It’s World Water Day

We got a bunch of water in celebration of today. Unfortunately, it came as flakes, not drops, and we were the recipients of more than twice the amount that fell in most of the area. Measured on our deck and the railing, there were 9 inches of fresh snow this morning. Last night’s forecast was for 1 to 3 inches. Almost everywhere around us topped out at 4 inches. Sunday’s forecast is for an additional 10 inches. Sigh! Spring in the North Country brings blizzards before wildflowers.

the Kinnickinnic River,
a relatively clean trout stream

Photo by J. Harrington

World Water Day this year is about Water for Peace, consistent with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Number 6. In Minnesota, and much of the rest of the country and the world, water quality is being deteriorated, largely through human activities, much like the climate is being disrupted through human greenhouse gas pollution. Do you see a larger pattern here? At the rate we’re going, we won’t be able to colonize Planet B or it’s successors in time to save what’s left of the human race. And if the pattern continues to be consume, dispose, destroy, we’ve no business infecting the rest of the solar system or galaxy. Time to make ecocide a capital offense for countries, corporations,, and their executives?

On a brighter note, at least for now, as the snow melts and rain falls and spring springs, water willl seep into the ground and flow overland to our rivers and streams. Some of us will grab a rod and head out to see what, if anything, we can catch. I’ve been pondering how many of us would be interested in protecting access to and the quality of local waters if we didn’t fish, canoe, kayak, swim, etc. It’s been more than 50 years since the Clean Water Act Amendments of 1972 were enacted, with the goals of:

• "to make all U.S. waters fishable and swimmable by 1983;"
• "to have zero water pollution discharge by 1985;"
• "to prohibit discharge of toxic amounts of toxic pollutants".^[120]: 1

We are failing miserably and seem headed backwards from attaining those goals. Unless we make more progress, faster, we’re unlikely to attain peace in our time with those who recognize “Water Is Life.”

Water

By Ralph Waldo Emerson

The water understands 

Civilization well; 

It wets my foot, but prettily, 

It chills my life, but wittily, 

It is not disconcerted, 

It is not broken-hearted: 

Well used, it decketh joy, 

Adorneth, doubleth joy: 

Ill used, it will destroy, 

In perfect time and measure 

With a face of golden pleasure 

Elegantly destroy. 

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