So distant from us yet still so dependent on us. Will we ever bring you home?