ConWatch: Spring 2021: The Water Issue

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Dive into the latest issue of ConWatch, focusing on the importance of water in our lives, and the pressures that are impacting this precious resource.

Letter from the Editor: From the Editor By Bennett Burns What do all forms of life have in common? We could not survive without water. It is an essential ingredient in our bodies and a key component of life on earth, as we know it. As Sylvia Earle has said: "No water, no life. No blue, no green."

Although water is the most common substance on earth, only 1% is available for drinking. And there are no guarantees that the available water will be managed and distributed equitably. This past February over 14 million people were without access to clean water for days due to extreme cold temperatures from winter storm Uri.

In this issue of ConWatch the focus is on the importance of water in our lives and the pressures that are impacting this precious resource—from the impacts of climate change on drought, flooding, and the melting of polar ice to water quality concerns from toxic substances in our drinking water supply. We also examine ways that nature offers resilience in battling climate impacts through vast wetlands, riparian systems and green infrastructure, and how important it is to protect and incorporate these ecosystem services.

Climate Change Solutions was a theme of this year's NAL Conference, and included is a summary of what we learned along with a look at how our favorite clothing item—blue jeans—can be produced more sustainably and with less water consumption.

Water is life and we can all do our part to ensure this vital resource is cherished, conserved, protected and better understood. 

Bennett Burns

ConWatch Editor