The water & energy dance

On water depends most of our energy procurement, food production, and hence indirectly health, peace and security. On wisely managing water resources depends a lot, especially as the population shows no signs of falling.

Already 2.5 billion face water scarcity. Already nations are in conflict over shrinking water resources. Like Sudan, where water shortages have been an underlying cause of the gruesome conflict in Darfur. Arid Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan are currently embroiled in a dispute over water shortages, and countries in the Middle East and Central Asia are having trouble watering crops. In fact Saudi Arabia is looking to buy farmlands in the US!

Almost 30,000 people from 182 countries, including more than 100 ministerial delegations, are participating in the 5th World Water Forum, being held in Istanbul from March 16-22. The meet hopes to look into all aspects of water from disaster management and trans-boundary water cooperation to ensuring the right to sanitation and building a "corruption-resistant water sector”.

That is for the experts. Something in which all of us can participate is to observe an hour of darkness on March 28, 8.30 pm as part of Earth Hour.

Earth Hour is a worldwide event that encourages individuals to unite in the fight against global warming by turning off their lights and spending sixty minutes outside with friends and family. Started from Australia two years ago, this year’s event is aiming for 1 billion participants.

Organized by the World Wildlife Fund, this year’s Earth Hour is seeking to sign up 1,000 cities and one billion people to participate in the event. So far, they have signed up 1,189 cities across 80 countries. The ferries in Sydney, Australia will sound their horns at 8:30pm, Melbourne will host a pedal-powered concert, percussionists will play in Athens, and in San Francisco the Golden Gate bridge will go dark for one singular hour.

How about planning some social event in your neighbourhood this March 28? It would be the right time to socialize and do something for the planet. Let us hear the ideas.