Launch of "Water Is..." Celebrates Our Connection With Water

Abbas Jivaji offers smudging in water blessing

On June 12th, Councillor Jim Tovey, Mississauga Nation knowledge keeper Nancy Rowe and others helped me celebrate the launch of my long-awaited book "Water Is..." (three years in the making!) with a water blessing of Mimico Creek and various water-engaging activities.

The environmental event “celebrated water and our connection with it” at Islington Golf Course in Etobicoke. The 75 people who attended also included the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, Credit Valley Conservation Authority, Lake Ontario Waterkeeper, Ecologos (WaterDocs), Rethink Sustainability Initiatives, poets, writers and artists. 

Nancy Rowe

In her powerful and compelling blessing, Nancy Rowe said, “Water is life, water is healing, we owe everything to water.” Despite the celebration, Mimico’s ironic reality was reflected in the ceremony: “You used to be able to drink this water,” Rowe lamented as she used tap water for the water blessing ceremony. 

Vince D’Elia of TRCA gave Mimico Creek a failed report card and spoke about the need to educate the public on water and watersheds. Given that Mimico Creek flows some 33 km within a 77 square km watershed that encompasses three jurisdictions (Brampton, Mississauga, and Toronto); harmonizing efforts is no easy task.  

Jim Tovey offers water wisdom at Nina's book launch

Councillor Tovey stressed connection of individuals, communities and jurisdictions to create awareness and action in re-wilding our watersheds and to foster beauty. He highlighted Mississauga's extensive planning and investment into these initiatives, saying that they are setting the precedent for all Canadian cities for sustainability planning. 

Claire Lawson of LOWaterkeeper proclaimed that, “We are Lake Ontario,” referring to us being 70% water and the constant circulation of water on the planet. She gave us the 5 steps to water leadership, and told us why sharing our personal watermarks was so important. She urged participants to share their watermark--a personal story that connected them with a particular waterbody and event--to help promote meaning and protection of waterbodies around the world. 

Mimico Creek (photo N. Munteanu)

Ro Omrow, with Ecologos (WaterDocs) invited participants to sign a petition to make Toronto a Blue Community. Initiated by the Council of Canadians, a Blue Community is one that:

• recognizes water as a human right
• bans the sale of bottled water in public facilities and at municipal events
• promotes publicly financed, owned and operated water and wastewater services

Colleague, Naturalist friend, editor, indexer and poet, Merridy Cox, shared her watermark. Liana Di Marco read her poem "Rewilding the Sacred", which appears in my book. John Ambury, whose poem also appears in my book read "Moving Waters."

The Sea by Tasnim Jivaji (photo by Nina Munteanu)

Mississauga artist Tasnim Jivaji exhibited her water-inspired art. Originally from Mombasa, Kenya, Jivaji said, "In all my travels, in all the places around the world, it has never been the concrete that takes my breath away; it is always the body of water."

The event also included a Water Action Station, which featured a three-step process toward successful water-action:

Step 1: buy my book (learning--step one toward water literacy, of course!)

Step 2: pin your prioritized water charity (Pixl Press is donating a portion of book sales toward several water charities; engagement)

Step 3: sign a pledge to Cousteau's Bill of Rights for Future Generations (commitment to action)

Sunset sky by Tasnim Jivaji (photo by N. Munteanu)

The mission of the Cousteau society and this bill is to "educate people to understand, to love and to protect the water systems of the planet, marine and fresh water, for the well-being of future generations."

According to Tovey, my book “Water Is…” bridges the gap from awareness to appreciation, connection and final action.

Praise for "Water Is..." from around the world: 

“This book emotionally connected me with water. As a result it fed my perception about the value of life. It reminded me that life reveals in each space a complex system that is full of surprise and beauty. A system of which I am part, without separation.”—Laura Fres, One Deep Sustainability, Barcelona, Spain  

“A sumptuous collection of treasures…from the basics of matter itself to the social and spiritual aspects of this substance, which touches our lives so much and is still not really understood.”—Dr. B. Kröplin and Regine C. Henschel, “World in a Drop”, Germany  

“Congratulations, Nina! Water Is… is an adventurous, surprising and inspiring book that could not feel more timely. The writing swept me away on a journey through history, landscape and our entire universe, yet brought me back home in the end with a fresh perspective on the significance of water.”—Emmi Itäranta, author of Memory of Water, United Kingdom 

“If you don’t want to read all those other books on water, just read this one.”—John Stewart, Mississauga News, Ontario, Canada 

“[Nina] is immersed well enough in water to tell us about how we should think about it. And the way she goes about it in this book is awfully good…A fine achievement.”—Joseph Planta, The Commentary, Vancouver, Canada 

“This book leaves me impressed. From science to science fiction, from philosophy to religion, from history to fairytale, the role of water is illustrated and illuminated. Water is probably the best investigated and least understood substance on this world, yet we still don’t know how to describe it in a better way than calling it H2O. This book tries to zero in on the missing part, the great unknown of water, and it does it in a very intelligent and charming way.”—Elmar C. Fuchs, scientist, WETSUS Program Manager, Netherlands  

“Kudus to Nina Munteanu for sharing her deep wisdom, experience and knowledge of humanity’s greatest natural resource!  As Leonardo da Vinci said, “We forget that the water cycle and the life cycle are one.” We forget at our own peril and so I am deeply grateful for this book by so highly qualified an author!”—Elisabet Sahtouris, evolution biologist, futurist, author of Gaia’s Dance: The story of Earth & Us, USA

This book came from a lifetime's dedication to water, humanity and our environment--from the moment I realized as a little girl that I felt the planet. I firmly think that water is the "glue" that can help us all connect and this book is the result. 

