Polar explorer and adventurer Ann Bancroft's latest project is "Access Water," a world-spanning journey that looks to document the world's fresh water shortage. She recently returned from a trip down India's Ganges River. This is an excerpt from an interview on The Splendid Table.
“…we were having a discussion, and there were some politicians and some business leaders brought before us to show us what they were doing in their community. They were in a big city, but they were sort of a very economically poor suburb. They were trying to pick up trash, and have these small initiatives. When we departed, they said, “If you came so far to travel our river, and to care about our river, and to try to understand the issues, both good and bad, around our river, we too should care.”
When we hopped in our boats and said goodbye… the entire village is along the shoreline. They’re waving goodbye to us after we’ve had this emotional, wonderful day, these warm people who have fed us and embraced us, and knew nothing of us. This wasn’t planned. Then they yelled out, the ones who could speak English, “Post this on Facebook!” I just thought, “You know, this is really what it’s about.” It doesn’t always have to be these really complex initiatives. We have tremendous power as individual citizens.”
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