Climate change can feel so abstract sometimes, even as we're living through it. Water scarcity, on the other hand, is something we can all feel so acutely.
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
Some say ball is life. True as that may be, but we hate to break it to you that there's something that matters even more.
Water you even saying you may ask? (No pun intended, obviously.) Water, this mysterious substance that comprises most of our planet and most of our bodies, is literally life.
Here’s what we’ll cover step-by-step:
Climate change can feel so abstract sometimes, even as we're living through it. Water scarcity, on the other hand, is something we can all feel so acutely. Even from sunup to sundown, life without can be a challenge for people. The agony of living with water shortages isn't too hard to imagine and we hate to think of it. However, with education comes awareness and that’s what we do best here in our cutesy Soapbox corner!
🎯 Action step 1 of 4: READ — Let's start by looking at a few articles together.
Let's use Dune to imagine the politics of resource extraction in our own world today. (Fun fact: the author, Frank Herbert, was a lifelong environmentalist who was affected by a smelter polluting his local waters.)
If you've read or watched Dune, you'll know that the lifestyles of the Fremen on the planet Arakis is defined by water scarcity. On this desert planet, one of the characters discovers that there are enormous pools of water. She asks why they're suffering in this world when there's water so readily available? The other character tells her that they've been conserving every single drop of water for years, so they can someday turn their planet green again.
What’s happening in Dune is not completely far off from what we see in our own world. Today, we live in an instant gratification society that is causing our resources to literally bleed dry. What needs to change?
As you read through this action pack, ponder on the the following:
Dune challenges us to rethink our relationship with our resources and our collective impact. The Fremen show that survival and regeneration depend on collective discipline and long-term thinking. As climate action asks us to move from extraction to stewardship, it’s important to understand where our resources come from and how to act with future generations in mind.
🏁 Checkpoint: This is the end of action step 1 of 4: READ.
🎯 Action step 2 of 4: LISTEN — we'll watch a short video or listen to a podcast to further expand on our topic.
Isn't it bizarre that most of us simply don't know? We turn on the tap and it just comes out (even in drought conditions)?! See how water shows up in your own life and around the world! Explore by choosing an article, tool, or video to explore.
🔨 TOOL: Find out where your water comes from.
The Soapbox team has lived in United States, India, and Europe, and until recently, we did not know where our water came from. You can use this tool in the USA and this one in the UK. However, the easiest way is to Google Ecosia ["place you live" + "watershed"]. What you find could shock you! One of our members, Joseph, learned that the rain his county gets doesn't actually feed into the place they get their water. Wild!
🗞 ARTICLE: Learn about how climate change is shitting in our water.
This story comes out of New York, but there are many lessons to be learned. Many city drains combine stormwater and sewage. This isn't a problem in "normal" conditions. However, (reality check) POOP GOES INTO THE LAKES, RIVERS, AND OUR WATER in overflow conditions (e.g. during heavy rains). It's a good time to investigate how your water supply works! The great news is that many municipalities are being proactive about this.
📹 VIDEO: Learn how China is building flood resistance with sponge cities.
Did you know that flooding doesn't necessarily have to do with proximity to a water body? In fact, one of the reasons urban environments are so tricky is because they mess with the water cycle. Rain is supposed to fall magically from the sky and then get absorbed by the ground. Instead, it hits our sidewalks and roads. China is thinking through biodiversity and nature-based solutions that help us sequester carbon, save plants/animals, AND prevent flooding!
Saving water matters when our Earth and the people on our planet truly depend on it (which they do)!
🏁 Checkpoint: This is the end of action step 2 of 4: LISTEN.
🎯 Action step 3 of 4: ACT — Now it's time to do something. Let's go!
A huge global issue can feel intangible at times, but that has never stopped us from being able to take action! We've got habit changes, one-time actions, policy levers, and thoughts and prayers. Don’t worry, there's something for everyone.
1. Go plant-forward. At the VERY LEAST, go cow-backwards.
Although finding your own path to climate action is a choose-your-own-adventure jigsaw, there are some things we know for sure. Today's agriculture system is a WATER GUZZLER. Out of all our water, only 3% is freshwater and 70% of the world's freshwater is used for agriculture. Cow-based foods like beef, cheese, and dairy are the worst offenders, along with nuts and farmed fish/prawns. Plant-based diets (and advocacy) are key to a livable planet and progress. Do what you can when you can, and don't forget to share your feelings with friends!
