Tag: Water

For the Love of Water and Peace

For the Love of Water and Peace ©

By Suzanne Maxx

In Kauai, Hawaii, water day is every day, as it is known to be one of the wettest spots on Earth.  Today, what there is to do on World Water Day is exclaim to the world why water is so mission-critical for us all to fall in love with now, especially for peace on our planet.

There is deep gratitude to build community around the various ways water is in our lives here on this island, and island Earth.  It is falling in love with the Ocean again, deeper each day, but also the rivers, streams, waterfalls’ natural pools, water-terraced taro fields, and the moisture of rain and snow (yes, snow on the Big Island of Hawaii), and especially the abundant rainbows.

The issue is up; how to better come into balance on Earth for humanity with nature-based systems, especially for water equality, purity, and peace and access for all.  It is hard to imagine that over 2 billion people cannot access clean water.  I wonder how many of us really contemplate how our bodies are made up of water.  How water in blood is vital, and how the many elements that make up the Ocean and also the contents of our blood.  Water and our breath are what we all have in common in the body here on Earth.  All worldly religions integrate water as part of their ultimate mystery as well. The value and respect for water could become a number one priority, along with love and peace.  In atonement with nature, what if more of the collective choose to transcend antiquated systems, structures, and values to transform what we hold in our hearts?

What if we flow like water, running through and over rocks with ease and grace? How water cleanses, purifies our hearts, and heals our bodies is like nothing else. Water resets and calibrates our bodies, minds, and spirits to their highest potential.  It brings us myriads of ways for us to be quenched and entertained with so many aquatic sports and experiences in and amidst its presence.  Do we bring the deserved reverence to water each time it is used, entered, or collected?

To trickle down as sunlight illuminates through the water to create the colorful mist and spectrum of the rainbow, reflects how we may aim in, with gratitude to learning from one of the greatest teachers of all: the water itself.  As water peacefully nourishes the grown and grows the seed, and is at the base of all in life! Water and much of life that we celebrate on one day- deserve gratitude and celebration every day. We exercise peace in the Ocean-Float exercises and experiences.

Growing up, my mother and WTN Board Member Walter Andrews both worked at EPA Region 2 Water Supply, so water was a big part of family discussions, school projects, and how I came to be introduced to the Virgin Islands early on in life and to prioritize water.  Like many of us, as we transition around with travel, plastic bottles of water can become a constant drinking water source.  The path that led me to remain here in Kauai, Hawaii, was influenced by the water.

Since living in Hawaii and having real fresh, pure, and clean water access, I’ve gotten off of plastics and moved to glass gallon jars of water.  Sometimes, I must refill my water from a local store with a water system, but it is not chlorinated and is filtered. Still, it is a joy to be able to get water from the pure freshwater spring coming out of the mountains up from the rocks and a known source of purity on the North Shore that remains intact with a watershed with nothing above but mountain rock and sky.  I feel great drinking live fresh water. The famous water source, as Hawaiian lore will share, has all kinds of legends, including this water’s ability to support the longevity of life force. The water is not easy to reach (which comes with most all things that are truly good and genuine) and requires a hand-over-fist advanced rock climb (without a rope) with a very steep rock wall face in the jungle area, where the only thing to hold on to are tree branches and vines.

In the quest to use water for peace beyond transnational boundaries, corruption is one of the largest geopolitical issues that many do not contemplate.  Watershed contamination, reservoirs, and water policies question where justice is, and as we become aware, it is truly just for us to realize.  The question of honesty, integrity, and other noble virtues have yet to be applied to situations such as the Colorado River, Jackson, Mississippi, The Tibetan Plateau, and the region sitting on the global kingpin of water, which many are fooled to think is merely a religious issue.  Is it a wonder that China has taken control of Tibet? There are more water wars than worth giving any more energy to at this time of much-needed peace, globally.

If we ALL really understood that ownership of natural resources, like WATER, is at the root of most wars and conflicts, we might live in peace now. War from ownership of water, land, humans, animals, and ultimately nature itself could end our species and potentially this planet. Once a natural resource is “owned,” it changes the nature and essence of its miraculous free-flowing giving essence. Drinking water rights could be a basic human right for all people and a path towards making the world more sustainable and accessible for all people.  Will we reach the global goals with water by 2030?  Let’s try for as soon as possible?

Perhaps if the rest of the world followed the indigenous cultural traditions, we might better integrate water and all its forms with different words and motions that actually are essential to the dance of the sacred Hula and Hawaiian, which help remind people of the import of water. Then we might not have the tension exasperated from the extremes of drought or flood, and peace may be a quality of life for all.  Aloha, meaning the breath, hello, goodbye, and love, is more than the word or spirit that moves through all, building the kinds of communities that are essential, like the water.  Water and the Aloha spirit are an essential part of life entering Hawaii that we all hope gets passed forward as the greatest souvenir, besides leaving hearts to better calibrate with love.

