Ever heard that stress is a silent killer? What about water stress? What about stressing about water stress?
The daily reality of a tour guide, during this pandemic, in a country where 'furlough' doesn't trickle down to everyone working in the tourism sector, was brought to life when I spoke to my friend Youssef recently. He lives in Morocco and it pained me to hear of his difficulties trying to get by. According to WRI, Morocco will experience extremely high water stress by 2040.
My conversation with Youssef got me thinking. Questioning. Do I even know how much water I consumed today? How many litres? I've experienced water scarcity but always with the comfort of knowing it was only temporary. What was my water footprint? As a teenager in UK, I was probably one of the millions who used about 150 litres daily given the money at my disposal and my habits. 112 litres may have been lost, daily from our home, due to leakages in the system. This is before we even take into account 'virtual water', water required to produce the food and clothes we consume, possibly coming from companies and parts of the world that are not necessarily managing water resources efficiently and equitably, produced and transported by companies that are often largely motivated by profit over planet. Once this is all taken into account, the total usage of water per person daily can go up to 5000 litres per person!
My mind wanders back to when I was 19. Young, dumb and broke, living in a high rise, tower block, flat share in Angel, London. Against adult advice of staying at home, and saving my student loan money for a deposit for a home, getting a mortgage upon graduating in Economics, once I got a 'proper' job in Finance, instead, I argued, that it made more sense for me to move out with a couple of my school friends, as a first year uni student. To make it easier to attend morning lectures as I would be closer to uni by being in central London rather than in the suburbs of North East 'Greater London'. To take the primordial steps of living independently, on my own two feet, to be a man (facepalm).
One day, many missed morning lectures later, our water supply was cut due to a technical fault. Essential works would mean no running water for at least a day, if not more.
The weather was hot and it was the World Cup. Add some water scarcity to the mix and you've got quite a cocktail. The powers that be had decided that delivering bottled Evian water for us residents would be a good idea.
I remember the three of us racing downstairs from our 13th floor flat (a bit of cardio never did any harm), each of us picking up our humanitarian aid package of an Evian 6 pack of 1.5 litre bottles and squeezing into our damp smelling lift. We were given 9 litres each to survive on until God knows when. Challenge accepted. It's not as if we couldn't pop downstairs, withdraw some of that good ol' student loan cash money and buy more water from our trusty off licence. No. We would prove to ourselves and each other what men we really were.
Deciding how to manage our water came down to our individual habits and discipline. I don't recall any group discussion nor any offer of agreement to pool resources together as a collective.
Serena Williams showing me that world champions too can appreciate the simple things in life
The superstar feeling of going to the toilet, brushing my teeth and trying to clean myself with Evian water soon stirred within me a feeling of rage at the absolute absurdity of the situation. That I would be using French, plastic bottled, mountain sourced water, transported hundreds of miles, most likely in vehicles using fossil fuels, thus polluting the atmosphere, and passed countless hands, to get to me. Lucky me.
My stock of home cooked food disguised in ice cream containers ( thank you Mum :) ) had run dry just in time for my usual, weekly weekend return trip home to replenish supplies of food, clean clothes and love. Timing was impeccable.
Cooking was a no no, as packet noodles would require water, and so would the washing up. So, I opted to save the time and money of going home that weekend, and gave in to good reason, by eating Dixy. Lunch and dinner. I practiced intermittent fasting aka student diet before it was a thing.
It really is all about the Jumbo Pack Mama Tom Yum Flavour
72 hours from the pick up of our Evian aid package, the sound of our toilet flushing signaled the end of our Commando training. We survived before another shipment of Evian water was needed.
Me and my flat mates celebrating a job well done
Of course, I was fortunate enough to have friends come round during this trial, bringing their emotional support in the form of Coca Cola, Turkish bread and salami, more Dixy, and guts filled with healthy 'Pro Evo' competitive zest, and other things that aren't good for the body but good for the soul.
It wasn't the first time I had experienced water scarcity. With parents from Malaysia and Philippines, I had the joy of growing up experiencing a good ol' outdoor shower, using a water pump and bucket. The opportunity of bathing and brushing my teeth with water flowing from a bathroom tap that tasted like the pipes were made of rusted iron. Being from London, a plane ride away, I had the chance to know the difference between water that is safe and water that will just have to do.
A few handfuls of hair loss later, I have been fortunate enough to rub shoulders and be in the company of life changing, inspiring individuals. To study and work in environments focusing on solutions to some of the greatest challenges of our times. Alongside some of the leading minds and warrior spirits on the front lines of the battle to secure a sustainable, equitable, existence for all of us, on this planet we call home.
Now while teaching Geography, History and Sustainability in classrooms in Europe, I am reminded of how people across the world have had to live sustainably out of necessity rather than as a lifestyle choice.
People like my friend Youssef, help remind me that we all can live with far less than we think we need. And that we all need each other more than we know. And that in you and I, the blood running through our veins, can't be in vain, when we act, guided by love, searching for meaning to life's greatest mysteries.
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