More Eco Blogs
- A Guide to Being Glamorously Green
- The Story of Cosmetics
- Indulge in delicious, decadent chocolate... that is FAIR for everyone!
- Elemental Connections Part 4 of 4: AIR
- Elemental Connections Part 3 of 4: EARTH
- Elemental Connections Part 2 of 4: FIRE
- Gas Prices - should it matter to you?
- The Problem with Plastics
- Going Shopping, it's all about the packaging!
- Global Warming and Our Planet
- Halloween Eco Tips
- Ecological Footprint... how big is YOURS?
- What's Happening to Our Planet?...and what can we do about it?
October 2008 Blogs
- Real Girl: Taylor
- Alberta
- COSTUME IDEAS or what to do if you're staying in
- Elemental Connections Part 1 of 4: Water
- Double, double toil and trouble
- SMILE ...and show off your pearly whites!
- What colours mean - Black
- Sharing makeup, does makeup cause acne? and hair static
- Do I look FAT today?
- Taylor Swift, country
- Before Green Gables
- The Goo Goo Dolls, pop/alternative
- What makes you beautiful?
Elemental Connections Part 1 of 4: Water
ECO NEWS, October 2008, Deanna Fry
Elemental Connections
Part 1 of 4:
There are four natural elements required for life on planet Earth. They are Fire, Earth, Air and Water. These four elements are important in the ancient science of astrology as well as in the sacred circle or medicine wheel teachings of many Aboriginal cultures around the world. Feng Shui, a Taoist system of balancing nature’s ‘yin’ and ‘yang’ energies, also includes WOOD with the basic four elements, for a total of five.
‘POTABLE’ WATER
No matter where you go or which culture you look to, water is not only important, it is a matter of survival. It seems like there should be plenty of water for everyone and everything; with all those seas and oceans - the planet Earth even looks blue from outer space.
The problem is that most of that water has salt in it, so it is not ‘potable’ or drinkable. Then there’s all the water locked up in glaciers and ice caps, and hidden far underground - yes, it’s called groundwater.
COOL FACT
If you filled a one litre container with water and said that represented all the water on Earth, the total amount of ‘potable’ surface water in lakes and rivers would only take up one drop!
Most Water - Most Usage
Here in Canada we have a very large percentage of the world’s fresh water supply, especially in the Great Lakes. Yet, as Canadians we use more water per capita (per person) than any other population in the world! Just because Canada has such a large share of that ‘one drop’ doesn’t mean we should waste it. So many of us use potable water to wash ourselves, our dishes, laundry, cars and even to water our lawns, while many other people around the world are suffering, even dying, because they don’t have access to enough clean drinking water.
HOW RIDICULOUS
Then there’s bottled water. Did you know that we’re paying more for a litre of bottled water than for the same amount of gasoline? Or that it can take the equivalent of five bottles of water just to make the plastic bottle that it comes in? We’re paying a premium price for water that is not even as regulated or safe as tap water, which has been cleaned and tested in our municipal or regional water systems!
DON’T WAIT - DO SOMETHING
So, maybe the old saying, “Waste not, want not” should be called upon here. I know you’ve heard it before ...turn the tap off when you brush your teeth ...take shorter showers ...use water saving devices like aerators on taps and low flow toilets. If you want to find out more, check out these websites (the second one even has a cool digital story called a Webisode): Rivers To Oceans by the Canadian Wildlife Federation, and Water Under Fire.
Stay tuned for Eco News on the other natural elements in upcoming articles... and write in to let me know what you know, or what you’d like to know. You know what I mean; about fire, earth and air. Till then, appreciate water and enjoy a nice, cold glass of it, or go for a swim, or a walk in the rain!
Start an Eco Challenge:
Get your class or school to start their own Eco Challenge and keep track of the results. Try creating a calendar where maybe one month everyone is encouraged to conserve water, another for reducing waste and packaged products, maybe one could be convincing parents not to idle their cars... get it started, let us know you successes and we’ll mention you in the magazine or on our web site!
~Deanna