The Real Story Behind Bottled Water

August 26, 2010

This video illustrates why we should think in terms of systems for our approaches to every day lifestyle choices.  Yes, even down to our choices concerning what kind of water we drink. 

"What,” you may ask, “does bottled water have to do with the idea of peacemaking?!” 

GOOD QUESTION!

The answer to that question is that everything we do in life – even our choice of drinking water -- is not just an individual decision.  Every action we take affects the world around us.  Each of us lives in a family system, in a community system, within the context of a regional and global environment. 

Each, individual, decision we make may feel insignificant to us, like a single drop raindrop in a rainstorm.  Individually, a single raindrop doesn’t seem to have much effect:  “It’s just one bottle of water, and I’m thirsty!” 

But collectively, millions of raindrops can turn into a flood. 

Will we choose to contribute our raindrop – each individual decision --  to a flood of righteousness, that leads people to sustainability, with less conflict over resources and hence and greater peace in the world?  Or, will our decision – our raindrop -- contribute to a flood of injustice which leads to conflict and division?

The following phrase is deeper than just a slogan: 

“No justice, no peace. Know justice, know peace.” 

So, please, enjoy this cute yet profound cartoon …

 

One last, but not least thing:  this link came directly from the personal blog of another Presbyterian blogger,  Will McGarvey.  If you’d like to explore the ideas on Will’s blog, it can be accessed HERE

 

This photograph was taken by the author while visiting a small village in the western Guangdong region of China. Because of environmental problems caused by disposal of plastic bags, the central government of China has now forbidden the free dispensing of plastic bags by grocery stores.