Since about 70% of the world is covered in water, it seems fitting we would have a day dedicated to world water. Each year on March 22nd, we strive to highlight the importance of freshwater and advocate for sustainable management of freshwater resources. Each year, a theme is chosen for World Water Day. This year, the theme is “nature and climate change,” which focuses on the link between water and climate.
This World Water Day, we have partnered with fellow Austin-based organization, Well Aware, in a shared mission to provide safe, healthy water to all. Well Aware is a nonprofit organization that provides innovative and sustainable solutions to water scarcity and contamination in East Africa. We share a top priority to help work to spread awareness of global water issues. We’re proud to have donated clean water for life to 250 people that Well Aware serves. We encourage you to make your own donation to help transform lives today!
In collaboration with Well Aware, Aquasana’s General Manager and CMO, Derek Mellencamp, discusses the history and goals of World Water Day. Check out the full article on Well Aware. Here’s a sneak peek of our top tips for making a different this World Water Day.
What Can We Do to Help?
According to the World Health Organization, half of the world’s population will be living in water-stressed areas by 2025 if we don’t take action now. With a few, easy lifestyle changes, you can do your part to help not only on World Water Day, but every day of the year.
- Take shorter showers: Sure, it feels great to just stand in a hot shower. But according to Home Water Works, the average American uses 17.2 gallons of water each time they shower. Total up the number of times you shower in one week and that’s a lot of water! If everyone does their part to limit their shower time from 8 minutes to 5 minutes, we will conserve water and reduce CO2 emissions.
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…the average American uses 17.2 gallons of water each time they shower.”
Meat-free Mondays: While eating less meat may not seem like it would directly affect water usage, it does. National Geographic found that it takes 630 gallons of water to produce an average hamburger. Because both the animal and their feed require water, this creates an incredibly large water consumption footprint. Eating meatless one day a week, like Monday, will save close to 133 gallons of water per meal!
- Filter your water: This lifestyle change is the easiest and requires the least daily action. Filtering the water in your home stops the need to “flush” it – in which homeowners run the tap water for a few second before using it. Not only is this practice ineffective, it also wastes a ton of water. Installing a whole house water filter from Aquasana will not only instantly filter your home’s water, but it will also reduce the amount of contaminates that go back into the public water supply.
These are just a few examples of simple changes you can incorporate into your lifestyle to help shrink your water footprint. For even more ways to cut back on your water usage, check out Derek’s post on Well Aware.
