-- One of those reasons is that rivers support many diverse and important types of organisms. Rivers support every kind of life, from fish to amphibians to insects to worms to plants and even humans. Without proper water quality all these species suffer. In the 1960's, not even a sludgeworm, which thrives on waste, could be found in the Cuyahoga River. It was completely devoid of life. Rivers support us too by providing drinking water, so a polluted river means less clean water for us to ingest.

-- Let me put it in terms of dollars. This terribly polluted river leads right into Lake Erie. So it will kill off or make unsuitable for consumption a large number of fish, which means less money for the fishing industry. It would also follow that if there are less fish on the market, the price of fish will go up.

-- The aesthetic quality of the river is also something that shouldn't be taken for granted. There are innumerable ways we enjoy our rivers: rafting, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, and swimming, just to name a few. Rivers can be a source for activities that we would otherwise not have a chance to partake in.

-- Most importantly, though, we set a precedent by how we treat our rivers. If we relax our regulations a few times, if we bend our rules because it is seemingly harmless, eventually everyone will be doing it. This is how a negative precedent is set. Conversely, if we show that we are unbending when it comes to water pollution, we will set a positive precedent. Then other people will see that if the Cuyahoga can be clean again, then any river can be restored to its natural beauty. So for all the reasons listed above, like civic pride, protection of wildlife, and preservation of natural beauty. Please support clean water. A river is a terrible thing to waste.

Return to Overview