Water! The United Nations Water Conference 2023

By Suzanne Maxx

Water, Water, Water… Water! Can WE all be joyously singing those words?  Will we be able to celebrate Water & what we can all do together by 2030, or 2050?

The United Nations World Water Conference is happening now beginning today, World Water Day 2023, and going three days, March 22nd – 24th, 

 

You can join Virtually and Watch the LIVE UN Events Here: https://media.un.org/en/webtv/schedule

The UN Media Zone (An entertaining/educational talk show format of UN Events);
https://media.un.org/en/asset/k10/k10lcobd8g

United Nations Headquarter Photo Courtesy of Albert Boulanger

The Water Conference is co-hosted by the Governments of Tajikistan and the Netherlands with an overflowing schedule of events coming in with the rising tide for collective action. As the increase in water-related disasters, not just drought and flood continue make the case for urgent immediate action, by us all.  To learn, “Every $1 invested in making infrastructure disaster-resilient saves $4 in reconstruction. (UNDRR, 2021) “ was one of the many surprising facts and figures, or read the latest UN report.

Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Maxx

Water not just to place a greater value and understanding on Water (yes, intentionally capitalized), but also, to ensure all have equal access to Water.  Water and Air and the way they live through us changing states, solid, liquid and gas, not easily seen as a vapor, gas—yet like love, Water is more than a most precious resource; of ineffable value. To have love of the other, oneself, and the Divine within and throughout, love as a commodity that is immeasurable like the value of Water.  Now to prioritize Water given for all, being within and making up a large percentage of our bodies, and our common home, on planet earth, and raising consciousness.

Water is not only a resource, but also, a human right. International human rights law obliges States to work to achieve universal access to water and sanitation for all, without any discrimination, while prioritizing those who need water most.  If we can mind the Water gap working together across borders for our common home and not merely for profit, but for public benefit is that not a higher good for all?

There we many seeds planted, that bloomed with ideas brought forth to the collective World Water Day, the Biodiversity Treaty, Law of the Sea, that are now finally getting some movement after being introduced in 1992 during the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro. The UN Earth Summit/Global Forum, was where I came to better interact with the United Nations.

It’s a watershed moment today with World Water Day, UN Water Conference, Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) to “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.” Goal #6 is one of 17 Sustainable Development Goals created officially inside the Paris Accord established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015. Although we are way behind the Global Goals being achieved, Clean water and sanitation for all, may have a better chance to flow as a reality with coordinated watershed moments with the Decade of Water” 2018-2028, plus the Decade of the Ocean 2021-2030. Hopefully, this “Rip Tide” of trajectories with both Decades related to Water also overlapping, with World Water Day, will pull us out of this mess, and into the deeper Water of collective consciousness.

Albert Boulanger United Nations, New York Photo Courtesy of Brigid Tucker

We have a team registered at The United Nations Water Conference representing World Team Now at United Nations in New York.  World Team Now is being represented for this Water Conference at UN Headquarters by VP and Director of Technical Strategy, Albert Boulanger and Youth Leader Advocate, Brigid Tucker, in her junior year attending my Alma Mater,  Sarah Lawrence College. Her voice, regarding the Water Conference, is something we can all look forward to hearing with her first UN experience…Walter Andrews, WTN Director of Water, Energy and the Environment for WTN, along with others are grateful to have the choice to participate virtually.

Ha’ena where the fresh Water meets the Ocean’s salt Water-Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Maxx

I’m learning again and again, the clichéd, the change starts within– getting that glass water thermos, filling it with fresh water that came down from the mountains and up through lava. I haven’t been able to test the water yet, but legend Aunties, Elders, Nature, and Science say, it is as good as I may get in the USA, now.  I’m committed to kicking the plastic bottled water habit, when I’m not in Fiji, and can get Water from a reliable natural source.  “Be the change you want to see in the world” Mahatma Gandhi.

I have remained on the small Island where we have been working on resiliency with small scale systems solutions, and Ocean projects locally on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, (it’s still World Water Day here, HST). The projects we are working on are in a flood zone which often is cut off from power, with also unique Ocean conditions. The Sports and play aspect build on physical movement: that might better build collective MOVEMENT!  One by one, hearts are opened, minds are inspired to learn more, and bodies move in action!

