Water

[tovaris]

Is water a persons wright or a privilage? Can, should it be privatised? Whats your general opinion on this topic?

[kolte]

I assume you mean water, and here we come to a crucial debate that many in the west aren't likely able to conceptualize. Water is a resource taken for granted. Without it you die, obviously. This fact makes it an inherent right; if life is a right, so too are the things that sustain it. Yet, water is also a commodity, to be bought and sold in the free market. It's a delicate issue. In the US, we have an abundance of water, and money, so there is no perceived problem. But with increasing desertification and an ever growing, less affluent population, issues revolving water scarcity as seen in the third world are likely to become more common place. So what do we do then?

[Bethany]

I agree with what's said above. Water is absolutely a right, not a privilege. Saying water is inherently a privilege is like saying life is just a privilege and commodity that can be bought, sold, and taken from you.

With water scarcity in certain countries, I don't think the problem is "not enough water to sustain the population", it's that the water isn't being distributed well. Better government programs are needed in these countries in order to, one, reduce the practices that accelerate desertification and, two, better distribute the water.

However, in some of those countries, corruption will prevent these solutions from happening...and that's a more complex issue entirely.

[britishboy]

water is a right when you go in prison you get it etc and you will die with out it. I do think you should pay for it however as it does have to be pumped to your house and chlorine added. bit maybe we should pay foe it in our taxes? it's not expensive so you can't really complain about that when's the last time you heard a person say "ow no I can't afford water this month?" unheard of.

[Bethany]

You should have to pay if someone's treating your water...if you get your water from a well/river/creek, it should be free to you.

[britishboy]

You should have to pay if someone's treating your water...if you get your water from a well/river/creek, it should be free to you.

as long as it's on your land yes I agree:)

[randomnessqueen]

i dont think its a right or privilege, its just water.
though, i do think that those who dont have it available are being wronged

[britishboy]

i dont think its a right or privilege, its just water.
though, i do think that those who dont have it available are being wronged

who don't have it available?

[randomnessqueen]

who don't have it available?

there are lots of people who dont have water or food.
especially in poorer countries.

[britishboy]

there are lots of people who dont have water or food.
especially in poorer countries.

ow I thought we was talking about developed countries soz. awkward haha

[randomnessqueen]

ow I thought we was talking about developed countries soz. awkward haha

well, even in developed countries there are people too poor to feed themselves. there are homeless that have no access to food or water. its ofcourse a much smaller number of people, but they exist in every country. americas poor are treated terribly

[britishboy]

well, even in developed countries there are people too poor to feed themselves. there are homeless that have no access to food or water. its ofcourse a much smaller number of people, but they exist in every country. americas poor are treated terribly

I don't know about America but in the UK we have benefits for when you can get a job you don't go homeless

[workingatperfect]

I don't know about America but in the UK we have benefits for when you can get a job you don't go homeless

I find it hard to believe that no one in the UK is homeless.

No matter where you are, there will still be people who can't afford proper food and water. It's less common in developed countries, but it still exists and I think we have a right to things that are completely necessary to survive such as water and food (enough to survive anyway.)

[Harry Smith]

I don't know about America but in the UK we have benefits for when you can get a job you don't go homeless

Have you ever been to central London?

[britishboy]

there are many homeless people in the UK I know that but there are benefits to give you what you need I don't know that much about benefits though but the UK and developed countries are great compared to third world counties

[paulw]

There are very few people without access to water even in 3rd world countries, cos if you go more than about 3 or 4 days without, you're dead. The trouble is there are many without access to clean water, which leads to the spread of disease etc.

In developed places like the UK, although there is a big difference between living off benefits (and, say, in a council house) and being homeless altogether, people still have much better access to clean water.

[Horatio Nelson]

I think life and water is a privilege, what did we do to deserve it? Nothing. The fact that water comes out of your sink and shower every day is a privilege.

[xmojox]

I think life and water is a privilege, what did we do to deserve it? Nothing. The fact that water comes out of your sink and shower every day is a privilege.

What we did to deserve life was to have been born alive. That makes it a right. By your reasoning, we would have no rights whatsoever, because all we did to get them was to have been born.

There are places in the world where the people don't even have sinks and showers so they can experience the privelege of having water come out of them.

The basic things that we need to remain alive, are rights.

[Human]

If like me and you get a lot of water from a tap, then why not charge for it.
I disagree with the bottling of it though...

[britishboy]

it's not like people can't afford water it's cheap and everyone has it.

[Horatio Nelson]

What we did to deserve life was to have been born alive. That makes it a right. By your reasoning, we would have no rights whatsoever, because all we did to get them was to have been born.

There are places in the world where the people don't even have sinks and showers so they can experience the privelege of having water come out of them.

The basic things that we need to remain alive, are rights.

If life is a right then abortion should be illegal, abortion is the taking of life.
In a different thread people were talking about testing on animals and many said it was wrong. If that is wrong, how much worse is it to kill a little baby without it's consent?!

[britishboy]

If life is a right then abortion should be illegal, abortion is the taking of life.
In a different thread people were talking about testing on animals and many said it was wrong. If that is wrong, how much worse is it to kill a little baby without it's consent?!

a bit off topic? and that's personal opinion and up to the parents

[xmojox]

it's not like people can't afford water it's cheap and everyone has it.

Have a look at this from National Geographic. http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/freshwater-crisis/

If life is a right then abortion should be illegal, abortion is the taking of life.
In a different thread people were talking about testing on animals and many said it was wrong. If that is wrong, how much worse is it to kill a little baby without it's consent?!

