Last week, I rambled about the annual back to school phenomenon, and the ubiquity of backpacks. A good number of readers commented that as kids, somehow we managed to get our textbooks, exercise books and supplies to and from school every day without backpacks.

Clearly, society had seen a way to make the lives of students more efficient, and student backpacks quickly became the norm.

And not that long ago, refillable water bottles became standard and accepted. A seemingly necessary part of living life for students now.

I don’t mean designer bottled water like Aquafina, Dasani, Perrier and so many other brand names — how do our landfills and oceans absorb such a quantity of usually single use plastic bottles?

I am referring to the refillable plastic containers that are everywhere. They seem to be a standard giveaway at many athletic events, academic conferences and other meetups.

Usually cheap, usually plastic and colourful, and clutched by millions and millions of humanoids. Or go for top of the line, with YETI or Stanley water bottles priced way up there. But they keep cold stuff cold and hot stuff hot, eh?

Apparently the most common lost-and-found items after many events are refillable water bottles. Not socks or mittens.

Here now, a big rambling jump as I struggle to find my lane this week.

On Tuesday evening, I did a brief and very unscientific bit of research at the Petro-Canada on Mary Street.

To my amazement, a litre of designer water costs much more than a litre of unleaded gasoline. And the variety of gases available — way back in the day, we chose between regular and super.

Now, octanes and many other details make even a quick stop to fill ‘er up not a quick stop to fill ‘er up. Or am I exaggerating?

It seems that every month or so, I mention a quotation from my Cochrane-born-and-bred mother. This week, I recall her incredulity back in the 1960s when she saw me with a plastic bottle filled with Aquafina or some other type of bottled water.

When she learned I had actually paid about 50 cents for it, she looked at me as if I had come from outer space.

She said, very approximately, “You spent good money on water? We have plenty of good fresh water from the taps, and it’s free. What were you thinking?”

She knew a lot about a lot, including how Canada is blessed with so much fresh water. Have a look at a map of northern Ontario.

Yes, our world seems to be totally discombobulated now, with so many sad and bad things happening in so many places. Things caused by our fearless leaders and by human errors. And unexplainable events caused by Mother Nature and, I guess, higher powers.

So earlier today, a friend and I determined to find some sunshine and good news. Defaulting to simplicity, our conversation pointed us to backpacks and water bottles (the refillable kind).

We totally take both for granted, but what progress they have brought to us. Perhaps society, by default or by design, really is progressing

Backpacks have gone from canoe trips in the wilderness to streets everywhere. Some little ones, and some great big ones. Some used by wee school children, and some used by busy and disciplined adults who have several important things to do each day.

This week’s Ross’s Ramblings has mentioned two minor but perhaps important inventions. For no particular reason this summer, I have studiously avoided writing about the well-marketed and much over-hyped FIFA World Cup.

But here I go, recklessly. FIFA leaders, for the right reasons I am sure, decided to increase their revenues with scheduled hydration breaks. No matter how exciting the game, everything came to a halt for a few minutes as the players raised refillable water bottles to their lips.

Wrapping up this Ramblings, before every student had their own water bottle, I remember drinking from water fountains in the school corridors. Our high school had perhaps 20 spread over two floors, for about 800 students.

How sanitary was that? And how did we all survive? Go figger.

We trained for Henley and marathons with only occasional water breaks. Were we tougher? No, we didn’t know any better.

Be open minded, and encourage useful societal advancements.

And please, be kind.