chicus.com
have your sliced bread and eat it too.
No Water, No Cry
May 02, 2010
OK, I should probably be shot for bastardizing the great Fugees song like that, I think I may have it out of context. And yes, I know it was Marley. Anyhow, I digress.
We're in the midst of a little water situation out here in Boston. Some would like to call it a catastrophe and while it doesn't feel like such to me I think they would be right.
I heard about it via Twitter Saturday afternoon shortly before taking off to a Kentucky Derby party. I paid no mind as the party was in an unaffected suburb and I expected it would be resolved within a few hours. At the party I realized the water was essentially off for the evening so we stopped at a 7-11 on the way home and found we were more than a few hours late to that party, all the water had long since been sold out. Luckily I had a Nalgene bottle on reserve at Jen's place and she had a few bottles in her fridge, enough to rehydrate each of us after some Mint Juleps and beer.
I woke up well before Jen and as is our unspoken agreement I quietly left her apt. to run some errands until it was late enough for her to wake up as well. I headed to Target for some potting soil and had little intent to get any water even though NPR was talking about the disaster and saying it may be over by Tuesday or may last over a week. When I arrived at Target at 8:15 and saw 2 pallets of water just inside the entrance and at least 2 cases in each cart it dawned on me the magnitude of the disaster. I picked up a case of bottles and 4 gallons, thinking it was just for the two of us and not wanting to take more than a 2-3 day supply of petroleum-based bottles. I made a game-time decision at the checkout and realized it was a situation where it was OK to overbuy and went for a 2nd case.
Anyhow, I've been trying to figure out what, if anything, will be the takeaway from this disaster. On one hand, it may aid in people not taking water for granted and allow them to appreciate how fortunate we are to have clean water so readily available. It's a nice thought but American's have shown to have a short memory so I kind of doubt that will be the case. It could get people back into the habit of buying bottled water instead of drinking from the tap. It is a trend which has gone down recently, either as a result of ecological concerns or people cutting back on their spending. I could see some in the Boston area feeling concern for the safety of tap water and going instead for bottled water (though it is usually just tap water from someone elses reservoir). And finally, I could see it having no effect whatsoever, which really is the most likely.
For the moment at least, I am certainly more mindful and appreciative of water. I've been boiling it to wash dishes, for coffee, and to brush my teeth. I haven't touched the bottled water yet, I am using that only when necessary, like tomorrow when they have suggested we bring our own water to work. We'll see how long it takes me to forget.
I read that 80% of Boston's school use bottled water on a daily basis? What is up with that?
I believe The Fugees bastardized a Bob Marley song.
Add your $.02: If you do not have a login you can register for one or enter a username and the text string from the image.
I totally forgot my original point in that post. It's bothersome how many people are upset by this water crisis.
It's an inconvenience, certainly, but most of the people I have heard complain (conversations, Facebook, Twitter) are in my socioeconomic bracket. Young, single people of means. It's an annoyance, certainly, but nothing ANY of us cannot handle. There are others without the means to get out and purchase water or large families who have to spend a good part of this near 90 degree day boiling water and for them I think the term 'catastrophic' is applicable. But for those of us 30-somethings with an income it's no more than an inconvenience and I think it's ridiculous some of us feel such indignation at having to work a bit harder and think about where our next drink will come from.