Love is in the air, with Valentine’s Day just around the corner. According to Drive Research, Valentine’s Day spending in 2024 hit a record $14.2 billion, spread among the 59% of consumers across the globe who celebrate the beloved holiday. From roses to chocolates to dinner and diamonds, we show our affection to the ones we love.
While you aren’t likely to see an “I love you, Water!” Valentine’s card or “I love my Water!” car window sticker, it’s a fact that none of these gifts would be possible without this critical ingredient. Water is prominent in our physical beings, the beverages we consume and the world in which we live. It is both the subject of quotes by well-known artists, and a major influencer of human preferences and behavior today.
It takes a lot to make a little
According to the nonprofit news organization Circle of Blue, it takes 32 gallons of water to grow a dozen roses and 449 gallons to grow the cocoa plants used to make a 100 gram chocolate bar. The market research group, Frost and Sullivan, says the mined diamond industry uses 126 gallons of water per carat. Powerhouse Dynamics, which works to eliminate waste in the food service industry, says a typical sit-down restaurant uses an average of 5,800 gallons of water per day.
Each of us is, literally, a walking body of water. By weight, an adult male is about 60% water, while an adult female is 55%. There’s an even greater concentration at the very top: According to most scientific estimates, about 73-75% of the brain is composed of water. That’s why the human body can typically survive only a few days without water, depending on age and health factors. According to the US Geological Survey, 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water, with 96.5% of that contained in our oceans. And even our cup of morning joe is full of the stuff, with coffee comprised of 98% H2O.
Over the years, the significance and importance of water in our lives has been signaled by such famous individuals as renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci, who said, “The water you touch in a river is the last of that which has passed, and the first of that which is coming. Thus it is with time present. Life, if well spent, is long.” TEDx speaker, author and executive trainer Sam Horn’s love for the water inspired her to set off on a Year by the Water. “As I travel around the country and visit oceans, bays, waterways, streams, rivers and waterfalls…I am thrilled with their endless capacity to fill me with wonder, appreciation and awe,” she says.
The price and pleasure of paradise
Despite the threat of hurricanes in Florida and landslides in California, the allure of living and vacationing near the water is as strong as ever. We pay a premium for waterfront real estate and swimming pools, higher rates for hotel rooms with waterfront views and, especially in the Sunshine State, enjoy all manner of water-based recreational activities year-round.
On Valentine’s Day and throughout the year, when it comes to water, what’s not to love?
Submitted by The Florida Governmental Utility Authority. The organization owns and operates almost 100 water and wastewater utility systems in 14 Florida counties, providing service to more than 120,000 customer connections. Counties served by FGUA include Citrus, Hillsborough, Lake, Marion, Orange, Pasco, Polk, Seminole, Hardee, Lee, Alachua, Flagler, Putnam and Volusia.
No comments:
Post a Comment