By The Beacon Editorial Board
This weekend, the university will host the long-anticipated conference, "Confluences: Water & Justice," to bring together leading experts to discuss the issues surrounding water in the 21st century. We're happy that the University of Portland has taken up the mantle to host such an event.
When water scarcity issues come up in the United States, only the most freakishly dire circumstances go beyond "if it's yellow, let it mellow," therefore the length and breadth of what could well be one of the defining economic and social justice issues of the century is hard to put in perspective.
And without perspective, action to curb the problem will be nearly impossible. This conference - which will focus on issues of sustainable development, keeping rivers clean, stream restoration, water rights and the ethical and moral implications of water access - will help provide that perspective.
One in six people worldwide already lack access to the minimum amount of fresh water the United Nations suggests a person needs to satisfy their basic needs. Furthermore, other UN reports indicate that water use has been growing at twice the rate the world's population has been increasing. The future of the fresh water supply on Earth is foggy, but by spreading awareness and making efforts to finding solutions now, we can curb the problem before the excess of unequal water distribution spirals out of control. We should be proud that our university is jockeying to place itself at the forefront of such a noble enterprise.
