Soak bamboo skewers in water for 15-30 minutes to keep them from burning when grilled.

NPR: Grilling Your Dessert

Swish the clams gently in the water and let soak for a few minutes, then lift them out with a wire-mesh skimmer and place them in the other pot of cold water.

NPR: Recipes: 'The Summer Shack Cookbook'

Farmers soak up about 85% of the border region's scarce water, and on the semi-arid land on both sides they grow thirsty cash crops like sugar cane.

ECONOMIST: IOU H2O