Water is the ultimate gift and connecting force. 

In the months and years to come we may see water further commodified, abused, and persecuted, figuring in tensions, take-overs and wars ... Or not ... That depends on us, everyone of us. We're over 70% water, after all.

We ARE water...

What we think, feel and do, so does water.

#WhatIsWATER

#TheMeaningOfWater

Images taken by Kevin September (@SeptemberSphere; http://kevinseptember.com) unless otherwise shown.


Nina Munteanu is an ecologist and internationally published author of award-nominated speculative novels, short stories and non-fiction. She is co-editor of Europa SF and currently teaches writing courses at George Brown College and the University of Toronto. Visit www.ninamunteanu.ca for the latest on her books. Nina’s recent book is the bilingual “La natura dell’acqua / The Way of Water” (Mincione Edizioni, Rome). Her latest “Water Is…” is currently an Amazon Bestseller and NY Times ‘year in reading’ choice of Margaret Atwood.

A Metaphysical Meander Down a Scientific Stream

Nina and an interested "reader" of Water Is...

That was the title John Stewart gave his interview article in the MississaugaNews last week on my book Water Is… In fact, as part of the interview, John and I did a meander over to the Credit River, featured in my recently released book about the myriad identities of water.

We met at the Port Credit Second Cup on Lakeshore Avenue and talked for several hours over as many teas, then wandered across the bridge to the lower Credit, where I tried to interest several swans in my book. I almost succeeded, except the price—falling in the water—prevented me at the last moment. The sun was warm and the wind blustered as we watched the swans glide like luxury ships along the rocky shoreline. At this time of year the swans are nesting. In fact, Stewart later captured some beautiful shots of swans nesting at Lakefront Promenade Park in Mississauga (see shots I stole off Twitter: @JohnAtTheNews).

Credit River at Meadowvale

“The book is a progressive journey, reflecting her career and life,” notes Stewart of Water Is… in his article. He and I talked a lot about the Credit River and why I’d chosen to feature it over the many other higher profile rivers I’d experienced—the Seine, Rhine, Fraser and Mississippi rivers for example. It was simple for me. Serendipity played a major role; The Credit River figured in my life journey at just the right time and it was accessible in a way that provided the kind of intimacy I needed as I wrote my book. I’d walked pretty much the whole length of it. Waded, I should say; because I was in the river, clamoring over the rocks in my Oakley flip-flops, most of the time.

Nina photographing rapids of upper Credit River

“The first chapters,” writes Stewart, “feature scientist and limnologist Nina, who spent a decade teaching at the University of Victoria and doing consulting science work and publishing papers. [Water Is…] gradually progresses, step by scientific step, to embrace things beyond science and into spirituality.” Einstein and many other scientists have made the same journey, I pointed out. “All great scientists at one point need to connect with God.”

“Most intriguing,” continues Stewart, “is the science that explains our emotional reactions to natural encounters. We feel better beside rushing water because negative ions, which have an extra electron, attach to positively charged ions from pollen, mould, bacteria, etc. and drag them to the ground. Thus the air is fresher.”

“[Water Is…] works on myriad levels,” says Stewart, “from top-notch trivia guide (the total amount of water in the atmosphere hasn’t changed since Earth’s formation) to science primer to cultural guide (Australian aboriginals douse for water through their feet, explaining that water in their bodies communicates with underground supplies.)”

Photo by John Stewart

“It’s part memoir and part philosophical exploration,” he says, “especially good when exploring the Da Vinci-esque bonds shared among science and art and design. It’s also a lay guide to the scientific and popular literature on the subject, chalk full of fascinating quotations…If you don’t want to read all those other books on water, just read this one.”

Water Is… “an exhilarating ride, even if you are not a science type. It’s filled with gentle eddies and contemplative pools on the connections between nature and man, inner and outer lives, and the struggle between your rational science side and your aspirational, artistic, spiritual side. You’ll find yourself revisiting a few vortexes and shifting undercurrents in your own life.”

Our conversation—like the meandering Credit River itself—flowed from ecology and water wars to quantum physics, entanglement and altruism. Stewart concluded his article with a note about new science regarding the emerging recognition of a cooperative universe. I’d mentioned that we are finding increasing evidence that all kinds of life demonstrate qualities of empathy and altruism. “We just need to look for it.”

“This book is a good place to start,” says Stewart.

See the original interview online here.

Water Is... was released today worldwide and is featured as  the #1 Hot New Release in Hydrology and is already an Amazon bestseller in several categories including Hydrology, Geology, Environmental Science and Natural Resources.









Nina Munteanu is an ecologist and internationally published author of award-nominated speculative novels, short stories and non-fiction. She is co-editor of Europa SF and currently teaches writing courses at George Brown College and the University of Toronto. Visit www.ninamunteanu.ca for the latest on her books. Nina’s recent book is the bilingual “La natura dell’acqua / The Way of Water” (Mincione Edizioni, Rome). Her latest “Water Is…” is currently an Amazon Bestseller and NY Times ‘year in reading’ choice of Margaret Atwood.