A Clean Water Crisisby | 21-03-2015 23:32 |
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![]() The water you drink today has likely been around in one form or the other from nearly hundreds of millions of years ago.
While the amount of freshwater on the planet has remained constant thanks to the water cycle, the population has exponentially multiplied. This means that every year competition for a clean, copious supply of water for drinking, cooking, bathing, and sustaining life intensifies mainly due to the reason that the freshwater sources are not so fresh, contaminated due to pollution. World Water Day is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. In 2015, World Water Day has the theme "Water and Sustainable Development". This year aims at creating awareness on uses of water Share what water means to you, tag it with the hashtag #WaterIs and share it with your friends. #WaterIs Health Water is essential to human health. The human body can last weeks without food, but only days without water. Water is essential to our survival. Regular hand washing, is for example one of the best ways to remove germs, avoid getting sick, and prevent the spread of germs to others. #WaterIs Nature Ecosystems – including, for example, forests, wetlands and grassland – lie at the heart of the global water cycle. All freshwater ultimately depends on the continued healthy functioning of ecosystems, and recognizing the water cycle is essential to achieving sustainable water management. #WaterIs Urbanization Today, one in two people on the planet live in a city. And the world's cities are growing at an exceptional rate – 4 people moved to cities in the time it took you to read this sentence. 93% of the urbanization occurs in poor or developing countries, and nearly 40% of the world's urban expansion is growing slums. Projections show that another 2.5 billion people will move to urban centres by 2050. #WaterIs Industry Every manufactured product requires water. Some industries are more water-intense than others. 10 litres of water are used to make one sheet of paper. 91 litres are used to make 500 grams of plastic. #WaterIs Energy Water and energy are natural partners. Water is required to generate energy. Energy is required to deliver water. Today over 80% of power generation is by thermal electricity. #WaterIs Food One litre of water is needed to irrigate one calorie food. Irrigation takes up to 90% of water withdrawn in some developing countries. Globally, agriculture is the largest user of water, accounting for 70% of total withdrawal. #WaterIs Equality In developing nations the responsibility for collecting water every day falls disproportionately on women and girls. On average women in these regions spend 25 percent of their day collecting water for their families. This is time not spent working at an income-generating job, caring for family or attending school. According to the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation, at least 1.8 billion people world-wide are estimated to drink water that is faecally contaminated. Water is at the core of sustainable development. Water resources, and the range of services they provide, underpin poverty reduction, economic growth and environmental sustainability. From food and energy security to human and environmental health, water contributes to improvements in social well-being and inclusive growth, affecting the livelihoods of billions. Green Globe members stood for water conservation by making posters and spreading awareness to neighbors. Humanity Needs Water A drop of water is flexible. A drop of water is powerful. Let?s all join hands to save water.
Source and See more at: http://www.unwater.org/ |