-In Anticipation of Earth Day 2008-
“Until taught by pain,
Men really know not what good water is worth.”
Byron
I sadly and powerfully learned the value of fresh water
During my animal rescue efforts down in New Orleans
Most of the ‘left behind’ pets were severely de-hydrated
They couldn’t find a source of drinking water that was clean
Devastating Hurricane Katrina had wreaked total chaos and havoc there
Mixing salt, chemicals, oil, and deadly toxins directly into their water supply
And as I watched these animals that were near death, gobbling up fresh water
For all of them, and for the entire planet we call home, I eventually began to cry
Today, I am sadly convinced more than ever before
That we must quickly work to save this precious gift of water
Or we will be leaving a tragically parched and de-hydrated world
To earth’s numerous animals - and to our own sons and daughters
Earth’s fresh water supply is truly a gift that we must all cherish, value, and respect; for without it, we will be no more. And we must all begin to comprehend the tremendous power that this elixir of life has over every living being on this planet – before it’s much too late.
Today, we are depleting earth’s water resources at an astounding rate; and fresh water, despite what many choose to believe, is definitely a finite resource.
Today, in the United States alone, we are losing over 80,000 acres of precious wetland, each and every year, to industrial and residential development.
Today, all across the globe, over half of Earth’s precious wetlands – are already gone.
And these god-given wetlands not only hold and cleanse our water, they help control floods and erosion, give us places to enjoy the outdoors, and provide needed habitat for many thousands of Earth’s remaining plant, fish, and wildlife species.
If we value the lives of future generations of both human beings and animals, we need to start electing leaders who actually care about our environment, and who will actually restore protections that are crucial to maintaining both our clean water, and our vital wetlands. And we need to do it very soon.
Scientific studies indicate that by 2025, a mere 17 years from now - two thirds of the world’s population will be attempting to survive in a severely water-stressed world.
“We never know the worth of water,
Until the well runs dry.”
Thomas Fuller
©2008, Mr. Ed
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