Rivers Connect Us More Than You May Realize

Photo ©SigurDD

I was thinking about all of the ways rivers touch our lives. So I decided to write down some of the ways I benefitted from clean water this morning.

• 6:00am - make coffee (the best cup of coffee starts with fresh tap water)
• 7:00am - make oatmeal (with tap water)
• 7:30am - pack lunch (organic apple grown with Columbia River water; salmon caught on the Willamette River),
• 7:45am - toddler wants to go outside - put his boots on and go splash in puddles on sidewalk,
• 7:50am - toddler splashes in dogs' water bucket.
• 8:15am - shower
• 8:30am - take bus to work, cross over Willamette on Ross Island Bridge
• 11:30am - go for a run along the riverfront - lots of other people running, walking, biking and enjoying the river view

And that's just the morning. The rest of the day might include enjoying a local beer which starts by using our water or use water from rain barrel to water some potted plants. Other days I might go kayaking, or swimming, or maybe join my husband salmon or steelhead fishing. I might let my dogs splash in a stream.

This just shows how important clean water is to our health, economy, and quality of life. Americans want more clean water protections, not fewer. Rivers are a huge part of our everyday lives. It's so easy to take clean water for granted - but can you imagine living without it?

How many times did rivers touch your life today?