The H20 Crisis

The Future of Today! INSTAGRAM/ JG.ARTISTICPHOTOPHRAPHY - James Gedak             The fact is that climate change is real. It’s one of the biggest threats that the planet faces. Despite all this, there are many ways in which we can fix these issues. These solutions start in your own backyard. For starters, the residents of British Columbia must stop purchasing Nestlé water bottles. There is absolutely no need for the population of Metro Vancouver to obtain water from water bottling companies. Our tap water is extremely safe to drink and very affordable. Second, by speaking to your local MLA representative, issues concerning Nestlé Waters Company can be brought up in a clear and concise manner. These elected members are usually more than willing to discuss matters that affect their citizens. Third, spreading awareness and informing the public on these affairs is a critical step that mustn’t be avoided. Knowledge is power, and power is within the people. The more information th

Nestlé: Drain Baby Drain! Google Images Canada, the second largest country in the world is “home to nearly nine percent of the world’s supply of freshwater” (Rubin). There are “over one million lakes” in Canada (Rubin). Environmental issues such as water droughts aren’t necessarily applicable to the country because there is so much freshwater that the country will more than likely never run out. However, with the effects of climate change, Canada’s most valuable resource could play an effect on how water gets distributed. It’s important to realize that many of the country’s lakes and wells are privately owned by multinational corporations. These companies tend to overuse this natural renewable resource. Despite this, the BC provincial government is selling water to companies such as Nestlé Waters Canada for dirt cheap. Nestlé, a company well-known for its delicious snacks and endless amounts of sugary options, pays next to nothing for the water that they drain for the bottling

Coca-Cola: Jolly Old Saint Nick or The Grinch? Google Images             The privatization of water is a controversial topic that needs addressing. For many reasons, this whole business as usual philosophy doesn’t fit well with the green sustainably model. Firstly, companies such as Nestlé and Coca-Cola main philosophy is to strive for the maximization of profits. They achieve this by putting profits before environmental concerns. Money has always and will always be their top priority, whereas sustainability is more of an afterthought. For instance, in India, Coca-Cola owns and “operates 58 water-intensive bottling plants” which has led to the depletion of groundwater (Thought Co.). Over the last several years, the country has been hit hard with “persistent droughts [that] have dried up groundwater and local wells” (Thought Co.). Due to these droughts, many people in southern India have “linked the lack of groundwater” to Coca-Cola (Thought Co.). Similarly, the farming ind

Water: A Planet Full of Blue, Yet So Little and Few.  Google Images            Water. The most essential inorganic compound found on Earth. Without it, life on this planet wouldn’t be possible. To survive, humans need adequate amounts of both food and water (Spector). However, water (H 2 0) is given top priority because it is the most important compound that our body and planet needs. The human body is composed of about 60% of water, but most importantly, “every living cell in the body needs it to keep functioning” (Spector). In general, Homo sapiens will not survive past 4 days without drinking water (Spector). Water has many important functions in the body that include: protection of skeletal muscles and bones, removal of body waste, digestion, and prevents dehydration (Laskey). Yet, the only safe source of water that humans can consume are freshwater sources such as river and lakes. However, due to erratic climate change issues, clean water is increasingly becoming more sca