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Water: A Growing Problem

Cameron Douglas Craig
February 21, 2014

Water is everywhere. It is a problem because we see it as our oceans, lakes, and rivers. However, the misunderstanding is that it is a dwindling resource that we seldom think that it will disappear. In fact, we all believe that it will always be here and there in inexhaustable quantity. There dwells the extended misunderstanding.

Everytime we turn the faucet on, water comes out. However, in many parts of the world the faucet is there but nothing comes out. We take for granted that it will always be there to refresh us, to cook with, to water our gardens, and fill our pools. This precious resource is becoming more difficult to acquire in parts of the United States either to a significant drought or a dried-up aquifer. Once the resource is exhausted are we prepared to adapt to an environment or lifestyle that contains no water?

There are many that believe that this is a hoax brought on by the government in order to control its citizens. The thought of such an idea concerns many people who understand the importance of water in our daily lives. On the other hand, there are those who want to wait and see what will happen. If we wait, then we will have to repeat those unforgiving words, "Too Late."

Since the start of this personal campaign of mine in my classes at Eastern Illinois University this semester, many students have changed there attitude toward water use. In fact, some residence hall assistants here at Eastern Illinois have complained to me that students are failing to flush toilets due to that all known rhyme I repeat day after day in lecture, "if it's yellow, it's mellow. If it's brown, flush it down." I am glad that our future generations are attempting to change their habits, however, it is necessary that toilets are flushed in community shared environments.

So the growing problem is that some believe that there is nothing to worry about and/or that water will always be around. It continues to grow because instead of instilling change of our youth, we tell the future generations, "it will all be ok!"

Let's not sugarcoat the problem!

Further Information

Cameron Craig, cdcraig@eiu.edu