Save, save, save the rains!

Do you know that “below the earth’s surface, there lies ground water over a thousand times more than all the water in the rivers and lakes in the world, that accounts for almost all the freshwater on the planet” but “is being extracted faster than the rate that it naturally recharges,” and “actually shifting the entire planet on its axis” and “increasing sea levels?”

Groundwater pumping is “moving all that water mass from under the continents to the oceans,” the reason for rising “sea levels by 6.24 mm from 1993-2010!”

While the more problematic rising sea level caused by groundwater pumping should be seriously considered, Dr. Glen Green noted that “the earth rotation change, which is so small, is not a real problem. The BIG problem is pumping out all the available ground water and being left with nothing!”

According to Carla Delgado’s July 16 article in the Business Insider, “groundwater is used for about 40% of global irrigation and provides almost half of all drinking water. Extracting it unsustainably may threaten aquatic ecosystems, cause water scarcity, and increase sea levels, which is significant because each millimeter rise in sea level is said to make the shoreline retreat an average of 1.5 meters!”

“Without better management, an estimated 42% to 79% of all watersheds that pump groundwater may no longer be able to maintain healthy ecosystems by 2050!”

More reason we should take time to consider and explore other water sources now, soonest!

Saving, harvesting the rains should be encouraged more seriously.

Councilor Nestor Archival said he has been preaching this since 20 years ago!

Rainwater cisterns for buildings and structures have also been mandated by an Ordinance authored by the late Councilor Ramon Quisumbing years back but sadly, until now, the Cebu City Government has never required the compliance of this very valuable Ordinance!

With the looming problem of decreasing groundwater supply, shouldn’t government, local and national, vigorously campaign for the harvesting, the saving of rains in every household, in every barangay, in all schools, churches, offices and buildings?

Let every household, in all communities, have pails and simple containers to catch the rains! By doing so, households can decrease their water bills as they can use the rainwaters for their gardens, for washing their vehicles, for toilet use, and for other daily household needs.

How to jumpstart this campaign and how to convince governments and everyone else to start saving the rainwaters?

Government should walk their talk and allot a significant amount of their yearly budget for rain harvesters for all government buildings and structures and for all communities.

Intensive information, communication, education initiatives should be started soonest!

Churches and religious organizations can also help spread the good news of the benefits of saving the rains from the heavens, from God!

Save the rains, save the earth, and save yourselves can be a beautiful mantra and campaign message!

For days and months now, everyone has been experiencing how rains cause so much problems, if left unsaved.

With even just the slightest of rains but especially with very heavy and strong rains, everyone has experienced being caught in the floods, caused by unmanaged rains, and of course, just as irresponsibly, unmanaged waste and filth!

If everyone and governments manage rainwaters better, save the frequent rainfall in households and communities throughout towns, cities, the whole country, can you imagine less floods, passable streets, less water expense, less problems with water supply and more?

Can you yourself imagine the rainwaters used for gardens as well, even for irrigation in farms?

So much creative ways for maximizing the benefits of saved/harvested rains!

What would you rather have? Harvested rains or floods?

Time to reflect/review, and most importantly, to start and convince/compel everyone, starting from government, to save precious, valuable rains!.