2. Abolish your lawn and plant native plants instead!
In our water scarcity action pack from a few months ago, we talked about abolishing your lawn. Do whatever you can to restore local ecosystems; everything is connected to the way water is used and managed. Especially as climate change gets worse and stormwater management becomes more challenging, we need to focus on nature-based solutions. That can start with YOU!
3. Advocate for funding for nature-based stormwater solutions.
The great news about water resilience is that much of it is in the hands of your municipal government, which means you can easily reach them. Flooding/stormwater issues aren't just challenges in coastal cities. If you haven't already, search "stormwater + [your municipality]" to see what's going on, and then contact your local reps.
✨ You can say something like: I’m deeply concerned about the impact our built landscapes and stormwater pollution have on our ecosystems. We need better regional and nature-based solutions like stormwater parks that address the lifecycle/maintenance challenges of stormwater infrastructure. This is critical for more resilient and vibrant habitats for all!
4. Go actually see where your water comes from.
The more connected we are to our natural resources, the more likely we are to protect it. It is different seeing your water source looking sad and dried up, right? Make a field trip and learn about your local resource.
Just think about it. Water is literally life. Water is so important to the functioning of our world, that even the robots need it. Like sure, if you want to feed your pet AI some water so it can keep existing, that's great for you. However, what if it's the cost of the rest of the world?! Use your daily habits (turning on the tap, filling up your water bottle, typing silly little questions into Chat GPT) to reflect on what the tradeoffs are.
No, we’re not saying you should stop taking showers or throw your computer away. (Well, maybe I am. Who knows?). we have the responsibility to think about our most critical resource unless we want to extinct ourselves. Thoughts & prayers could work here, especially because they'll lead to changes.
🏁 Checkpoint: This is the end of action step 3 of 4: ACT.
Before we go any further, it's time for you to pledge your commitment. It takes less than 30 seconds to pledge and we can bother you about it in a friendly way, so we can hold each other accountable. Pledge here!
🎯 Action step 4 of 4: REFLECT — what can you commit to? What fresh perspectives can we look at?
To recap this action pack, we talked about a few main themes:
In what ways do you hope to see your relationship with water change or remain the same? Here are some mindfulness activities to think more about this. You'll find 3 coloring pages courtesy of Natalie Dupille and a poem by Amber McCrary.
You can print out the coloring pages for yourself and your loved ones, while reflecting on your relationship with water.
Sometimes I feel like you
a flowering hosh, has:an, saguaro
breathing in the rocky sand
A bright, boiling star, eyes, my waxy, sprinkled skin
I look at you and I can feel the prickled
toothpicks stand on my skin
just like when I see the hosh of my eye
I feel like you before the monsoons
my ribs dry from the heat
ready for the rain
& the new year
However, this year is particularly funny
but what does this tall saguaro know?
the rain is solemn
the rain does not repeat
like it used to
I see relatives pick off
my bearable fruit
for years longer than something called a nation state
whatever that is
Sometimes I see you leading
me to other hosh older
than the state of Arizona
standing taller than the
politicians looking like overwatered prickly pear
with pricks spilling out of their mouths
poking and bleeding out
letters with no song
Sometimes I feel like you
seeing freeways being built
over my relatives and friends
feeling the rivers dry in my spine
My belly unfull
In the heat
The magnificent heat
under my weight
I am protected beyond the laws
by something stronger
something laws cannot govern
When I see you
my belly is full
& the rain clouds appear
bustling, dripping, rested
Please let it keep raining
My spine crackles in between love and loss
of language and land
the cars spit grief in the name of sublime song
A terror to us, a barrier between my skin and song
We can't hear it anymore
only the sound of wheels whizzing and whirring
all in the name of a construct of the mind
the loveless of the sands
it is raw in your belly
it is raw in their language
it is raw in a bleeding mind
Please do not let my belly disappear
We all play a part in our urban environments. Water has shaped our geography for longer than we've been alive, and it's only recently that humans have played a role in the flow of water. For better or for worse, we're in charge of the things we build. Without water, we are nothing, and it's time to do our very best to protect it.
🏁 Checkpoint: This is the end of action step 4 of 4: REFLECT.
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