Water is, of course, the source of life. We use it for drinking, washing, cleaning, growing food, and for industry. But around 2 billion people around the world don’t have enough safe water. This is the reason behind the UN’s World Water Day, held each year on 22 March to raise awareness of this growing problem.
Lakes and rivers, vital for supplying fresh water, are drying up or becoming polluted. Droughts and floods are becoming more commonplace. And as the population steadily increases, we need more water than ever.
Although around 71% of our planet is made up of water, much is either saltwater or inaccessible. Fresh water, which we use for things like drinking and agriculture, is scarce – and access is unequal across the globe. Generally, it’s the poorest people and nations who are the worst affected by a lack of water.
Making a difference
There are some amazing companies, individuals, and organizations out there making a difference in large ways and small. Including Ortho, with our pioneering VITROS® lab technology. It’s also exciting – and vital – to see clever initiatives like these SOURCE® hydro panels that use the power of sunlight to extract pure drinking water from the air.
And we can all help too – mainly by being a little more mindful of the water we use. It all adds up – taking shorter showers, fixing leaky taps, only boiling as much water as you need, and washing a full machine load of clothes instead of two half-loads.
Don’t forget that most things we buy or use need water to produce. So being less wasteful and more careful about everything we consume can help our fragile planet – and those who really need its resources.