Water Sharing
A recent editorial titled, “Hands off our water,” disturbed me greatly. This is the same type of “us vs. them” mentality that has put the world on the eve of destruction.
Let me briefly summarize the editorial: The Great Lakes region, which holds 20 percent of the world’s fresh water, is being encouraged to share its bountiful blessing with those suffering through drought, and record low water reserves in other areas of the country.
Jennifer Granholm, the Governor of Michigan responds with an empathic - “Hell no!” One sound bite from the article that troubles me is “[We] should not drain off so much as an ounce of the lake’s water to other areas of the country, no matter how dry they are.”
A concern was raised that dry-state officials would like to siphon away the Great Lakes to water their desert golf courses. That of course could be outlawed, the water would be far too expensive for that to happen anyway. Our unwillingness to share with Waukesha, Milwaukee, a close neighbor who has high levels of cancer causing agents in their drinking water, is, well, condemnable.
We are stewards of that water, not guards; we should be shipping that water to people in need near and far. We’re willing to pay any price for tankers to bring us oil from half was around the world, but won’t raise a finger to quench parched lips or a tongue swollen with thirst.
There are jobs to be created, and money to be made which could be reinvested into desalination technology.
Forgive me for playing the God card, but I’m sure you know by now that’s my bag.