Water is a beautiful thing, a thing that we use daily in our lives. We bathe in it, we cook with it, we drink it, and we live because of it. We are surrounded by the dazzling magnificence of H2O. It is all around us in many forms. Water vapor is in the air at all times, we breathe it, we use it for power in forms like steam engines. Water in its liquid form surrounds us. It comes out of our faucets; it precipitates and conglomerates in forms such as waterfalls, storms, hurricanes, oceans, rivers, lakes and so many others. In its solid form, we use it to cool our drinks, to preserve our food, and to keep cool. In nature ice is almost as a landform. It is buildable, sculptable, movable and an abundant resource.

      Water is abundant, so what's the problem? There's plenty of it and it never leaves the earth. It simply evaporates and precipitates back down. The same water that has been here for as far back as we can trace. So, we should respect it. Since it is the same water being recycled and reused for all of history, it is the same water that future generations will have to use. The problem occurs when chemical substances are dissolved into it. Chemicals like DDT that don't break down and are not biodegradable. These substances will be in the water forever. Making it unsafe for plants, animals and humans to consume.

      Pollutants in water have a huge affect on our daily living. Whether it be direct or indirect, it is a problem that we need to stop or slow down. Once, a part of the Mississippi caught on fire because of all the hideous chemicals that were on the water. I hope this sent a message to the all of the factories along the beautiful river to do something about where and how they put there waste. I am not sure what the results of this happening were, but I hope they were positive.

      Pollutants harm and destroy our marshes and ocean wildlife along the coast as well. Over 1,000 animals and birds are killed or mangles every 12 hours. Marshes are not things that just grow back in two days and every thing is ok again. The beautiful sanctuaries might take several decades just to get back to where a family of birds could live in. Housing developments are also a reason for the destroying of marshes, air condition fluids leak into the grasses if the developers haven't already built over the marsh. I think this is a horrible mistake that we are making and I think that we are too greedy. Water is an amazing thing that we cannot replace easily if not at all.

      Without water we wouldn't be able to survive. Can you think of one thing that isn't some how related to water? There are all sorts of animals that wouldn't be able to live without the water. Take fish for example. People all over the world eat fish, and if water is polluted fish can't live, and if fish can't live people go hungry. People aren't the only thing that eat fish, other animals do too. So if there are no fish all sorts of other creatures will go hungry. Sure, they could adapt and begin to eat other things but those other things will need water to live. Without water, life cannot exist.

      Life is one big cycle, and if you cut a single string in this cycle everything comes crashing down. There is almost nothing alive that doesn't require water. So if we were ever to run out of water we would die and the whole earth would wither away. This is why we have to take care of our planet and try not to pollute it. I know that this may seem like a lot to ask a single person, not to throw your gum wrapper on the ground, but to put it into a trashcan. People are accustomed to taking the Earth for granted, but if you just kept that wrapper for a few more minutes, until you pass a trashcan you will be helping the earth, our home, to live.

      Eventually, if everyone helps, we can make a difference. We can conserve water and that means more water to drink, to swim in, to ensure our survival. If you don't help stop the destruction of the Earth, your garbage will eventually end up in a lake, swamp, bog, river, or even ocean. And would you want to drink water that has billions and trillions of gum wrappers, cigarettes, cans, and the million other things that you can imagine in the water. No! I know you wouldn't, I wouldn't either. So just wait that extra two minutes till you get to a garbage can. Do yourself and the world a favor, throw your trash away, and recycle! It will help us all, and eventually if everyone starts to recycle and throw their trash away we won't have to worry about the mass destruction of our Earth through simple neglect.

      It's an easy thing to do. Don't use toxic chemicals that will harm the Earth, use a biodegradable substitute instead. Don't trash that aluminum can, recycle it. Think about your actions and their effect on the world. We all live in a time and place where we depend on water to survive. If we neglect and abuse our water supply, where will we be? It's easy, do the right thing; let's take care of our earth and ourselves. Respect our water, respect our future.

(938 words)

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