THE TRAVELER

Climbing for Water.org

As most of you know seven of Asia and Southeast Asia’s major rivers flow from the Himalayas.  This of course affects the water resources of most of the populations of one of the earth’s major continents.   Ice and glazers are melting through out the world and fresh water will soon be, if it is not already in many communities, a valuable commodity almost everywhere in the world.  There have already been ‘water wars’ in a number of areas in the world:  Use of the Colorado River has already caused friction between southeastern US states’ farmers and Las Vegas, and Turkey’s wish to build dams which would affect the water flow to its southern neighbors, Iraq, Syria and Jordan, to list just two.

The Bagmati River, which is the major water source for Kathmandu has garbage strewn along its banks as well as the major GAT (cremation area) located just above the city center.  On World Water Day, March 22, 2011 www.climbingforwater.org held a marathon walk the length of the river from Kathmandu GATs to its local source to accentuate the need for cleaning up the river.  

The walkers included twenty-five sherpas, all with the last name, Sherpa and two of their wives, bright and very impressive, Armand Dirks and Nemgyal Sherpa (he’s been to the Everest summit eight times) who are two of the originators of www.Climbingforwater.org, Tobias Arnold, a handsome, charming very clever fellow, Crystal Frank, a very pretty effervescent young woman I nicknamed Sparkle Plenty after the Dick Tracy character because she does, and me.   As we walked we watched as a garbage truck (although now there is a new dump facility outside of town and it is against the law to dump along the river) dumped their garbage on the opposite side of the river from where we walked.  We drew water samples from different locations, checking the difference in the pollution from down stream to nearer the source.  We talked to villagers about the problem, who lived across the roads from the river’s banks. We also discussed the problem with children we met along the way and suggested ways they could help through their schools.  It was a lovely hot day and a real eye opener about the water pollution problem here and in probably many other similar locations in the world. 

Go to www.climbingforwater.org.   Also see what’s needed to be done in your own communities. 

Think Water

Conserve Water

Or

In the Future You Won’t Have Enough Available to be Around to Enjoy It