Water is Life
Water is holy and perhaps the most precious substance in the universe. Where ever there is water there is life. Our own bodies are mostly water, anywhere from 50-60% in adults. Water has one of the most unique properties of being less dense as a solid in ice form than it does as a liquid. This is extremely unusual as most liquids are less dense than their solid states. To bring this into perspective if ice were to be more dense than water it would not float, this means that all the ice on earth would sink to the bottom of the ocean and stack up until the planet was an uninhabitable ice ball. However since ice floats it gets melted and recycled through the atmosphere as liquid water rain, creating the water cycle and allowing life to flourish on this planet and most likely other water planets throughout the universe.
Properties of WaterTake look at this great info graphic for a summary of the amazing properties of water!
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Working with Water
With drinkable water being such a small percent of water on the surface of the Earth, at around 3% of the total, it is very important that we learn to appreciate and protect this necessary resource. Water in the desert is even more precious and no other endeavor comes close to the importance of working with and not against this life blood of the planet. Through our misuse and waste of water we are seeing locally and around the world a true water shortage. Aquifers underground and river systems that have been tapped to supply water to cities and farms are being drained faster than nature can recharge. Here in the Sulfur Springs Valley it has been known since the 1950's that irresponsible agriculture and other wasteful users have been pulling far more than annual recharge; that's a 70+ year water debt that cannot be repaid without a drastic change to our relationship with nature. Earth Fissures are a direct result of the land sinking in response to the lack of water in the ground and have increased in size and number for decades in our valley and other overused areas around the world. The sooner we all attempt to change the paradigm of thinking here in the desert, across the USA and the rest of the world the better chance we have to preserve one of the only 3 things we need in this life: food, water and air.
How can we make sure we'll all have fresh water in the future?
In order for us to secure our water for us and our future generations, we need to think differently about how, why and what we use water for. There are pioneers in the field of water harvesting and landscape design that work with nature to create abundance for all life and allow what little fresh water that falls on our lands to be the most productive. From simple rooftop catchment to large integrated earthworks that slow, store and allow infiltration back into the soil which is the sponge that holds water and creates our ecosystems. Brad Lancaster is a local Tucson water management expert who has written books and done amazing things for the local ecosystem. His enthusiasm for water is abundant and his work has inspired many to change how they work with nature (see his excellent TedX talk below!) Sepp Holzer is a world renowned landscape designer from Austria who sees in nature all the potential she gives to create abundance. His approach is to mold the land using large and small earthworks to best benefit the ecosystem. Water is the key to his success in all climates and he has created country wide designs to secure fresh productive water into the landscape (see a video on the transformation of a town in Portugal that was in serious threat of desertification after centuries of water mismanagement). Between these two water heros are a rainbow of techniques and strategies to work with the natural ecosystem for the benefit of humankind and all the creatures we share our planet with. To really blow your mind take a look at Sepp Holzers property 'the Krameterhof" in the third video below to see just what can be accomplished when one puts nature first and lives within the environment.
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Sepp Holzer and his farm, the 'Krameterhof', is a fantastic example of what tending nature can do for the ecosystem and for the community. He works with all animals, plants, insects and fungi for the benefit of all. There is much more information about this property and the many projects he has helped create around the world online and I encourage you to seek some of it out. I have personally worked with this great man and we should all be inspired by his accomplishments.
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Pure Water has a PH of 7 and is Neutral

Pure water is neutral PH at 7. Pure water is not alkaline nor acidic and if your water is not neutral it is not pure water. There are many ways to alter water with other elements or even to force off Hydrogen atoms using a lot of electricity to cause states of water that may act in a non-neutral way, however the equilibrium state of water is neutral and the electrical needs of water will revert any imbalance to this state. Water is composed of 2 Hydrogen atoms and 1 Oxygen atom, so called 'ionized water' may have extra molecules of hydroxyl ion (OH-) mixed into the H2O molecules and therefore may show a PH of greater than 7, however hydroxyl ion (OH-) is not water and is definitely not 'alkaline water'. Pure water is what your body needs and is the only acceptable molecule that will function correctly in the body. Mineral water, which due to the additional elements such as calcium and magnesium, can be alkaline and may be of benefit for humans due to the extra micro nutrients that are in an essential salt form contained within otherwise pure water with a PH of 7.
Structured or Ionized water is altered water in an unbalanced state which has no evidence of health benefits and may potentially be harmful to the body. Do your research from actual scientific studies and do not trust companies that give you unverifiable information in order to sell you over-priced water and machines that do not give you the health benefits advertised. Pure water is the best substance you can take into your body temple.
Structured or Ionized water is altered water in an unbalanced state which has no evidence of health benefits and may potentially be harmful to the body. Do your research from actual scientific studies and do not trust companies that give you unverifiable information in order to sell you over-priced water and machines that do not give you the health benefits advertised. Pure water is the best substance you can take into your body temple.