Is Water a Commodity? By Katya Yacob and Jon Woods

            Is water a commodity, or is it more? Water has been used to keep life nourished and healthy for billions of years. On earth, the only things needed are food, water, and an atmosphere, but the United States use of water as a commodity could cause our fresh water supply to run out. According to the USGS “In the United States in 2005, we used about 328 billion gallons per day of surface water and about 82.6 billion gallons per day of groundwater”(USGS). The way we use water is surprising. “Estimates vary, but each person uses about 80-100 gallons of water per day”(USGS). This past week in the Marin School of Environmental leadership we focused on water, from how it impacts health, education, poverty, and hunger in Africa, to our own use of water in Seminar,  the class were we look specifically at environmental impacts.

In the morning we have health class in which we discussed the movie Erin Brockovich. In this movie we learned about how PG&E contaminated water sources in Hinkley California with hexavalent Chromium. Then in the movie, as in real life, Erin Brockovich fights to win the case, but the point is that this has happened before and water can be contaminated and can cause serious damage to the habitat and to our valuable fresh water resources. In Hamilton Air Force Base there was a gas station that leaked and caused an oil plume to ruin a possible freshwater resource but because of the underground contamination it was too dangerous for people to live there. Another example is the B.P. oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, which diminished and devastated the wildlife and many communities. If we diminish our fresh water we will run out of water. We need to focus on the facts.

            In Seminar, we looked at how water was more of a commodity then anything. We use water for everything: from washing dishes to manufacturing the dishwasher. If you think about it, water bottles are a commodity. We can get water were ever we want instead of walking miles and it is now to money to be made. These companies want money and do not realize the impact that they are truly making. They are manufacturing death. It has been proven that in most cases tap water is better for you then bottled water, but then the question is raised about why people drink bottled water. Well, it is because it is easier. Have you ever been walking around and just get thirsty? You can just go to the closest store and get a bottle of water, instead of filling up a reusable container before you leave. This is allowing people all around the world the produce a gargantuan amount of plastic. We also learned about how there is too little water globally. Say one country has water rights to this source. If a country does, it can be diminished by the time it gets to its next stop. Water stress is to be considered when there is less then 1700 cubic feet of reliable runoff per person. We are slowly falling into that category and what is next? The next stage is water scarcity were there is less that 1000 cubic feet of reliable runoff per person. To help increase our supply of freshwater, we use dams and reservoirs, which can cause valleys to flood. It also causes downstream estuaries and cropland to be deprived of nutrient silt. Sometimes people do not realize our soon to happen water crisis but everyone requires to have to help. Not just a small community but also the whole world.

In Biology, we learned about many things including acids and bases. Acids make things sour and bases make things bitter, but in an acidic solution there is more hydronium ions then hydroxide ions and a base is the opposite. In order for life we must keep the pH levels balanced. When chemicals run into rivers it cause the pH to change, which can cause the habitat to die and kill the life using it for survival. And speaking of rivers, we carried this idea into language arts.

In English we read a book called A River Runs Through It by Norman Maclean. It was about childhood memories and how fly-fishing was the family's way of keeping in touch and seeing each other, and how the family relaxed and got to spend time with together. Since we are learning and talking about water, this book is a great example on how much we rely on water, not only for our daily usage but also for our hobbies and activities that we enjoy doing. MSEL English is where we look at our thematic focus on a symbolic level, so we talked a lot about water’s importance as a symbol of life and time and interconnectedness.  As Maclean wrote, “All things merge into one, and a river runs through it.”

In World Geography, we take a closer look around the world and how each country and the people inside are either suffering without water or have a plentiful amount of it. In Marin County, most people have access to as much water as they please. In my family we don't worry about us running out of water if someone takes a long shower or we keep on washing our clothes. I bet the thought doesn't even run into most family members' minds. But remember, while you're having gallons and gallons of water per hour another child probably younger than you walks for miles to get water for the family. They miss school, work, and almost anything to get water. Since water is something we have to have to survive how will the world look in 50 years if we keep on being careless about the amount of water we are using now? We take advantage of having water while others will fight over having a glass if not sip. Conversations and questions like these are what we are trying to address, going into detail about what we as individuals can do to help.

Each person uses about 80-100 gallons of water per day in the United States! Now multiply that number of gallons per person, per day to the millions of people who live here and maybe use more. That will be over 300 billion gallons of surface water per day! How much surface and drinkable water do most people think we have? An endless supply of water? NO! Before it's too late we really need to act now! Water is a precious resource and if you can go without an hour of using it in any way (pencils, paper, shoes, clothes, and etc.) then we would applaud you, because life relies heavily on it.

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/qa-home-percapita.html

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/earthhowmuch.html