As the Covid epidemic continues, we are constantly reminded to wash our hands with warm water and soap. Which is a good thing. Provided of course that you have access to water.
Over half the world’s population does not have access to water to wash their hands with soap. But that’s someone else’s issue, right?
Well, what about the declining aquafers in the mid-west? How about the severe drought conditions in the U.S. western states? Did you know that 45% of the lower 48 are currently experiencing a drought?
Water, or more specifically, clean, safe, and accessible water is important to everyone’s survival. But what do you think would happen if water became scarce? Watch out! Things would get really ugly, really fast.
But that doesn’t have to happen. One of the good things that has come out of this pandemic is that there is a growing awareness that we are all in this together. People are realizing that any “weak link” in the chain of human interaction can severely affect someone else. Recent environmental issues are indicating that this same principle holds true when it comes to the world’s natural resources. In other words, without a clean environment and abundant natural resources, like water, the quality of life and even life itself is at risk.
What do we do? We all need to work together to not only beat Covid worldwide, but we also need to work together to ensure that our planet and species not only survives but thrives.
Darwin was wrong. It is not the strongest that survive. The ones that survive are those that learn to cooperate and exist with one another and other things.