Barney The Dinosaur: “I never let the water run.”
By: Vereena Bishoy
“But while I am brushing my teeth and having so much fun, I never let the water run.”
If you grew up watching Barney & Friends as I did, this song might be quite familiar to you; I heard this song almost every day as this was my favorite Barney episode as a child.
Now, every time I am near a tap, this song jingles in my head. Never let the water run. Never let the water run. Never let the water run.
I realize now how privileged I am to have this ingrained in my head because this mentality may save us. Egypt is on the brink of, believe it or not, absolute water scarcity.
According to cabinet figures, Egypt is far below the threshold for water scarcity at 560 m3 per person, putting it close to absolute scarcity, which starts at 500 m3 and below. It is expected that Egypt will run out of water by 2025, as per UNICEF statistics published in 2021. Let that sink in—three years from today.
Egypt is already in jeopardy as is. Still, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam may be an additional factor in causing massive fluctuation in the flow of the Nile, especially during the years the lake is being filled.
The Caravan interviewed Tina Jaskolski, an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and Climate Security Analyst for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), where she discussed the extent of the emergency facing Egypt in.
She explains that water sharing of transboundary water resources is a big concern for climate security.
Jaskolski stated that 80 percent of Egypt’s freshwater goes into agriculture, and almost all agricultural production is irrigated.
In a report published by the Egyptian Embassy in Washington DC in 2021, a loss of 1 Billion cubic meters (BCM) would result in a dire agricultural state of 130,000 hectares of cultivated land and $430 million of lost agricultural production.
Bearing in mind that the rise in temperature results in more evaporation, more droughts, and less rain, this all appears to be taking to the same dead end.
Suddenly, the words “it is too late to start now” do not seem cliche anymore and are beginning to form a pit in my stomach. It is time to re-strategize to preserve water to whatever we can to preserve life or what’s left of it.
What I derive from Jskolski’s interview is that it is time to be climate-smart. This means we need to include integrated farming systems, greenhouse cultivation, climate control farming, hydroponics, and aquaponics as our new methods of agriculture, savoring that crop per drop.
But technology alone will not save the planet.
Take what is happening in the hottest regions of the Middle East year after year. Soaring temperatures threaten not only to destroy rivers and already strained agricultural lands but also displace millions from what have been their ancestral homes for millenia.
The Kuwaiti city of Nuwaiseeb registered its hottest day in history at 53.2 centigrade. Think about these temperatures here in Cairo. No, it isn’t far-fetched.
Policymakers need to raise awareness regarding how we use and preserve water; they need to aid and guide in implementing more efficient irrigation systems and work familiarizing the nation with the concept of recycling water.
Policymakers alone will not save the planet.
We, me and you, need to take the responsibility and initiative to educate ourselves on water scarcity and the ways we can do our part to preserve water.
When you wash your vegetables, dishes, teeth, car, and shower, remember Barney, and do not let the water run.
