By Alexander Germanis
Recently gracing movie theaters was the sci-fi epic known as Dune. On the titular desert planet, the battle rages for control over an invaluable spice. However, throughout the story, an elemental compound is shown to be far more valuable to the people of the planet than any spice: water.
Water, the compound even elementary school students also recognize as H2O, is also called the universal solvent because more substances can be broken down by it than any other solvent. Indeed, its versatility is possibly unmatched by any other compound found in nature.
But on our earth, just as on planet Dune, water is absolutely essential. From our atmosphere to the oceans, from the functioning of our bodies to all of our food sources, water is necessary for our planet and everything on it to live.
The Cycle
Water is naturally present on earth in the three primary states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas. In our atmosphere, it exists as a vapor and condenses in clouds, it’s stored at the planetary poles and in glaciers as ice; but the most common phase in which we experience water is, of course, as a liquid.
Every beverage we consume – milk, juice, coffee, tea, soda, wine, beer – cite water as their main ingredient. Foods we consume are grown with water, are made largely of or with water, and/or live in water.
When we consume water, our bodies incorporate two-thirds of it into the cells as intracellular fluid. The remaining third is used as extracellular fluid, with sodium and potassium helping to maintain the proper balance between the two. Depending on your age, sex, and weight, the exact percentage changes, but the human body, on average, is nearly two-thirds water.
When we expel water, whether through urine, sweat, or exhaling, it is reclaimed by the earth and reenters the water cycle. In the simplest terms, the water cycle in nature consists of evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. Our bodies’ water, once it reenters this cycle, will eventually make it back to us in one form or another. The water you drink today (and sweat or urinate out later) was a part of this cycle long before you were born and will continue to be a part after you’re gone.
The earth needs water as much as we do. The percentage of the earth covered by water is 71 percent or, interestingly enough, approximately two-thirds. The earth is, essentially, a living entity which nurtures other entities through the common need for water. In fact, when astronomers search for potential life throughout the solar system and beyond, one of the first things they look for is evidence of water.
Recreation and Hydration
Watching the native Fremen tribes eke out an existence on the planet Dune is an excellent reminder of how easy it is to take water for granted. If you have ever had the water to your home shut off for even a single day, you’ll begin to understand just how vital it is to daily living.
Flushing a toilet, taking a shower, brushing your teeth, washing your hands, and cleaning your dishes all become impossible tasks when the water ceases to flow.
Water is also essential for sports and recreation. Boating, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, swimming, ice hockey, and skiing are just the tip of the very apropos proverbial iceberg. And what is a summer, especially for children, without a water balloon fight, jumping through the sprinkler, or eating watermelon?
Even if one is playing a “dry” sport like baseball, football, or engages in running, skateboarding, or cycling, the exertion causes sweating. As the body’s form of air conditioning uses water, that water then must be replaced through proper hydration.
Keeping hydrated is something everyone needs to take seriously. The brain needs water to function properly. Insufficient water can lead to decreased cognitive function, headaches, and even a change of mood.
Just as we use water to cleanse our outer body, water is used to cleanse our insides as well. The kidneys need water to filter and flush out the toxins we take in every day. Improper hydration can lead to the formation of kidney stones and, according to the National Kidney Foundation, can cause acute kidney injury which can, in turn, lead to kidney disease.
Proper hydration is vital to maintain proper blood pressure as well. When water intake is low, blood volume decreases, the blood actually thickens, and the heart is stressed to perform its normal duties.
Conservation
Although the theme of water conservation is touched upon in the movie Dune not often enough to be considered preachy, the way the Fremen treat water is certainly done so with reverence. In fact, when someone dies, their body’s water is directly reclaimed by the tribe, so it does not go to waste. Water, to them, is so necessary to survival, it has become sacrosanct.
While most of us do not have to go to such lengths to conserve water on our blue world, we should nevertheless be mindful of how we’re using water and, just as importantly, how much we’re using.
Although we don’t have to – and I’m paraphrasing from the film here – wipe our rear ends with sand, we can use water in our hygiene rituals in responsible fashions. For starters, skip the bath. When you bathe, not only are you marinating in a stew of your own filth, filling a bathtub uses considerably more water than a shower.
Growing up in a household of seven people, our parents encouraged “submarine showers” in order to ensure there was enough hot water to go around within a short timeframe. Using water only to soap up and rinse off can save a considerable amount of the cleansing liquid. If the on-off method isn’t for you, just consider shortening the length of your showers.
Using a dishwasher is, believe it or not, considered by the EPA to be more efficient than hand-washing your dishes. When rinsing fruits and vegetables, brushing your teeth, or shaving, only run the water when you have to. Don’t feel bad about letting the laundry pile get a little big before doing a load. Doing fewer, large loads will use less water than more frequent, smaller loads.
When it comes to your lawn, don’t mow it too short. Many landscapers suggest three and-a-half to four inches, although others claim even as short as two-and-a-half inches will work to help the soil retain moisture. This will also help the grass stave off the growth of weeds which will reduce the need for herbicides which, in turn, means less pollution in water run-off.
There are myriad ways one can save water which will not only benefit your community and the planet as a whole, but it can also save you money.
Your Personal Dune
Our relationship with water seems to be at its peak during the summer months. Whether relaxing at the pool, going boating on a nearby lake, or kayaking down the river, we are drawn to the water when the temperatures run high.
Furthermore, the urge to quench our thirst and the need to cleanse our sweat drive us to water for the life-giving liquid it is.
Fortunately, we in Mid West are not doomed to traverse endless sand dunes, but the fields of corn should be evidence enough of our environment’s need for water. Luckily, we don’t need to hydrate by drinking from a Fremen stillsuit made to filter our sweat and urine, but we should all hydrate more.
On Earth, just as on Dune, life does not exist without water. What can you do to make water a better part of your life?
