FREE THE WATER
Over the decades “Causes” have come and gone … actually, I can’t think of a single one that has disappeared. There are more every year. On top of that are the heart-in-your-throat requests from GoFundMe and other cries for help.
Are they scams? Some, I’m sure. But even the causes which are beneficial often don’t do much more than pay their directors, secretaries, and fund raisers. There is a short list of causes which use more than 50% of money raised to help the cause (help victims, help animals, or fund research).
AND, over the decades I have dutifully refused to participate in most. I don’t feel guilty for avoiding the curse of “causes.” After all, exactly how is my $100 going to “Save the Whales?” I’ve researched this, the whales get $0.
In the last 20 years weird things have been added to the usual suspects. We are now supposed to avoid using natural gas and give up eating real meat in order to “Stop Man-Made Climate Change.” I’ve looked into this stuff too and, strangely, the stories seldom give any hard data on exactly how many degrees will be saved if I don’t eat a piece of chicken on Wednesday. I’m thinking they need the animal feed to make electricity for the newfangled AC units they want us to buy.
It did not take me long to realize when I became an adult that taxes siphon much more than most people realize.
They tax the raw materials companies. Those taxes are included in the costs manufacturers have to pay.
They tax the manufacturer which makes the products we buy. Those taxes (and those included in the price of the raw materials) are included in the wholesale price the store pays.
They tax the business (store) which sells the products we buy. Those taxes (and those the previous companies paid) are included in the retail price we pay.
They sales tax us when we buy that stuff that has already been taxed three times.
They tax us for our land, house, and car every year.
They tax us for the school, library, and transit system we don’t use
They tax us for the utilities even if we don’t use any (look at your bill and you will figure it out).
If you travel they charge an extra “guest” tax through the hotels, rental cars, and airports you use.
Then they tax every penny you earn (the more you earn, the higher the tax rate).
So much of this is hidden from the public. Most don’t realize that the end users are paying a hefty 40-60% in taxes when you factor in those which are hidden. With all that money going out, there are very few pennies left to “gift” to charities.
Anyway, I say all that to reveal that I have found THE ONE CAUSE that is worth my time. It costs me nothing else: “FREE THE WATER.”
“FREE THE WATER” is simple and logical. When you drink something that comes in a sealed bottle, but you don’t finish all of it, then you toss the bottle … you have trapped an ounce of liquid inside a plastic bottle for the next 200 years. An average city traps a million gallons of water every year. The same city then begins complaining that their reservoirs are drying up … because that water cannot return to its cycle. One ounce is nothing, but millions of gallons per year soon adds up. The planet has fewer gallons cycling from ground water to the clouds to rain, etc.
It may not matter in my lifetime, but my grandchildren might notice the rivers are shallower than in my day.
What is cool is that I have the power to free the water left in my pop bottle, sparkling water, bottled iced coffee, Tennessee sweet tea, small orange juice, or other seal-able containers. It costs me nothing but time. No one is ripping me off. No one is looking over my shoulder, condemning me. No one is raising money for “the cause.”
And we have a myriad of options. We don’t have to set up “recycling centers.” We can do it ourselves when it is convenient. Use the sink or pour it on the ground. If it is just water … go ahead and pour that life-saving liquid directly into a river or stream.
I love this! I can get behind this. I’m taking the lids off my bottles and emptying the remaining unused contents.
You? I think this is something each individual can decide for himself or herself. I’m not signing anyone up. I’m not creating a recycling center. I’m not keeping track of your water usage. Nothing!
You don’t need a license and no special training or student loans required.
It will cost you very little – time and a wee bit of attention. If you’d rather sent $100 to “Save the Whales” remember that you can’t save them if there’s no water. If you’d rather fight against “Climate Change” remember that the climate includes water.
Empty that pop bottle. Empty that sparkling water. Empty that beer bottle. Empty that water bottle (only 20% of them are truly recycled anyway). This something may be more than all the other somethings you could do.
Take the lid off and pour it out, then throw the lid away separately. Bingo! Done.
This is the ONE.
Copyright 2023 Donald Whelpley
[PLEASE NOTE that Don is always open to discussing the thoughts and opinions he shares here and welcomes comments as shared in the comment section. He doesn’t use other social media platforms and won’t see whatever you’d like to share with him if you post it elsewhere. ~ Sherry]
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