By Lynn Thorp, National Campaigns Director
While the letters our members write to President Obama encouraging him to keep
clean water progress moving are great, the
pictures their children draw are even better. Water issues are big and complex, and World Water Day is a good moment to look at that very big picture. If our children's drawings collection is any indication, the next generation of the general public will be knowledgeable about water issues. I'm very impressed with their understanding that human and animal waste are connected to water pollution, for example. If you spend time around smaller children, you know this is fun to draw too.
These drawings also inspire me to think that we can meet one of our biggest challenges when it comes to water - heightened public awareness. We simply can not preserve this precious resource if we don't understand how our activities pollute and destroy it. We will not have adequate water for drinking and other uses if we don't stand up to special interests who would rather exploit the resource now and worry about it later. Here in the United States where we live in relative water luxury,
we have a particular responsibility. We also have to be open to new technologies and new thinking about water use and management. Everyone needs to know where the water coming out of their taps comes from. If it is from a Public Water System they need to understand that a lot of chemistry and engineering is going in to bringing them that water. If it's from a private well, they need to understand the many risks to groundwater these days.
It's a lot to swallow, but it's necessary. And when it comes to being ready to appreciate and protect water, I think the kids may just have it down.
Happy World Water Day
