Natural Resource Nears Evaporation

Natural Resource Nears Evaporation

Did you know that the manufacture of a car and its tires takes 39,000 gallons of water? Did you know that it requires 19 gallons of water to produce one slice of bread? And 157 gallons of water to produce one slice of bacon? Water is one of our most precious items we use in our daily life.

"Living Waters" is the overall theme for our Soil and Water Stewardship Week emphasis. It should be our emphasis each and every day of the year. Water is essential to each of our daily lives and all other creatures of the world.

Many churches will be putting an emphasis on the topic of "Living Waters" sometime during the spring months, many on April 30. We encourage your diligent attention to keeping water clean and pure on a regular basis. Save it. Don't waste it. If you are a gardener or farmer, run the rows on the contour of the hillside to protect runoff. If you are a daily bather, use less water by showering rather than filling the tub. Wash your car with a bucket and sponge and rinse it after washing.

Pollution is a water problem. We see fertilizer applicators in the fields. Yet it is called to our attention that on a per-acre basis, it has been estimated that 10 times more fertilizer and pesticide are applied to suburban lawns and gardens than are applied to farm fields. What is the lesson? Each of us has our own responsibility to do our share in preventing water pollution regardless of where we live. Our own county rivers and streams are being polluted by the indiscreet flushing of pollutants onto the ground that eventually go into our streams and the rivers of our nation.

Erosion is another problem we need to confront. California has seen the impact of erosion. Fires destroyed forests and vegetation. They have learned how important it is to keep ground covering on the bare soil. Water washes away the ground and mud slides can occur. The result can be devastating. Grasses, trees, wild flowers, vines have their place in the ecology of our caring for the earth around us. Water nourishes the plants. It can also wash them away. Let us responsibly care for the nature around us so that water will be made useful rather than destructive.