Where's Waldo? More Like Where's Water?

I was very excited to take Literature and Civilizations II as I thought it would provide comedic relief during my day and that it would further expand my knowledge of literature, however, I was a bit caught off guard when I found out that we would be focusing on water. I was concerned that I wouldn’t be exposed to a new way of thinking, and became curious about how water could become a deep topic of discussion. I figured that we would just be looking at pieces of literature that were set around a body of water (water affecting humans), however, I never imagined that we would be concentrating on how humans affect water like we just did with Fishman’s book, The Big Thirst. I am pleased to say that my initial excitement for Literature and Civilizations II is revived, and I can’t wait to see what else we talk about in class this semester! I feel like water has played a large role in my life this semester (and it’s ironic that I say this because water has ALWAYS played a huge role in my life…I just wasn’t aware of it) not only through our discussions of water in class, but also in outside articles I have read regarding health/fitness, and in an organization I am in called the Chancellor’s Leadership Program! It is interesting to note the many ways that water affects my life, and there are many connections amongst the things I have learned just in the short time I have been back at school.

Water is a vital resource for humans as well as for our planet, and I enjoyed reading about the three layers that are mentioned in Chapter 9 of The Big Thirst. He talked about how the earth must be replenished by water first, even before humans, in order for water to remain plentiful, and I definitely agree with this idea. I am a huge supporter and promoter of environmental sustainability, and ever since I was little I have always had a passion to help our earth. The topics we just covered in class are very meaningful to me, and the water crisis problems really hit home. I am constantly worried about the direction that our earth is moving in, and many of the statistics given by Fishman further enhanced my concern with the wellbeing of our environment. Not only is the earth suffering due to the water crisis, but humans are suffering too, and it will most likely get worse before it can get better.  

I have recently read a few health and fitness articles that discuss why our bodies need to be constantly replenished by water, and while I may agree with these doctors, I have begun to feel guilty for “hogging” the clean water. I know I should be rehydrating often, and drinking about 8 glasses of water per day but this just doesn’t feel right anymore. A similar topic was brought up last week while I was at my meeting for the Chancellor’s Leadership Program about how much water humans should drink. We discussed everyone’s stress levels and performance levels on tests, and came to the conclusion that one of the ways to enhance one’s functioning capability is by drinking more water. The right amount of water each day helps our bodies to stay focused and retain information better. We are less tired throughout the day, and water will help your body feel energized. Water definitely impacts humans in a positive way but what if humans were to think of water as impacting our earth with these same positive attributes. Our earth should be treated with the same care that we treat ourselves with, and water is one of the most important things we can give our earth. So why continue to deprive the earth of the best possible thing to keep it running smoothly? I agree that the logistics to a successful water crisis plan of attack is hard to imagine, however, if humans would just think of the earth as a special entity just the same way as we consider each other to be, then maybe a change can be made. Water has been a big topic of discussion for me this semester, and I know that it will increasingly be a popular area of focus around the world. I am going to do my part to help our planet and future generations by cutting back on my use of water (not by restricting myself to drinking less water, which would in fact be unhealthy, but by limiting the amount of times I am wasting water).