Clean Water

Yup, I meant it. I am indeed going to claim that clean water is of fundamental importance. that hardly needs to be discussed, right? Who could argue against the necessity of that which is the very foundation of our existence? Here we are, with our bodies largely made of water; we cannot deny that we need it.

Why then we value it so lowly is a ponder. Just as we allow our public air to be polluted, so too do we allow our public water to be polluted. And this is to the detriment of all. The arguments are largely the same as for clean air: we quite simply need clean air and water. This is right down at the bottom of the hierarchy of needs.

The argument that the government typically makes for not regulating pollutants is that undue environmental regulation disrupts the normal operation, and thus costs jobs. But this obviously is valuing jobs over clean air and water. Would you rather have a job or clean water? It seems to me that if I didn't have clean water, there would be little point in having a job.

Wouldn't it be great if the beautiful waters of our world were clean and teeming with life? Wouldn't it be great if there was clean water to swim in? Clean water to drink?

We take it for granted because it seems so plentiful. A friend of mine once suggested to me, in all seriousness, that the solution to the trash problem was simply to grind it up and throw it in the ocean. The ocean is vast, but it's not that vast (Don't believe me? Try a search on "plastic oceans").

Wouldn't it be great if the oceans were clean and teeming with life? If the great mammals of the ocean were able to live in a clean environment? (Which should not be taken to suggest that I want the smallest microscopic plankton to be living in pollution.)

It is these things that form the foundation of any dream. Any hopes for the future must necessarily include such basic things as air and water, not to mention good food, shelter, etc.
In this day and age, when these basic fundamental needs, which are also fundamental and profound sources of pleasure, are at risk, it is a worthy moment to talk about them and to focus on their value.

Wouldn't it be great if there were clean water for all? And enough still to grow food and turn the world green? Wouldn't it be great if there were enough water to make the deserts bloom?