The Blue Alternative - How to Win the Water Wars

Many of us are unaware that we are currentlyProfit is made when these Corporations take over
engaged in a subversive war over our water. Thethe water supplies of entire areas and even
delicate balance of our eco-systems rest oncountries. Water has been made a salable commodity
maintaining the homeostasis of our global weatherinstead of a natural resource and a human right.
patterns, the ratio of Oxygen and CO2, and ourThis means life and death on the basis of profit;
eco-structures. The rise in carbon emissions,those that can afford it get water, those that can't,
deforestation and misuse of our natural resourcesgo without.
has created a breakdown in these systems.Privatization of water ownership means that
Our most precious natural resource, second only tocorporations can charge whatever they want and
the air we breathe is our fresh water supply. Weforce poor countries into virtual slavery to rob them
require water in order to exist. Without it we wouldof their water while denying them basic sovereign
not survive more than a few days. But our outdatedrights within their own borders.
laws do not encourage proper sustainable use ofFor example:
water and we are fast becoming a desert.Kenya is already being forced to use cholera
97% of the Earth's water is salt water...the other 3%contaminated water. Their water is too expensive
is our fresh water supply and it is either too pollutedfor adequate use, so they are dying. The World
for human consumption or even human contact or itTrade Organization forces them to give their crops
is at risk. Chemicals used in industry, human andaway for too little so that they can get water.
animal waste, hormones, pesticides and otherBolivians are rising up against the Transnational
chemicals used in agriculture have been the primaryCorporations who own their water. They pay more
causes of water pollution.for their water than for their food. In Mexico, a
Chemical waste, sewage, dead animals, pesticides andwell-known soft-drink (owned by Nestle, one of the
toxic substances go into the ground water and intothree major water monopolies) is half the price of
the crops we eat as food. The result has been thatwater.
we've been exposed to various diseases like cancer,The Solution: the Blue alternative
tuberculosis, cholera, polio and many otherWe can save our precious water. We must take
toxin-caused syndromes from our water supply.back our water rights and demand that our leaders
An even more imminent threat is that we are miningpass legislation that protects this essential and
the water that is usable faster than it can bevulnerable resource.
replaced. A disastrous result of the disappearingWe need to:
water table underneath populated areas like Mexico1. Stop corporate theft of our most precious natural
City is that the city is slowly sinking.resource.
Extreme weather due to climate change also has had2. Keep the water where it belongs. Dig holes to
dire consequences on how the world's water iscapture the water and make small dams, like
distributed. Warmer weather has driven the cloudsbeavers, out of sticks and logs in the waterways so
out to sea and dumped our rainfall into the oceansthat the water will pool and the aquifer will start to
while the interior lakes and rivers are receiving lessreplenish and reforestation will occur.
and less.3. Localize our food systems and de-industrialize food
Deforestation too, contributes to soil erosion. If thereand water. Boycott water monopolies.
are no trees to hold the soil in place water cannot4. Turn off the tap.
pool correctly and we are facing a desertification5. Use low-flow toilets low-use shower heads. Look
crisis. Some sources say that within 50 years theinto grey water recycling.
world's water supply will collapse. Water will become6. If your area does not support a lawn naturally,
more precious than oil.don't have one.
If we run out of water, we will find ourselvesThese are just a few of the ways that we can win
without the single most important resource besidesthe Water Wars. We can and must do more, learn
air that we require for survival. This has led to themoreand take action to prevent another
ensuing war over water or Blue Gold.short-sighted casualty of this War at the hands of
Big Business knows how precarious is our freshour apathy and private corporate self-interest.
water and have been co-opting the right to treat,We the People must be the custodians and guardians
bottle and move water and turn a profit thereby.of our water supply.