Figmentations

Water may be considered a generic commodity by some, or a profit-producing product to others. In the end, it is simply a necessity for everyone’s existence.

A recent video snippet that I came across by Katie Couric on “World Water Day” succinctly points out the need for awareness to the larger issue of the 40% of the world’s population that does not even have access to clean water or proper sanitation. Water is definitely something that we need to be concerned about.

Too bad that the World Water Day website is so uninspiring…I think we need to get some good social media marketers to help them out. Want to see some interesting coverage of the water issues? Check out the entertaining (and irreverent) “reporting” on water on the Colbert Report and how related coverage is nicely compiled on one of the show’s fan sites: The No Fact Zone.

Back in the land of plenty, in the news, almost like a politician being criticized from all angles, water has become a controversial topic in the media for other reasons. How apropos and timely does this make the recent Ziggy cartoon posted here?

We’ve heard of the reports that suggest that prescription drugs are finding their way into the nation’s drinking water since the water treatment plants don’t filter them out of wastewater that it treats.

That works out as a nice coincidence for the latest news story which reports that there should not be a pseudo recommended daily allowance of water intake (of eight 8oz glasses a day)…at least that’s what two kidney experts are claiming in a national medical publication.

From the news coverage that I’ve seen, you’d think there was more support behind their claim, and that the dangers were more severe than actually is the case. Let’s look at the language used to conclude that “there is no clear-cut scientific rationale”:

• the only source they found that supports the benefits of water-drinking is: “the complementary and alternative medicine worlds” (I guess those worlds don’t count.)
• water-drinking myths were debunked based on the: “review the scientific literature on the benefits of drinking water” (I guess it can only be true after someone writes about it.)
• they concluded that “there is no rational basis for the widespread belief….it is unclear where this recommendation came from.” (I guess if there’s no proof then it can’t be true.)
• their claims that it can actually be dangerous to drink too much water is solely based on extreme examples.

So, what are we to conclude with these different reports on water. I would conclude that we need to look at the facts behind the messages. What do you think?