The other day I was out for a run and realised they turned off nearly all the water fountains I am usually stopping at. My carefully curated route which include key water spots was now totally useless. Needless to say, I headed home earlier to drink (with the only other option buying a bottle at a bar/supermarket - which would have required having money and buying plastic..). A little while later opening up social media, I came across a sponsored post by a famous charity, with an African child suffering from lack of water and the ways to donate to stop it. Having just having had my own (very limited, I know) experience of ‘water scarcity’ (ended pretty soon since the home tap was still working the way we are used to) i thought ‘how long since it will be us in these pictures ?’. Yes, because we are having a big drought. And it’s not just Italy but most of Europe (and the UK too) - as it is shown on this EU report from July 4th '22 (full of maps so go download and have a look!).
Yet, despite being in a period of water scarcity, I watched children playing with water in multiple occasions. Water guns, following each other with water pipes on marina docks (where they could have as easily played with much more available seawater) … all under the eyes of parents. I understand the idea of ‘letting kids live a happy life without worries’, but like this they are likely to have to worry more on the future. So maybe there is no need to say that we are screwed, but a little bit of education that water is not infinite could be useful (what are they teaching in schools these days?). At the same time, social media has been all about infographics showing actions to do to save water and how much water would be saved by doing them (e.g. turn the tap off while you shampoo, or brush.. you know, the basics). This of course may be useful to spark thoughts about personal action and how to improve 'at home water management'. But are these really the main culprits? I was reading the regional paper the other day. My region needs some extra water for the agriculture that could be supplied by a nearby region. But they don’t want to give it because the water is necessary for hydroelectric power. Yes. We are back there. Energy is being given the priority. A so called ‘renewable’ source (hydroelectric), which is controversial because to have energy we risk not having crops… maybe like me you like to eat dinner with the lights on, but here we risk having the lights on to illuminate an empty plate (or maybe a plate full of processed plastic food). And don’ forget that a good dinner cannot miss a large glass full of coke. Yes. We might not have water, but don’t worry, the water that is not flowing in the drinking fountains is still going directly into the coke factory, who has not slowed its production…. Where are we going? Not sure… but better fill up our water bottles ahead of departure..
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