Water and our Environment

Sean R. Anderson

Are they Human Rights or privileges? Why is it so important to distinguish the difference? This answer is clear through a historical perspective. All levels of government in our country have historically and even today maintain a deplorable record of taking privileges, on either an individual basis or specifically targeted groups, both home and abroad. Are these undisputable infringements coming from the land of the free? The answers to all of these questions are entirely too vivid in two very different interpretations of only two words in our country’s Declaration of Independence as, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” The first interpretation of Jefferson and our forefathers was that to be qualified for the category of “all men” the three prerequisites of being male, rich and white had to be fulfilled. This discrepancy is not anti-American, but hyper-American and the key to universal human rights. The literal sense of this beautiful work is our first Declaration of Human Rights with the accurate definition of “all men” as we know it to be ALL HUMANS!!!

The multiple crises surrounding our precious natural resource of water is nothing new from a global perspective. We have all read about the horrible pollution stemming from China’s over utilization of fertilizer falling in line with the green revolution, transnational corporations poisoning water while raping and pillaging the land while simultaneously exploiting the impoverished on a global scale. The horrors transpiring have exceeded human rights violations have now also qualified as crimes against humanity.

These facts of the United Nation’s Food and Organization (FAO) show several multiple levels of importance of unpolluted fisheries to the world.

1. 17% of the Worlds protein consumption is from fish.
2. 39 out of the top 40 countries that have fish as the principle protein in their diet are in the developing world.
3. fishing sector is an important source of employment and income for over 120 million people
4. net exports of fish and fishery products by the developing world are generating more than $36 billion annually.
5. fishing produces $420 billion annually to the worlds economy.

The FAO shows the economic importance of fishing and the nutritional values, but reveals the crimes against humanity with this single fact:

1. Due to pollution and over harvesting of fish in the saltwater bodies worldwide have been depleted by 90%!

   1. A continuing deterioration in aquatic ecosystems and the impact of conflicting 'non-fishery' uses of shorelines and coastal areas add further pressure. About 80 per cent of marine pollution comes from the land

The United Nations highlights the problem as,

“The agriculture sector faces a complex challenge: producing more food of better quality while using less water per unit of output; providing rural people with resources and opportunities to live a healthy and productive life; applying clean technologies that ensure environmental sustainability; and contributing in a productive way to the local and national economy.”

The issue of the availability of clean water has traditionally been distant in nature or a global dilemma, but this past year has brought it to the forefront at home. Orange County Water and Sewage are currently at stage 2 and will probably move to stage 3. The economic impact is now felt locally through the restriction of water consumption to the counties businesses. Contaminated fish have been discovered from Wilmington to Charlotte, with levels of mercury at over five times of the FDA’s already feeble standards.