Complete Issue - Shippensburg University

Introduction 3All these problems have serious implications both forquantity and quality of our water supplies. This issue ofProteus is dedicated to the subject of water, not simplyto highlight the technical and geopolitical issuesassociated with it, but to examine its cultural, spiritual,and aesthetic dimensions as well.Much of the population of the developed worldhas yet to directly experience the problems of scarcityI first confronted as a young child. Many Americansand Europeans continue to view water as a ubiquitousamenity, readily accessible with a simple turn of a tap.To this day, I am amazed at how few peoplerecognize the value and scarcity of this preciousresource. After many years of living in the UnitedStates, I am still shocked to see grown men idlychatting in restrooms for minutes at a time while thewater wastefully whirls around their perfectly cleanhands. Shockingly, some even leave the restroom withthe tap still running.Soon, however, even Americans and Europeanswill be forced to acknowledge the realities that muchof the world’s population has already accepted. Waterresources are finite. Rising global demand and elevatedlevels of pollution are threatening supplies throughoutthe world. It is obvious we all must work harderin order to avert the catastrophic water crisis thatthreatens all our futures. I hope my Western friendswill be able to appreciate the value of water before itbecomes more costly than gold.