Water: A Precious Resource for Life on Earth, Part 1 of 2

"Every year, on the 22nd of March, the world comes together to help create water awareness. Everyone, from our world leaders to children in primary schools, join the fight against the abuse, pollution, and over exploitation of our precious water resources." Fresh water is the resource that all of us must share to meet many of our daily needs. We need fresh water for drinking, cooking, personal hygiene, and operating our sanitation systems. We also use fresh water for raising animals, irrigating crops, and manufacturing. Even today, fresh water is scarce.

Why do we currently have a water shortage? There are several reasons. First, over the past 100 years, the Earth’s population has grown rapidly. In addition, as technological advancements and wealth increase, the demand for fresh water has risen much faster than the growth in population. According to the United Nations, the average person now uses twice the amount of water per day than was used a century ago. However, far more serious than our growing population and increasing per capita demand is the greatest threat of all: climate change. As a result of rising global temperatures, rivers, lakes, and aquifers are either drying up or becoming too polluted to use.

The situation has become so critical that the UN estimates if we do not halt climate change, by 2050 more than two-thirds of the world’s population will be living in water-stressed regions. Supreme Master Ching Hai frequently expresses concern about our ever-increasing global water shortage and recommends the fastest and most efficient solution to this critical problem is adoption of the organic vegan lifestyle. “Water scarcity is a serious problem, because without enough water we cannot grow food. But 70% of all water used by humans goes to agriculture – especially (animal) livestock agriculture, livestock raising. So, the best place to conserve water is through food, manageable food, sustainable food, not animal food. And the best way to feed more people with less water is also through food, sustainable food practices, sustainable agriculture, organic vegan agriculture. So, we all should go vegan, and the best is organic vegan.”