Global Solutions Conference Essay

I. About Me

            My name is Michael Wilson, and I am a senior at Hazelwood Central High School.  I have been volunteering with the American Red Cross since my freshman year.  As a youth volunteer, I have made international services & pet safety presentations, helped at blood drives, conducted volunteer orientations, and attended various camps across the nation.  I am also a member on the St. Louis Area Chapter Red Cross governing board, and I am the founder and President of a Youth Advisory Board for Red Cross youth in the Missouri-Illinois region.  I am also a straight 'A' student and I participate avidly in my school's Model UN club.

            I believe that I am a good candidate for this trip because I am a people person and I am extremely open-minded.  I highly value other people's perspectives and I like to learn from every experience.  I believe that as a youth in today's world, my actions are going to impact the world tomorrow, and change it for better or for worse.  I choose to do the former.  I would also like to go because I have a profound appreciation for the arts, and I hear that Santa Fe, New Mexico is the number one place to go if you love the arts.  Visiting Santa Fe for the Global Solutions Conference would not only better me as a person, but also help my musical songwriting, because I write best when understand different perspectives.

                                                            II. My Global Solution

            Water is a resource more valuable than anything else on the planet.  Without it, we cannot survive.  It is a finite resource, and once it's gone, it's gone.  Thanks to privatization, corporations are using the water crisis as a tool to make profits.  They claim that because of its scarcity, it should come at a price.  They provide clean water quickly, but they don't do a good job of conserving it afterwards, and much of the water they provide becomes unsafe for consumption.  Despite what they tell you, scarcity isn't the problem---it's the management.  Water is a billion dollar industry, catering only to 7% of the population.  It's true that water is scarce, but there is an untapped potential within it---rainwater harvesting.  In order to meet this crisis, every nation needs to aggressively implement rainwater harvesting techniques to preserve and conserve the world's water supply.

            Rainwater harvesting is the act of capturing rain as it falls and "harvesting" it for human needs.  This technique comes in many forms and can be used in any region of the world.  In urban areas, the water runoff from roofs can be harnessed by draining it into a special tank where it can be stored for later use.  This system would benefit every urban building by reducing water bills.  Since the cost of living is so high in these areas, every penny counts.  In rural areas, the number of techniques available are infinite, and rainwater can be harnessed from streams, glaciers, forests, and lakes for human use.  In forested areas, a technique called "impounding runoff" can be used to trap runoff water in manmade terraces for livestock to drink.  Artificial lakes can be built in farmlands to harvest rainwater as it falls.  In desert areas, narrow ditches can be built to capture the scarce rain and keep it from evaporating.  These techniques are just the tip of the iceberg as to what we can really do with rainwater harvesting.  By implementing them, there will be less stress on dams and irrigation ditches, which are currently being overused.

            However, as spectacular as these techniques are, there is still one big question: who is going to pay for them?  The governments need to, not the water companies.  If we put this in the hands of water companies, nothing will ever get done and we'll be in an even bigger pickle.  The government will no doubt be reluctant in spending billions of dollars as well, but water is becoming such a problem that in many countries, people are killing each other over it.  Only the governments can remedy this problem, and they will have to find a stable solution.  Also, these projects will cost a lot, but they will pay for themselves the moment they are implemented.  India is one of the leading countries in rainwater harvesting technologies, and has proven the technique to be successful.

            Once we make the transition to rainwater harvesting, we will have won half the battle.  We'll need to put pressure on the water companies to do the right thing by starting conservation programs and stressing the impending water crisis in every school.  When people start to see the carelessness of water companies, they will do what they can to stop them.  Water companies will be forced to reconsider their water management, and the world will be one step closer to a better preserved water supply.

            In conclusion, rainwater harvesting is achievable.  The results are immediate and promising.  Countries like India have proven that this technique can be successful, so there's no excuse to dilly-daddle.  We can't trust the water companies and governments to do it on their own, so we need to meet them halfway.  We, the people (as a collective entity) have the responsibility and the obligation to take control of this crisis before it becomes too late.  Our future depends on it.