A Taste Of Heaven

     Our world provides so many resources for all of humanity but yet there are people who still do not have access to these resources. Researchers have found that many countries do not have access to clean drinking water and sanitation facilities. This issue is the root to many diseases, hunger, and economic struggles of countries. Living in America people do not realize how fortunate they are to have access to clean water at any time they please. Why are there so many countries without access to clean drinking water? It is America’s job to help countries who do not have access to clean drinking water which is also used for agricultural advancements. While there are people wasting money on unimportant things there are people who are starving and sick that can use the money to bring clean drinking water to their developing communities. This issue has not been looked at in a serious way and its time that it is confronted and ,if possible, solved.
    “1.8 billion people who have access to a water source within 1 kilometer, but not in their house or yard, consume around 20 liters per day. In the United Kingdom the average person uses more than 50 liters of water a day flushing toilets (where average daily water usage is about 150 liters a day. The highest average water use in the world is in the US, at 600 liters day.)” says Poverty Facts and Stats written by Anup Shah. Why can’t we use some of that water for others around the world? If America is always doing something to help the world, why has lack of clean water not decreased as much as it should be? There are so many people who would die for a drink of pure water and in America ,people who have pure water coming out of their faucets, go out and buy bottled water simply because they do not like the taste. What does water taste like? To people who are less fortunate it tastes as if they were in heaven. People in America need to be less mercenary and give to the communities that are not able to prosper out of such horrifying situations. They need to realize that the water coming out of their faucet, which they do not wish to drink, could be used to make food to feed a baby. Water is becoming scarce and this is only going to escalate until we eventually run out.
    “A billion people in the world will never have a clean drink of water. There are 2.5 billion people in the world without toilet facilities. That kind of deprivation isn’t even on our radar in the U.S..” says Matt Damon one of the many people helping to decrease lack of clean water and sanitation facilities in third world countries. While people in America and around the world take long baths and waste water running down the faucet that water could be used to save lives and provide food for those less fortunate. Living in America we have so many luxuries that we forget that there are others in the world who have never had a clean drink of water. “It’s plentiful, inexpensive and of course safe-just as it should be. Its easy to forget that a large chunk of the worlds population (currently ~6.77 billion) isn’t so lucky.” states Dr. Kristen Kerksiek in an article called Dying For Clean Water. How unbelievable it is that after having access to so much information we still have never come upon such striking facts. Clean water is a luxury that not very many people see in a lifetime. As Americans we need to help provide that first drink of heaven.



Works Cited:

1. Andreas, By. "Infection Research: Dying for Clean Water." Infection Research: Home. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. <http://www.infection-research.de/perspectives/detail/pressrelease/clean_water_a_medical_breakthrough/>.
2.  "Clean Water for Poor Countries | Peachy Green." Peachy Green - Solar Power, Renewable Energy & Going Green. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. <http://www.peachygreen.com/going-green/clean-water-for-poor-countries>.
3.  "Poverty Facts and Stats — Global Issues." Global Issues : Social, Political, Economic and Environmental Issues That Affect Us All — Global Issues. Web. 27 Nov. 2010. <http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats>.