One of the basic facts of daily life at Burning Man is water. With daytime temperatures soaring well over 100 F., staying hydrated in these dry conditions is mandatory. Coke Zero doesn’t do it. Two gallons of water per person per day is estimated as enough to cover basic needs, for drinking, cooking, washing and cleaning. In an environment comprised mostly of heat and dust, it’s easy to become hyperaware of how precious water is to human survival. We forget that fresh water comprises just 1% of the total on Earth. Water is not available for sale at Burning Man (except in the form of ice) and must be hauled in. Most people carry some water with them everywhere, along with other survival tools that need to be nearby at all times: such as goggles, dust masks and head coverings in the event of a dust storm. I was staying as part of a large, well organized camp called Poly Paradise. Residents of our camp were asked to bring enough water for ourselves plus five gallons to donate to the camp. That provided enough water for a community supply, used for cooking and in the solar shower. It was also offered to people who didn’t bring enough, for guests, or anyone who wandered in off the playa needing some. Shown in this picture is a bottle of electrolyte supplement, essentially cherry flavored salt.