Drink Tap Water! (Part Two)

You guys, I wrote about the importance of drinking tap water already, but last night I went to the Natural History Museum to watch a film called "Last Call at the Oasis." It's part of the ongoing Environmental Film Festival (until March 25! Free movies all over the city! Check it out here!).
Anyway, drinking tap water is so important. This is something our government gives to us! It is regulated and safe to drink. If more and more people abandon tap water because it is "gross," the system will eventually be unable to pay for updates and further regulation. It won't be a priority, which will leave those that cannot afford expensive bottled water in the lurch. If water is privatized and capitalized upon, marginalized populations will be further marginalized. Health and access to clean drinking water will become yet another social stratification. People are already making enough money off of our health and safety. We need to support free, healthy, and safe public drinking water and the best way to do this is to drink it!

So, the film was unsettling. The tone was of urgency--we need to act now and fast. Water conservation is no joke, not even in wealthy countries like our own. We also have to make sure that all people have access to this resource. There are small towns in America where people are getting sick or suffering from long term health problems and cancers because of the water they're drinking, bathing in, and cooking with. Water is everything, and it's time to start respecting it as such. Water will continue to become more and more valuable as the population grows. There are many ways we can help conserve water--it's not just your obvious water usage, but hidden in other things--light bulbs, red meat, and clothing all have a water "price" attached to them. By conserving water and respecting the earth and our neighbor's, we can ensure that all people have access to clean water.
This is an important issue that requires attention and response. Do your part by drinking from the tap and conserving what you can.
--Megan