March 22nd is World Water Day. This day of awareness was started by the UN in 1992 to “draw international attention to the critical lack of clean, safe drinking water worldwide.” Most of us are fortunate enough to live in areas with ample, clean, safe water and take it greatly for granted. The lack of this access has significant social and economic impact in developing countries. From WorldWaterDay.net:
“The world water crisis is one of the largest public health issues of our time. Nearly 1.1 billion people (roughly 20% of the world’s population) lack access to safe drinking water1. The lack of clean, safe drinking water is estimated to kill almost 4,500 children per day2. In fact, out of the 2.2 million unsafe drinking water deaths in 2004, 90% were children under the age of five3. Water is essential to the treatment of diseases, something especially critical for children.”
At the World Water Day website you can find information on events across the country that are meant to raise awareness about this global issuse:
- A Walk for Water, inspired by the women who often walk 6 miles each day to obtain water;
- World Water Day films about the water crisis;
- A “Virtual” Walk for Water that requires you to do nothing more than click a few buttons on the computer.
“Coping With Water Scarcity” is the theme for 2007. As I type this I’m sipping water from my Arrowhead home delivery cooler which requires me to walk not 6 miles, but 6 feet. If that runs out, I can walk another 6 feet and get some from the tap, which may not taste quite as good but will be free of life threatening disease and contamination. It’s not something that will get much (if any) press in the United States, and something that it is probably difficult for most of us to really comprehend, but it is a great cause to recognize and support.
