Monday, November 26, 2007

Water


Water.
It is essential for all forms of life. We need it to live. 70% of the human body is water and 80% of our brain! In fact, humans can only go without water for about a week before the body would shut down and die. 71% of the earth's surface is covered by water. Saltwater makes up about 97% of the earth's water. Leaving only a small percentage of the earth's water that's suitable for human consumption (drinking).

1 billion people around the world do not have access to clean drinking water. 1 BILLION. That's 1/6 of the earth's population. You know what the number one killer is worldwide? UNSAFE DRINKING WATER. It's hard to believe living here in Portland, where we can turn on the faucet anytime and clean water comes out, but it is a reality. Every day 14,000 people die because they don't have safe, clean drinking water. Every day. Lack of clean drinking water is responsible for 80% of all sickness in the world.

1 child dies every fifteen seconds from lack of clean drinking water.

What can be done about this? Drilling water wells is one of the most common and practical solutions to the problem. Wells cost anywhere from $5000-$50,000 to construct (build). There are also costs to maintain the well, so that it continues to work properly. However, 1 well can provide clean drinking water to thousands of people each day. There are many organizations that collect money in order to drill wells in places where they are needed. In fact, you can go to the website water.cc and give money to help with this problem. As little as $1 can provide clean, safe drinking water to one person for one year.

Check out this idea for helping solve the water crisis (problem) around the world. It's called the H20 Challenge. Would you like to be a part of it?

What do you think about this? How does it make you feel? What are some other things we take for granted living in the United States (other than clean drinking water)? Leave a comment and let me know.

24 comments:

vazquez said...

I feel bad about that, but I think it is a good idea to collect money for this poeple. i think we waste to much water here and they need alot clean water.

Mr. Enns said...

You're right. We do waste a lot. We should all think about that when we use water. I always make sure that I turn off the water while I am brushing my teeth. Another thing we can do is to make sure that we wash FULL loads of dishes in our dishwashers and clothes in our washing machines. What are some other things we can do to save water??

nereyda said...

Well I think that we need to save water here because other countries need a lot of the water that we waste and suffer a lot for not havig a drop of clean water. I think it is a good idea to donate money for the people that need it.

lesly said...

I think we should be saving more water because only about 1.1 billion people get clean water and by saving more we can really help others that need water. I also think that the president should be helping ang doing something about those people that don't have any water and if the president would help maybe the people that don't have any water would have some water.

yovana said...

when I read about this I did not really know how bad this was. This really opened my mind and eyes to what reality is really ike. I nevre knew that every fifteen seconds someone dies because of unsafe water. Just last night I had some water and I filled the glass.Then I just drink the half and thew the rest away.
This really makes me feel sad. Knowing that there are people who do not have water and because of unsafe water they die. There are so many things that I take for granted. Like when I'm eatting and I do not finish evey thing that I have on my plat. this is really a big deal to me.
Reading all the informatiln about how some people can't drink safe water. This make me think twis about things that I have and what I should do instid of throwing it away. I want to seend money to help people that do not have safe water.

Ellochka said...

I dont think that we should drink dirty water from the sink its not healthy and have alot of differe nt kinds of bacteria. A person who wants to drink water can by a filter that will clesn the water really fast or if you dont want to spend extra money on filter you can just boil dirty water. Its much healthier to drink. Some people still drink water from rivers because yhey coldnt g et water in their hauses. Its very sad that alots of people died from dirty water. Maybe goverment should think of something like a big filter for all the people.

yuli said...

Wow!! i didn't know that. But yeah is very bad and very sad that not all the people have clean water to drink. while i was reading this i felt very bad for all t the people that don't have clean water.by drinking a lot of water you can lose weight too. Soo drink a lot of water, water is good for you.

negar said...

It makes me feel very sad, we see a lot of people who waste water a lot and don't care about that and thousands of people die, because of unsafe water.
water is very important for our body and it's better than any other drink. But those people drink the water which is dirty and it will make them sick.
We must know how important water is and care about it and don't waste it. We have to take care of water and don't through our things in it and don't make it dirty. I think the countries which have safe water, must help them. They can send money for them. people can also help them. But we have to do something, because they need clean water, just like any other people.

