The future of Earth depends entirely on water. Restoring the environment surrounding water which is deeply connected not only to our daily lives, but also to the consciousness of humankind. A pure source of water is absolutely essential to maintain harmony throughout our entire planet. Water is the source of all life and the important element that connects all living things.

We should be looking back to see how we got here. We need to be kind to our local waters, from oceans, streams and rivers to lakes and ponds here in Western Washington and connect with Eastern Washington as well. We need to keep our local waters clean and healthy.

Water wells don't just happen. Humans probably first learned about underground water from animals digging with their claws or hooves and licking or lapping up the water.

The oldest bowls found are about 18,000 years old. That's just nature handing out free utensils. Large leaves easily held in a hand, can be licked clean, and perhaps thrown in a fire to keep warm or to help cook more food. Once bowls were invented, they became part of a habitat for water and cooking. Plates could be carried to nearby places for local living or carried with the tribe or group when they move on. I think we've all seen photos of various natives walking with jugs or bowls on top of their heads freeing up hands for carrying more. Many hieroglyphics show images mapping areas of travel or for creating trails to offer directions as well as the creatures that might be found for food and clothing. If a well constantly produced water, it was a good sign for a place to make a home.

The first permanent water wells were used during the Neolithic era. With permanent water wells people could settle down. They would not have to rely on long treks searching for food and water. Vessels could be filled and refilled during a journey, or water and food could be bargained for and traded. Wells dug around 8500 BCE have been found on islands like Cyprus and to 6500 BC in the Jezreel Valley.

When did agriculture start? Historians tell us that wild grains were collected and eaten from at least 105,000 years ago. Watchful eyes living in the same location for a while could see animals eating nuts. Travelers could easily see grains growing and being eaten. Nuts and grains and a variety of fruits can be easily tended as long as the water still flows and nuts and fruits and grains got buried, while the sun still shines. Scientists believe that agriculture really began at the ending of the last Pleistocene glacial period, or Ice Age (about 11,700 years ago). It didn't take scientists and experts long to realize that the world takes care of itself . . . and we just have to be patient and understanding.

Elephants reached North America about 16 million years ago but died out by about 10,000 years ago. We have bones and tusks on display near Sequim (enwikipedia.org/manis/mastodon - site). It is thought that the Indigenous peoples of the Americas have called the area home about 18,000 to 26,000 years ago, during the Last Glacial movement and warming.

When explorers and fur traders from the East Coast and Europe reached the Northwest in the late 1700s, they brought new animals, plants, and agricultural practices to a region where Native Americans had long cultivated a variety of crops. By the 1840s more U.S. citizens were moving to these areas and establishing farms.

While some parts of Western Washington have seen slight improvement in soil moisture and stream flows, conditions are deteriorating rapidly. As glaciers spread out over the surface of the land, they can change the shape of the land. They scrape away at the surface of the land, eroding rock and sediment, carry it from one place to another, and leave it somewhere else. Thus, glaciers cause both erosional and depositional landforms. Around 25 per cent of global glacier ice loss comes from Alaskan glaciers, which have lost about 66.7 billion tons of ice each year. At this rate, all Alaskan ice could disappear in about 250 years, researchers warn. While some parts of Western Washington have seen slight improvement in soil moisture and stream flows, conditions are deteriorating and changing for glaciers. We must be kind to our water ways. The world desperately needs them and so do we.

Here is something to consider: What is glacial erosion? - American Geosciences Institute.

Let's celebrate the World Water Festival. It's a world away, but may have interesting information from around the world. It has been difficult trying to figure out who is involved and what new information is now available.