World Team Now is organizing an educational approach to socialize and demonstrate cutting-edge solutions.  Our goals include advocating to meet Water challenges on a small local scale, on islands.  We are beginning with one section of an island community. We plan to address challenges related to drought, flooding Water as a resource related to policy, purification, mitigation, energy, catchment, and wastewater up-cycling and best practice of sustained use. The ineffable mysterious territory, the consciousness of Water, will be explored through World Team Now’s upcoming Open Ocean Educational Curricula. The Tide is coming in for transforming our future, and that means the chance for each of us to choose to prioritize rising!

Water, Water, Water… Water! Again, can WE all joyously sing those words?  Instead of the “mean green” lyrics of the song Money? “Money, Money, Money…  Money!” May we be singing; “Let them Come to the Water”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Season for Change- Fukushima Nuclear Catastrophe

Seasons for Change

Photo courtesy of National Nuclear Security Administration / Nevada Site Office

During seasons of change ushered in by catastrophic events the song made for  World Team,  gives hope.  World Team Now took action and approached the US government with a coalition to support energy policy.

Silence, contemplation and inner retreat has helped to reflect on the past seasons of catastrophic events; first with the Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill and again this year with the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant’s radiation (here is a visual story);

The metaphor of Groundhog Day, with the concept of “seeing the shadow” as how it relates to the coming of the Spring season, and it’s cycle of renewal, an opportunity for new growth! Dedicated to the environmental and social issues–to raise consciousness through the World Team project, these events are unfathomable to comprehend especially as our World Team concept began in Japan.  Appreciation of our clean air, water and earth’s precious resources is key along with food, shelter, sleep and love.  Prayers go out to our friends and extended family in Japan and in the Ivory Coast that are challenged now.


The situation now at  Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant is best understood from a broad perspective and a scientific one, so please click on the below links to keep up to date with the radiation, and for concerns about the nuclear catastrophe.  The Agencies list the facts of the situation, and are worth to check on daily.  The Media Coverage listed are the news outlets that are intelligently and consistently publishing solid stories. The Articles are one’s we have read and found to be of significant value.  The Blogs we selected are credible scientific sources that post accurate information before the traditional media outlets can, because they are the experts.  Traditional media coverage is slower with presenting the news, because they need to check and validate the facts with experts.

Agencies:
International Atomic Energy Ageency (IAEA)
All Things Nuclear Archive of Events
Japan Atomic Industrial Forum (JAIF)

Media Coverage:
NHKNYTimesKyodonews,  CNN, and NPR


Articles:
Status of the Nuclear Reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi Power Plant
Energy Secretary Chu Says Reactor Core is Damaged
Do you live In A Nuclear Danger Zone?
Fukushima vs. Three Mile Island vs. Chernobyl
Preventing the Next Nuclear Meltdown
Dangers of Radiation for Workers at Fukushima Daiichi
Radiation Threatened Japan Accuses Fukushima of Information Void
In the Event of A Nuclear Meltdown, Well, Go West?
Japan Extended Reactors Life Despite Warning
Nuclear Watchdog Report Highlights: US Near Misses
Japan Disaster Puts Spotlight on 4 Decade Old Excelon Nuclear Power Plant
Renewables or Nuclear: Maybe we Do Have to Choose?
Nuclear Industry Shielded From Big Disaster Costs
Preventing Nuclear Meltdown:Assessing Regulatory Failure in Japan and USA

Blogs:


Coping
The known 5 stages of grieving in the process of loss are valuable to understand as they help to shed light towards catastrophe and death. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross applies below to any form of catastrophic loss (job, income, freedom), as well many tragedies and disasters. The stages, known in its abbreviated form DABDA, include:

  1. Denial
  2. Anger
  3. Bargaining
  4. Depression
  5. Acceptance

Understanding
Dr.  Ernest Sternglass changed my understanding of the power of nuclear energy in an interview I did with him more than 15 years ago about the cumulative effects of low level radiation.  He was is brilliant man who shared about his meeting with Albert Einstein.  He explained that Albert was near the end of his life about the same age difference as between Sternglass and I.  Sternglass described Einstein as a” broken man” who was guilt ridden with the effect of his contribution to science that helped usher in the nuclear error (or era).

Prayer
The prayer offered by Dr. Masaru Emoto has a powerful intent to change  the property of the radioactive water, see below for his suggested words.  Try praying it in a way that communicates truth and pure intent for you;

“The water of Fukushima Nuclear Plant, we are sorry to make you suffer.  Please forgive us.  We thank you, and we love you.”

If his goals are realized healing an awakening would occur for Japan waters and our sea that connects all of us  around the world.  What is there to loose with prayer? Only if it works, globally we would have to re-shape and change our perception of consciousness to see the power of both science and prayer.

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