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Water Carelessness in Asia |
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Human needs can be distilled to three fundamental elements: air, water, and
food. Deprived of air, one's existence would cease within a mere span of ten
minutes; devoid of water, the affliction of dehydration would inevitably
claim a life within a distressing period of ten days; and in the absence of
sustenance, the frail body would succumb to expiration after a prolonged
duration of ten weeks.
To uphold the hydration of bodily tissues and facilitate the intricate
processes of digestion, the average individual necessitates the consumption
of six to eight glasses, approximately two liters, of drinking water each
day. Beyond its vital role in physiological functions, water assumes the
mantle of a transport medium for nutrients within the corporeal vessel,
purging toxins and waste materials, maintaining a stable body temperature,
and playing an indispensable role in the structure and operation of the
circulatory system. Indeed, water stands as the quintessential elixir of
life.
Denizens of modern urban centers are bestowed with the convenience of
acquiring water with a mere twist of a tap, an amenity that has fostered a
negligent attitude towards this indispensable substance. Moreover, several
Asian governments, extending their largesse to both consumers and
industries, provide water at a meager cost or even free of charge.
The metropolitan lifestyle of today has engendered an Asian generation that
exhibits a heedless disposition towards water usage. Take Singapore, for
instance, where the rate of water consumption has escalated over the past
decade, with over half allocated to domestic purposes. Despite fervent
appeals to curtail such extravagance falling on deaf ears, as the average
daily consumption steadily rises year after year, Singaporeans have been
cautioned that their water reserves will be depleted if consumption remains
unchecked. Recent initiatives for conservation entail the installation of
low-capacity cisterns in public housing estates, diminishing water usage per
flush from nine liters to as low as 3.5 liters.
The nominal cost of water for household use imparts an illusion of its
effortless availability to the populace. Hence, the Singaporean government,
in an endeavor to curb excessive water consumption, has resorted to raising
its price. With water rates ranking among the highest in Asia, this course
of action is justified, considering Singapore's designation as the sixth
most water-scarce nation globally.
In stark contrast, the Japanese embrace a commendably thrifty outlook on
water. Communal bathing is an age-old tradition in rural Japan, serving as a
tangible form of conservation. Following individual ablutions, an entire
family partakes in the same bathwater—first the father, then the children,
and finally the mother. This system demonstrates remarkable efficiency, with
a family of five utilizing less than twenty liters of water for bathing.
Resourceful housewives may even repurpose the bathwater for laundering
purposes.
In Tokyo, water conservation assumes a technologically advanced guise.
Certain apartments are equipped with automated toilets that flush when a
person rises, offering options for both full and reduced flushes. Bathing
facilities are likewise computerized, emitting warning signals when the tub
reaches its capacity. Furthermore, numerous bathroom sinks are
interconnected with the toilet cistern through a pipe, ensuring that water
from the sink is utilized for flushing.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong has harnessed its most abundant water resource—the
ocean. Sea water is employed for flushing purposes in many of the city's
toilets, exemplifying a judicious employment of available resources. |
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