Throughout the quarter we have been doing contemplative exercises centered around understanding deeper our connection to these issues as well as how they fit into the global puzzle. It is easy to learn about different political and activist issues; however, it is often difficult to connect them to everyday life. By having these contemplative exercise, as well as learning about something as salient and applicable to everyday life as food, this class truly made an impact about how I think about the world. One of the most important excersize we had was when we learned about water, and how it fits into our everyday narrative.
Something that really stood out to me about water was its impact on things we don’t necessarily think of as water. Sure, everyone knows that a shorter shower, or less time spent watering the lawn, can decrease one’s water consumption. However, I didn’t realize the huge amount of water it takes to create food, especially meat. By thinking about water in the contemplative exercise, I tried to think about the places in my life that don’t immediately think of as water related, but in fact are. By looking at the amount of water taken to make a single almond, or a McDonalds cheeseburger, the world crisis regarding water seemed much more dire. I think that water is often something romanticized as pure and relaxing, a piece of nature. However, it is the most utilized and necessary thing on this planet. It is also deeply political. Through this contemplative exercise I was able to understand even deeper waters use in my life and its connection to the global politics of the world.