Thanks to Jason at CephalopodCast, I learned that today, March 22, is World Water Day. This annual global observance started in 1993 through the work of the United Nations. Over 35 countries around the world have special water-themed events planned to mark the occasion.
Why have a special day about water? With nearly 3/4 of the earth's surface covered in seawater, it might come as a surprise that fresh water is a scarce resource on our planet. According to the US World Water Day website, "nearly one billion people around the world don't have clean drinking water, and 2.6 billion still lack basic sanitation."
What can we do about it? Remember that fresh drinking water is precious -- some people don't have any! Try your best not to waste water:
* Don't leave the faucet running when you brush your teeth.
* Be sure to fix leaky faucets and running toilets.
* Try to take less time showering. Use a timer and challenge everyone in your family to beat your time.
* Don't flush the toilet unless it's truly necessary.
* Don't dump medicine down the toilet. Some medicines are not easily removed by sewage treatment plants and these chemicals can wind up in our water supply.
Enjoy the water that you drink today!
Photo credit: Alberto P. Veiga, via flickr // CC BY 2.0
No comments:
Post a Comment