We aren't talking about abortion or animal testing. We're talking about simply having water to sustain one's life.

[britishboy]

water can be made from sea water it's just more expensive

[xmojox]

water can be made from sea water it's just more expensive

If it weren't prohibitively expensive, there wouldn't be a freshwater shortage. Just a thought.

[britishboy]

If it weren't prohibitively expensive, there wouldn't be a freshwater shortage. Just a thought.

it be alright for our first world countries but third world countries will be badly hit.

[xmojox]

it be alright for our first world countries but third world countries will be badly hit.

There are places in the US where water usage is controlled, so I'm not sure just how alright it will be. But the places where it's the worst are some of the poorest places on Earth, so desalination isn't really an option for those people. Water is being privatised, and many people simply can't afford it.

[britishboy]

There are places in the US where water usage is controlled, so I'm not sure just how alright it will be. But the places where it's the worst are some of the poorest places on Earth, so desalination isn't really an option for those people. Water is being privatised, and many people simply can't afford it.

well I can afford its dirt cheap so I'm not really worrying

[xmojox]

well I can afford its dirt cheap so I'm not really worrying

Way to be compassionate for those less fortunate. And this will become a worldwide problem.

[britishboy]

Way to be compassionate for those less fortunate. And this will become a worldwide problem.

don't wurry we live in the western world its fine it will get more expensive but we wont die of no water and I live in the UK surrounded by water so just turn sea water into drinking water, and water is so cheap at the moment and will be for a long time anyway I have no concern that I can afford water and my kids kids and their kids will be able to afford it

[xmojox]

don't wurry we live in the western world its fine it will get more expensive but we wont die of no water and I live in the UK surrounded by water so just turn sea water into drinking water, and water is so cheap at the moment and will be for a long time anyway I have no concern that I can afford water and my kids kids and their kids will be able to afford it

Educate yourself, sir.

[britishboy]

Educate yourself, sir.

I am educated and I will never have to wurry about water nor would most people I am really not concerned.

[xmojox]

I am educated and I will never have to wurry about water nor would most people I am really not concerned.

Your signature made me smile.

[britishboy]

Your signature made me smile.

lol ok:p

[Hunter_Steel]

Water is not cheap. Not at all. You might think it is now, but wait till it becomes a shortage. 2/3 of the Earth is covered in water, and only 8% of that water is drinkable. Only 2% of the 8% is in liquid form. So in essence, only 2% of all the water on our Earth is drinkable and that is being depleted. One day there will be no more water for the animals, for us humans, and we'd have to either relocate, or do genetic experiments to modify our way of taking in Water.

There is however, so much frozen water floating in the asteroid belt that it can fill our oceans 100 times over.

@britishboy: You forgot with your western thinking, that in some Countries in Africa, water is too expensive for people to buy, they have to get by on little bits of water or some sort of hydration. South Africa relies on Fresh Water, and cannot afford the process of turning Sea Water into Drinking water. Its just too expensive. So while you go off and be selfish and only worry about yourself, people like me may not be able to afford drinking water in the near future.

Hope thats an eye opener for you.

~Hunter

[britishboy]

Water is not cheap. Not at all. You might think it is now, but wait till it becomes a shortage. 2/3 of the Earth is covered in water, and only 8% of that water is drinkable. Only 2% of the 8% is in liquid form. So in essence, only 2% of all the water on our Earth is drinkable and that is being depleted. One day there will be no more water for the animals, for us humans, and we'd have to either relocate, or do genetic experiments to modify our way of taking in Water.

There is however, so much frozen water floating in the asteroid belt that it can fill our oceans 100 times over.

@britishboy: You forgot with your western thinking, that in some Countries in Africa, water is too expensive for people to buy, they have to get by on little bits of water or some sort of hydration. South Africa relies on Fresh Water, and cannot afford the process of turning Sea Water into Drinking water. Its just too expensive. So while you go off and be selfish and only worry about yourself, people like me may not be able to afford drinking water in the near future.

Hope thats an eye opener for you.

~Hunter

I'm sorry to hear that but a water shortage is far far away so you shouldn't wurry about it and a food shortage will be sooner and as they start building stations to turn sea water into drinking water it will get cheaper and where are you from?

[Hunter_Steel]

The location is stated in my profile -.-

I'm from South Africa. And no, it will just get more expensive as water is monopolized.

~Hunter

[britishboy]

The location is stated in my profile -.-

I'm from South Africa. And no, it will just get more expensive as water is monopolized.

~Hunter

South Africa is a bit place haha are you from Argentina? lol I'm not gonna wind you up about the Falklands don't wurry:D

[Hunter_Steel]

For god's sake. South Africa is a damn Country. -.-

Look it up on google maps. You say your educated, but obviously not. Your thinking of the Southern Area of Africa. South Africa is a country, with it's own government and everything.

~Hunter

[britishboy]

For god's sake. South Africa is a damn Country. -.-

Look it up on google maps. You say your educated, but obviously not. Your thinking of the Southern Area of Africa. South Africa is a country, with it's own government and everything.

~Hunter

you mean the republic of south Africa? and lol I miss read it as south America and I am educated!:0

[Hunter_Steel]

Maybe in your own countries politics and american politics and economies. But try and study a little about how South Africa is. I am one of few people in this country with the balls to speak out against our racist government that is by all means anti-white.

In Africa, generally in Africa. Water is expensive. Even our own fresh water is expensive. The import labels are even more expensive. Water is going to be the next thing humanity goes to war over.

~Hunter