Wasser...Agua...Eau...Water

It's my favourite drink. I love a heavy hot summer rain that you can dance in and watch it flood the streets in minutes. I love swimming in a fresh lake. I am always a yes when asked if I want to go to the pool or water park...fun times!! Water is awesome and fun and good for you. And recently I have found out how valuable water REALLY is. Our source of water in this place is a cistern...fed by rain from the roof. It holds 1550 gallons of water. That sounds like a lot of water...it isn't. People have 2000 gallon cisterns primarily for watering their garden. We have 1550 to cook with, shower with (I can no longer have baths...how sad is that?), do laundry with, water my plants indoor and out with, do dishes with, flush the toilet with. ;op I recently heard a funny island saying..."On this isle of fun & sun...you never flush for number one!" ha ha ha!! We are super water conscious. I shower when necessary...if I don't smell or am not greasy, I simply won't shower. We have been talking about being more European and doing the whole sponge bath routine. It's just that when you realize how much water gets wasted doing things that you have always taken for granted...ie: showering...it's quite effective on your brain to make a change. Even a quick shower will probably use 20 gallons of water...maybe...I don't know actually. I should probably figure out our water GPM...that'll help ease some anxiety! I am now showering with my mop bucket. It catches some of the water...and it's annoying. But I will do what I can. ha ha ha! The first time I did it I brought all of the water receptacles in with me. As you can see...it did not leave me a whole lot of room. An obstacle course in my very own shower. ;op Now with just me and big blue...it is slightly less irritating. But not as irritating as I am finding it to be wishing for rain. I love summer. I love the sun and heat and seeing daily growth of all of my flowers and veggies and stuff. I would love to have summer 2009 back...all sun all the time. That was rad! But, I would like each night to pour rain down for a few hours to feed my cistern and water all of the plants who don't get watered regularly. Everyone will be happy then. And then I can take a bath! ;o)

I have just been imaging what it would be like if the world did start running empty on water. Isn't that what Mad Max was all about? I don't want to live there...unless I could get me some Tina legs! But imagine it...you had to hunt for water so that you could stay alive. It's quite extreme. Yet in just one century of time a lot can happen. And our water systems are depleting all over the world. BC sells California water because they don't have enough. It's already happening. Even in the city I think people should be conscious of the water they are using. We are so wasteful with stuff like that...water, electricity. So easy to make sure the tap is tight and not dripping after your shower...it doesn't take much to push a button to turn the TV off when you are done watching. There is so much that we can do to conserve the earth and what she gives us, most of it is just making super simple little changes in your home and to your lifestyle. If we all cared...we could save the world. Wouldn't it be awesome if our grand children's grandchildren could enjoy looking out at the beautiful ocean and canoe a mountain fed lake? I think so. Let's do some real thinking and changing. What can I do today??