Loranger Pines RV Park, West Branch, Michigan
But whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life. John 4:14
Water and You
Water is life. It nourishes us. It cleans us and sustains us. Put simply, water is you.
- The average American uses 176 gallons of water per day—that’s 64,240 gallons a year!
- 40% of water in America is used to produce the food we eat and the beverages we drink.
- How is water used in your home? On average, 17% goes toward showering, 27% is used by the toilet, your faucet drains 15%, your clothes washer another 22%, miscellaneous needs take up 5%, and those pesky leaks steal another 14%.
- If drinking water and soda pop cost equally, your water bill would skyrocket more than 10,000%.
Water and the Environment
70 percent of the Earth is water. From seas to lakes, to rivers and creeks, water is everywhere. Valuing water means valuing our future.
- 349 billion gallons of freshwater are withdrawn every day in the United States.
- 41 percent of that water (143 billion gallons) is used to produce thermoelectric power, another 37% goes to irrigation.
- 4% of US energy is used for transporting, treating, and pumping water.
- More than one-third of all counties in the lower 48 states will face higher risks of water shortages by mid-century as a result of global warming.
Water and the Economy
Water is the lifeblood of our economy. We rely on it for manufacturing, energy production, to transport materials across the globe, and more.
- One-fifth of the US economy would grind to a halt without a reliable and clean source of water.
- 46% of water consumed in America is used to produce the manufacturing products we buy.
- 1 to 3.68—the water jobs multiplier. Every job we create in the water sector helps add another 3.68 jobs in the national economy.
- 1 to 6—every $1 spent on infrastructure improvements in the US generates $6 in returns.
Water and the Community
Water connects us. Water is a ride on a boat. Water is a sprinkler, making children laugh with joy. Water brings families and friends together in countless ways.
- 22,284—the number of gallons used per day by schools based on an evaluation done of schools in the Tampa Bay region.
- The San Antonio Zoo uses approximately 2 million gallons of water a day to care for the animals.
- The National Hockey League collectively uses more than 300 million gallons of water each season—it takes 12,500 gallons to make ice for each rink.
- Sixty-one percent of Americans rely on lakes, rivers, and streams as their source of drinking water. The other 39% rely on groundwater—water located underground in aquifers and wells. ~ from thevalueof water.org
“I’m dying of thirst!”
Well, you just might. It sounds so simple. H20 – two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen. This substance also known as water, is one of the most essential elements to health and is so important that your body actually has a specific drought management system in place to prevent dehydration and ensure your survival. Water might be everywhere, but one must never take it for granted.
Water makes up more than two thirds of human body weight, and without water, we would die in a few days. The human brain is made up of 95% water, blood is 82% and lungs 90%. A mere 2% drop in our body’s water supply can trigger signs of dehydration: fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on smaller print, such as a computer screen. (Are you having trouble reading this? Drink up!) Mild dehydration is also one of the most common causes of daytime fatigue. An estimated seventy-five percent of Americans have mild, chronic dehydration. Pretty scary statistic for a developed country where water is readily available through the tap or bottle water.
Water is important to the mechanics of the human body. The body cannot work without it, just as a car cannot run without gas and oil. In fact, all the cell and organ functions that make up our entire anatomy and physiology depend on water for their functioning.
Water serves as a lubricant
Water serves as a lubricant in digestion and almost all other body processes. The water in our saliva helps facilitate chewing and swallowing, ensuring that food will slide easily down the esophagus. Water also lubricates our joints and cartilages and allows them to (pardon the pun) move more fluidly. When dehydrated, the body rations water away from the joints. Less lubrication equals greater friction and that can cause joint, knee and back pain potentially leading to injuries and arthritis. Even our eyeballs need plenty of lubrication to work well and remain healthy.
Water regulates body temperature
Our bodies can control over-heating through perspiration from sweat glands in the skin and from evaporation which produces a cooling effect. Blood is also routed into areas close to the surface of the skin where it can be cooled and then carried back to the interior of the body. Conversing in a cold environment, the skin maintains proper body temperature by shunting the blood away from the exterior surface thereby conserving heat within the body. The movement of water within our cellular systems also transports vital blood plasma which is 92% made of water. Blood plasma play a critical role in buffering the body’s pH, circulating antibodies from the immune system, and regulating osmotic balance which all helps to maintain proper body temperature.
Water removes harmful toxins from the body
Water helps our bodies remove toxins in many different ways. Water flushes toxins and waste from the body through urination and perspiration. Water helps reduce constipation and aids in bowel movements which ensures that wastes are removed quickly and regularly before they can become poisonous in the body. This waste buildup can occur in the body if dehydration becomes a regular occurrence and this can cause headaches, toxicity and illness. Drinking enough water will also lessen the burden on the kidneys and liver by flushing out waste products.
Water transports valuable nutrients to the body
Blood is about 92% water and it carries nutrients and oxygen throughout the body. Nutrients from the food we eat are broken down in the digestive system where they become water-soluble, which means they are dissolved in water. Water allows these nutrients to pass through the capillaries within the intestinal walls to the blood and circulatory system where the valuable nutrients and oxygen can be distributed throughout the body to all the cells and organs. In addition to the daily maintenance of our bodies, water also plays a key role in the prevention of disease. Drinking eight glasses of water daily can decrease the risk of colon cancer by 45%, bladder cancer by 50% and it can potentially even reduce the risk of breast cancer. And those are just a few examples! As you follow other links on our website, you can read more in depth about how water can aid in the prevention and cure of many types of diseases, ailments and disorders that affect the many systems of our bodies. ~ from freedrinkingwater.com
So now you’ve learned some of the reasons why water is so valuable to us. And wondering why I’ve chosen to educate you on this vital part of our lives. . . .
This morning we woke to – – – – no water!
We have a storage tank for water, but since we weren’t planning on using it, Blaine had allowed it to get lower than normal, and we quickly ran out of our store.
We saw a well truck drive by about 9am headed for the far end of the campground. We went out to check it out, and Beth (our amazing campground hostess) stopped to tell us – the well pump went out. She also told us there were free donuts in the office! Of course we did a quick 180, and headed to the office!
Then we went to check out the action at the other end.
See the well cover?
It’s a little ‘wishing well’. : )
This has nothing to do with the water outage, I just really liked the look of the trees as we walked around the campground loop. : )
They finished up and left at noon.
I keep forgetting to mention there’s a train that barrels through here about 9:30 each night. It really is very close – a derailment would wipe out the campground. But it’s only once a day, and we’re wondering if maybe it has the holiday weekend off . . .
Hey. It was a really slow day. Cut me some slack. 😊