Only 2.7% of the water available on Earth is freshwater. Most of which is trapped in glaciers and snowfields, leaving just 0.007% to fuel and nourish the needs of the billions of people that we are.
Saving freshwater is one of the most important needs of today. Seems simple, right? But, there is a dichotomy of understanding here.
Anyone who’s facing the problems related to freshwater knows the importance of it full well. It’s blatantly obvious for them. And, anyone who lives in areas where there is enough and more availability of water, could never really fathom the importance.
Worst still are places that have an abundance of freshwater and witness yearly flooding due to heavy rains. On the contrary, places that have a scarcity see their water sources shrink year-on-year. This is, of course, due to climate extremes we face due to climate change. But it fuels the polar ends in thought and understanding about the water crisis.
This is the very reason it is one of the toughest challenges to get control of and create change fast. Make no mistake about it. Water scarcity is coming for all of us, barring none.
If that wasn’t alarming in itself, there is a big divide between access to water due to climatic, geographic, and political landscapes. Some areas within the same locale see greater access to freshwater than many other regions. Not to mention the high levels of pollution of these existing water bodies make them unusable in most parts of developing countries.
It is estimated that by 2050, at least 1 in 4 people will likely live in a country affected by chronic or recurring fresh water shortages. Currently, 844 million people lack basic drinking water access and around 2.3 billion people live without access to basic sanitation due to lack of fresh water.
It’s the first basic need. You can, on average go without food for 30–40 days at a stretch before severe signs of starvation kicks in. But water, well, you’ll need it 10 times sooner, as average humans can only go 3–4 days without it. This is not to say that anyone should go through this. It’s just to show that water comes first, way before food. And, the fact that billions of people face water shortage every day is just unthinkable.
You Can Contribute In A Big Way By Doing The Little Things
There are countless steps anyone can take daily to reduce the pressure on people facing water shortages. Water, as any resource, follows basic rules of supply and demand. The lesser you consume, the lesser the demand will be and the more it can be used or distributed to people in need.
Looks neat, doesn’t it? Take basic measures.
Be mindful of the water you consume daily
There are at least 6 instances daily where you can save water; while washing clothes, your hands, or your dishes. Save water while cooking food. Something as small as not leaving the tap running while you brush adds up to big savings of water. An average faucet has a flow rate of 2 gallons of water per minute. It equals 4 gallons of water per person per day, considering you brush for the recommended mark of two-minute, which makes it 1000 gallons per person per year. That’s equal to 100 four-minute showers for you right there, equal to a third of your year’s worth of shower. We’d also recommend opting for showers over baths, as baths average 30 gallons of water while a shower averages half that amount.
Join water conservation communities
There is a high chance that communities within your locale are working towards water conservation. By merely being a member of these communities you’ll be adding to the number of people who support this cause. This in itself is more than enough. Yet, you can go beyond and volunteer to the different projects that these communities undertake. Stockholm Water Prize winner Rajendra Singh would second this thought any day. He brought water to over 1000 villages in India earning him the nickname ‘waterman of India’. And he didn’t do it alone, he had help from people like you who’d join hands for the cause.
Spread Awareness
Word of mouth is powerful. Sharing your efforts in reducing the usage of water with your friends and family encourages them to do the same. Just by inspiring one other person to join your efforts doubles the impact you have. And further, it grows exponentially if you join a local water conservation community in helping create change.
Donate
There are organizations that are working towards water conservation and access to fresh water. Organizations like The Water Project, UN-Water, and Water.org are working towards bringing sustainable freshwater sources to people in dire need. Your donation of as little as $20 a month can ensure fresh water for a school that didn’t have it earlier.
Water Equivalent Of Anything We Do
There is, of course, much more you can do to contribute. Water is essential in almost all processes of production and manufacturing today. It’s directly linked as raw material or as a basic requirement as in the case of agriculture and farming. And, indirectly required as in the case of construction, production of cloths, etc. There is a water equivalent of anything we use or consume or do.
For instance, 1 kg of chocolate requires 17,196 liters of water to produce. The amount could be distributed throughout growing, harvesting, and ultimately processing it into your favorite bar of chocolate. By opting out of consuming a single bar of chocolate (50 grams) equals saving 860 liters of water. Similarly, 1 kg of beef requires 15,415 liters, sheep meat requires 10,412 L, and chicken meat requires 4,325 L. Opting for chicken meat over other forms will help reduce your freshwater footprint dramatically.
Making lifestyle and purchase choices that have less impact on freshwater is another way to reduce your impact. Fast fashion — ever-changing fashion trends like seasonal styles — are considered to be the 2nd largest water polluter in the world. This adds to the fresh and drinkable water shortages worldwide. Opting away from fast fashion and using clothes which are produced by cleaner methods and those that last longer helps in less pollution of our already bleak water resources.
In The End, It’s The Most Priced Resource Of All
If you had watched the 2008 James Bond spy film, Quantum of Solace, you’d know that the plot is centered around acquiring authority over freshwater bodies and how it’s termed as the oil of the 21st century. Even though it’s fiction, It shows the water crisis we’re heading into.
“Water, in excess or in absence, will be the greatest challenge our world faces in the next century.” — Global Water Challenge
The availability of freshwater is the basis on which development happens. It is an essential requirement of any community and the lack of it will hurt us in ways we’ve not yet come to terms with. There is hope and the means to get over it.
