“If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water.” – Loren Eiseley
Today, March 22, 2023 is World Water Day, a day dedicated to accelerating change needed to address the water and sanitation crisis and protect our water resources. As our planet faces an unprecedented era of climate change and water demand grows, our water resources are increasingly vital to human survival and vulnerable to the effects of our changing climate. It is ever more important to live our lives with water in mind.
Why Did it Start?
World Water Day was initially declared by the UN in 1992, in order to create an international day to unite around water. It is a day devoted to creating true change, spreading awareness and inspiring organization and action to ensure access to clean water for all.
In 2015 the world committed to Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) – an acknowledgement of each individual’s right to have safely managed water and sanitation, and a commitment to reach that for all by 2030. We are off track, as currently billions of people do not have access to safe drinking water or proper sanitation, and this dysfunction has repercussions to other major global issues. Today, more than 1 in 4 people worldwide do not have access to clean drinking water and almost half of the global population lack safe sanitation (WHO/UNICEF 2021).
Water affects all of us, and we can each do our part to make a difference, for each and every person who has a right to clean water, and for the planet and her most precious resource. We’ve outlined 3 actions in alignment with the World Water Day Campaign that you, your family, friends and community can take today and everyday moving forward.
3 Actions to Take
- Learn
What really is the water and sanitation crisis & what does it mean for people around the world? Do some research. We love diving into the UN’s World Water Day facts or the worldwaterday.org website. See what governments, organizations, activists and other individuals like you are doing to help.
- Quick Links: World Water Day ; Stories from the UN ; Water ; Sustainable Development Goal 6
- See how much your own water footprint is with this calculator and the ways in which you might be able to reduce it.
I personally calculated my own water footprint, and learned about so many different things I do that affect my water usage. I learned that even the smallest things — like waiting until the dishwasher is completely full before running it, help save water.
- Act
Save water, take shorter showers. A 10 minute shower uses 25 gallons of water – which is the average amount of water someone would drink for 50 days. Every little bit matters, which means that every minute you cut down on your shower counts. Try playing a fun song or two to time yourself. Also, don’t forget to turn off the tap while you brush your teeth and wash the dishes.
Participate in a local beach, wetland, river, or lake clean-up. In Wolven's home of LA, there’s always a beach clean up around the corner. These are easy to organize with a few friends, or participate with a larger group. As a new rule of thumb, if you’re by yourself at the beach, why not pick up 10 pieces of trash as a small gift to Mother Earth?
Buy products with a smaller water footprint. This means, for instance, buying food locally and organically, from smaller scale farmers. Overall, try to purchase and use all sorts of products that use less water throughout their production processes or are working to address the water crisis.
- Share
Share this article using the #WorldWaterDay hashtag to generate awareness within your own community. We’ve also attached some of the World Water Day social media assets, which you can post with the #WorldWaterDay to spread awareness online. You can also share the messaging behind this day through organizing a presentation or lesson at your school, university, office or organization to talk about the issues you’ve just learned about. Start a conversation with someone close to you, a peer, colleague, friend or family member is creating momentum by bringing water into daily conversations.
What Does Wolven Do?
Water conservation is incredibly important to Wolven which is why it’s integral in everything we do. We use 100% Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified r-PET fabrics which are created from recycled plastic bottles. This certification means our products are free from harmful chemicals and substances that could otherwise end up in water sources when our products are washed. As a partner with Clean Hub, we take active steps by working to remove harmful trash that has already entered our oceans. Each Wolven purchase removes 1 pound of ocean bound plastic in areas where it will have the biggest impact. When you wear Wolven, you can be sure that you’re directly contributing to creating safer marine environments and cleaner water for all.
What’s Special About This Year?
This year, World Water Day coincides with the start of the UN 2023 Water Conference, an opportunity with the potential to unite governments all over the world around the water and sanitation crisis for the first time since 1977. It will be a world collaboration and commitment to accelerate action in order to reach SDG 6 and form the Water Action Agenda. This agenda will serve as a roadmap for water conservation and safety for the next decade as we approach the SDG timeline of 2030.
Sources & Further Reading:
Shower & Bath Water Footprint Calculator
About the Author:
Ella Johnson is a Public Affairs student at UCLA, also studying Global Studies and Environmental Systems and Society. She is a longtime advocate for sustainable and ethical fashion and tries to live her life with the planet always in mind. She is an LA native, and loves the beach, yoga, the color orange and her dog, Kona.
