Saving Water

By Elyse Horowitz
University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Spending the spring semester of my junior year of college as a student at the University of Haifa was the greatest learning experience I have had in my life. Where else but our homeland of Israel can you find so many people of so many different backgrounds coming together to reclaim their religious heritage? The happiness of others just to be in Israel seemed to surround me wherever I traveled, and brought an interesting and memorable story to each of my journeys throughout the country. I was able to learn about various cultures, religions and traditions in a land which so many people call home, simply by stepping out my front door and interacting with those around me.

In addition, I learned about another aspect of daily life in Israel which stands out in my mind, and has a constant effect on the country’s inhabitants – the quickly depleting water supply. This is most evident at the site of the Dead Sea, a place which matters greatly to many Israelis, as well as tourists who come from across the globe. This landmark is said to be linked to the histories of many religions and influential figures. However, the Dead Sea continues to shrink as years go by, as the outflow of water is greater than the amount of water being fed into it. In other words, the strain of Israel’s drought is having a visible effect on the size of this body of water, and is not likely to improve in the foreseeable future.

This type of environmental status continues to be a problem throughout Israel, and is evident in the way Israeli citizens maintain their lives, including water available for showering and washing dishes. These small tasks may seem trivial in one’s day-to-day happenings, but can have a great influence on the water usage of certain regions in the country.

One of the most inventive ways of saving water is the Israeli waste management system – each toilet is equipped with two levers to be used to flush different-sized waste, therefore using the minimal amount of water at all times.

After observing these practices for months while living in Israel, it is difficult to forget how aware Israelis are about their water usage. To this day, I carefully watch how much water I use when washing the dishes or brushing my teeth, remembering the scrutiny which my Israeli roommates used when completing these household tasks. Although I feel fortunate whenever there is enough hot water in my shower at home or at school, I also remember that our water sources are not unlimited, and that I could be doing harm to environment by taking advantage of these resources.

I believe that Americans have the education and ability to be more aware of their consumption on a day-to-day basis, whether in terms of water, gasoline, or other amenities. By using simple actions such as lessening our water and energy usage by 3% per person, Americans can have a part in improving the environmental state of their country, not only for themselves, but for future generations as well.

Elyse Horowitz is from Natick, MA, and is completing her senior year at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. She is a journalism major, and is pursuing a certification in public health. She is currently working as an Assistant Editor of the Arts and Living section of The Massachusetts Daily Collegian.

[Posted 1/15/10]