WHAT'S IN YOUR WATER?
- brittbryan1001
- Mar 20, 2023
- 7 min read
Updated: Apr 2, 2024
The value of clean water and how making very small changes in our own lives can lead to life-saving change for millions of people around the world.
What do you value most?
I have a friend who cannot resist a good deal. She says she got this from her dad, who loves a bargain. If something is on sale, even if he doesn't need it, he will get it.
I don't clip coupons like my friend does (but I seriously should...). Still, I get it. I love getting a great value, which is why I shop at TJMAXX.
This past weekend, I was at a continuing education course (I’m the office manager of a dental practice) and one of the classes was about how to get patients to understand the value of taking care of their dental health.
Trying to get consumers to value what you are offering is applicable to any industry, really. People will say they “can’t afford” that (fill in the blank) service.
“I can’t afford to pay that money for the dental filling or crown I need.” Or, “I don’t have the money for that medical procedure.”
But that’s not really true, is it?
This is not a judgment; this is an observation.
Because we live in a world of social media where everything we do is posted for the world to see. Which is why I know that people can afford to eat out at a restaurant once a week. They can afford the drive-thru or that Starbucks latte multiple times a week. They can afford that cruise or vacation.
And we can all afford our Amazon Prime and Netflix memberships.
If people were to cut back on any one of those things (like just eat fast food once a week, or take a 5 day cruise instead of a 7 day cruise, or order half as much from Amazon each month) then they could afford that necessary dental work or that medical procedure. Easily.
I am not saying you "should" spend your money any differently. I am just saying, let’s be honest about it. People have the money to spend; they just don’t see the value.
Because we gladly spend our money on what we value.
In case this is coming off judgy, I’ll talk about myself and what I value for a sec.
I spend a kinda dumb amount of money on my hair. And I justify what I spend on my hair by spending less on other things I would like to have.
I also have a book-buying addiction. And I justify that because I do not spend money on other forms of entertainment. So, I spend whatever I want on Amazon. (I swear this is not an ad for Amazon. I wish I was getting paid for this!)
I spend money on my hair and books because that is what I value. But ask me to go to get a pedicure with you, or to a movie, I will typically say, "I can't afford that." Because I DON’T value those things as much.
Because we spend money on what we value.
The same thing applies to charitable organizations or fundraisers. People say, “I can’t afford to give money to that cause.”
But what I wish we would all say is, “I simply don’t value that.” Because that's the truth.
When I see the Boy Scouts selling popcorn in front of Walmart, I have never once stopped to buy popcorn. I don’t value it and I don’t really value the Boy Scouts. Sorry, I just don’t.
But Girl Scouts? Heck yes I will buy some thin mints. I mean, they’re delicious and I value them lots. But also, I care deeply about raising young girls to be resourceful, confident entrepreneurs in this world. That aligns with my values.
When I am asked to give money to the American Cancer Society or the Red Cross, both very worthy organizations, I don’t think twice about saying no. I typically do not spend my money on those organizations.
But if I am asked if I want to donate to fund the American Diabetes Association, I will give ten times out of ten.
Why? Because I am type 1 diabetic. Because my dad died when I was three from complications related to his diabetes. It hits me close to home and I care about it. I value diabetes research.
At the end of the day, we give money where we see the most value.
So, back to the course about how to get patients to value their dental health.
The speaker showed some pictures of things people spend money on. One of the examples she gave was Evian water. Did you know that a gallon of Evian water costs $6.50?? I even found a “luxury” bottle of Evian (25fl oz) for $15.
This is absolutely bananas to me. But people spend this money on water. You can walk over to your sink and turn on the tap!
Unless, of course, you live in Ethiopia, or one of the many other places in the world that lack access to clean, running water.
In developed countries like America, some of us don't think twice about spending $15 on a bottle of water. While in other areas of the world, children are dying of disease and dehydration because they cannot access clean water. Little girls are growing up without an education because they have no time for school when they spend their days walking miles to a dirty watering hole to bring disease-ridden water back to their families. Because dirty water is better than no water.
Instead of spending $15 on a glass bottle of water, why wouldn’t we all just turn on our tap, and give that money instead to a charitable organization that can get water to areas of the world that lack it?
Why wouldn't we do that?
That's a great question. I've been trying to come up with an answer to that, and all I can figure is that we simply don’t think about water. It's so readily available for us that we don't truly value it.
It’s not intentional, of course. It’s just like a lot of things we take for granted.
But, if you think about all the things you do in a day that involve water, it’s pretty staggering.
Wake up in the morning. Shower. Use the restroom. Take your medicine. Drink coffee. Brush your teeth. Get to work and have some more coffee. Drink water throughout the day. Wash your hands. Go home and make dinner with water. Take a bath at night to relax. And tons of other things in between we don’t even realize.
Now, imagine doing all of that with only the amount of water you can carry. And the water source is miles away and it’s shared with animals and you fill your container up and carry it back to your family. And you all have to share this water.
What would you leave out of your daily routine?
Photo Cred: How the Global Water Crisis Affects Children
But here we are, willingly spending money on bottled water, while other people in our world can only dream of that kind of luxury.
Water should not be a luxury. It is the most basic need.
And yet, 771 million people in our world live every day without clean water. In Sub-Saharan Africa, women are responsible for 72% of the water collected (charitywater.org).
It's difficult to imagine that there could be a water crisis in the world we live in today, where there is a Starbucks on every corner and we waste water like it’s nothing.
The first time I saw images of the dirty watering holes people used for their drinking water, I knew I would never take water for granted again. Even still, my heart breaks when I think about it.
There is a lot in this world that will break your heart. Poverty and injustice and disease and inequality. These are really difficult problems to solve.
But water? That’s such an easy fix. If we all valued what clean water could mean for people who currently lack access to it, we could solve the water crisis.
Photo Cred: Dire Water Statistics in South Sudan
Which is why I got involved with the campaign for water with my church, who partners with a nonprofit organization called charity: water. Through this partnership, we fund the digging of fresh water wells to areas of the world that lack access to clean, running water.
Right now, The New Community Church of Roswell, GA is raising money for our twenty-third water project. And we are committed to doing this until no one in this world has to die from dirty water.
My husband and I value the work charity: water is doing. We have seen what access to clean water can do. We know that water changes everything. Because we hold this cause close to our hearts, our money follows.
We all have limited resources (some of us more limited than others, for sure). We all must decide how we will allocate those resources. We cannot just go around giving money to every single organization. That’s not realistic and it makes no financial sense.
I’m just making the point that there is a direct correlation between where we spend our money and what we value. If we value it, we will find a way to fit it in our budget. And it’s worth spending some time time really evaluating and considering that truth.
So.
What's in your heart?
What do you value?
And what's in your water?
QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION:
How do you make sure your money aligns with what you say you value?
How much do you think about the water you use?
Would you be willing to give $23 to support the funding of a fresh-water well? (100% of what you give goes towards digging this specific well.) If so, give here --> TNC's 23rd Water Project.
LEARN MORE:
Want to know more about charity: water? Visit their website here --> charity: water and check them out on Charity Rater.
One of the many things that sets charity: water apart from other charitable organizations is their 100% model. Literally 100% of what you give goes towards getting fresh water into remote areas of the world. Their operating expenses are completely separate.
Scott Harrison is the founder and CEO of charity: water. His story is fascinating and inspiring and I highly recommend his book, Thirst: A Story of Redemption, Compassion, and a Mission to Bring Clean Water to the World
Learn more about The New Community Church and our heart for this mission: https://www.thenewcommunitychurch.com/
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