Unknown said...

I think that we should safe money for people that dont have clean water so they would be healthy by drinking clean water and its also a very good thing to help people.
but thier is some ways to help like dont use lots of water when u dont need it.

wendy said...

I think that the money we save should go to the people that dont have any thing like water.Most of the time here in the united states we kind of have what ever we want almost.The movie that I just saw made me think in a different way because if your not that cold blooded you will really care for this pour people and kids.And here most people are selfish of what they have and thats not A good thing for them.You know what that would be good if we did something about it like you were saying.

hoa said...

i think i am very lucky to have warter to drink. I can't believe every fifteen second have someone dies because don't have safe water. i think send money is the good idea to save thousand of people die everyday.

Emily.Z said...

i think we should save more water. become there are a lot people don't have enough water to drink. A lot people becuse don't have water died. and some people don't have clean water to drink.That's sad.i feel so bad about that.i think we should give them some help.

MANUEL said...

the water is good for the body because the water makes you life. the people that know that other people are dying for water they can give maney to people that needs water for there family.

Sandra V said...

I thick that some people don't thick about what is going on the world people thick that is going to be better and other people is gong to change it. I thick am sad that little kids are dieing because there countries don’t have that mach money to get wells.
Sandra Villa-P

Lissett said...

ariaI like this article because it has alot of information . I think that we are very luky to have clean water and in genral we because we have everything that most people would like to have . I think that it is very sad because lilttle kids are dieing from not having clean water to drink from and that every place shulod be the same no matter where they 're at . I think that we waste alot of water in in the u.s and that we need to be more careful by how we use water .

Hiroaki_Eda said...

I knew some children doesn't get any water but I didn't know that 1 child dies every fifteen second. We do waste some water by using it when we are actually not using it. We should donate some fruit because in fruit there some liquid in there and like Mr. Enns said we should donate a dollar so they can get a water.

hottmexy said...

Well I really think that yes we the people who have the benefit to have clean water waste as much as is needed on the places where there is not enough water and if there is is dirty and dangerous. So I feel very bad about this I think that is awfull of how many people and innocent children die because of this. There are many different things that are going on in the world which affect each and everyone of us in the same and in a different way, but we don't do any thing about it most of us just sit there and hope it doesn't get worse. We all need to contribute just alittle bit by everyone doing a little makes a big difference. We should all learn about the issues and try to help. :-)

*3SA DR3MER* said...

well i think your right bernardo we do need cleaner water beacuse there are things arround and pepole are geting sick so yeh and pepole r wasteing a lot of money for nothing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

3S3 Cr@ZY said...

well i think that water is very important for us the humens!!!!Becuase we us it all the the time we,wash are cloth with it,we make some food with it,we take shawers with it,etc.

xiomara rocks! said...

I think that we use to much water and need to save the water for the people that really need. We need to save more water for others and ourselves. We use water for things that we don't really need. We need water also manly for our bodies because we can die in a little if we don't drink water at all. I think if we save more water then we can share water with other countries not just us because were taking all the water and not even noticing that what we are doing. It makes me think that a lot of other kids, adults, elders, and teens need water in other places because they have little water in more poor places and we just take the water. But if we could clean some of the we could give that water to them.

Anonymous said...

The water is very important for our bodies which is 80% of water, Here in United States most people have clean water but that is not the case in other countries they have to drink dirty water. I think we have to do something. If you donate one dollar you can help a lot people who don't have clean water. Here's the link if you wanted to donate http://water.cc/main.aspx

nereyda said...

Everybody leaves their country to come here and reach the "American Dream".Many parents want a good future for their childs and here isa good place to progress.I feel so bad because immigration is separating a lot of families and I don't think its fair. My parets have been living here since the 80's and we're immigrants as many people.
Next year I will have the right to vote and I'll vote for the president who better support us and think about this issue.

adriana said...

will i thing that we waste a lot of water.if we cunt waste that much of water we current have problems whit it i thing that water give as life an lien as water is helper.

K0n$+@n+!n said...

I feel sorry for thos people who dont have any water. But now that I know about that, I well keep in mind that not every bodey have water. Can't they like do something about it???