Imagine what your daily routine consists of. What do you do every morning? I can confidently say something that you do probably involves the use of water. Whether it's brushing your teeth, taking a shower, making a pot of coffee or even drinking a glass of water ; you will use this substance. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency "The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) was established to protect the quality of drinking water in the U.S. This law focuses on all waters actually or potentially designed for drinking use, whether from above ground or underground sources." (USEPA) Luckily for us the SDWA has made it possible for your life to involve this safety net. What about for others though? How are their lives protected?
FACT:
Nearly 1 billion people on this planet lack clean drinking water. This is 1 in 8 people. *
FACT:
3.575 million people die each year from water-related disease.*
FACT:
The water and sanitation crisis claims more lives through disease than any war claims through guns. *
FACT:
An American taking a five-minute shower uses more water than a typical person in a developing country slum uses in a whole day.*
FACT:
At any given time, half of the world’s hospital beds are occupied by patients suffering from diseases associated with lack of access to safe drinking water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene*
FACT:
Fetching water can put women and children at risk for trafficking. In many poor and rural areas, people must walk miles to fetch clean drinking water. This job usually falls to women and children. Pimps and traffickers gather in communal places like wells and make offers of work abroad, in city factories, or in private homes. But those jobs turn out to be modern-day slavery.***
FACT:
Fetching water can put women and children at risk for trafficking. In many poor and rural areas, people must walk miles to fetch clean drinking water. This job usually falls to women and children. Pimps and traffickers gather in communal places like wells and make offers of work abroad, in city factories, or in private homes. But those jobs turn out to be modern-day slavery.***
So what's the deal? Truth be told many people don't have "time" or "money" to get involved in this crisis. Yet if you can't survive with out, why should other people?
SIMPLE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO CONSERVE WATER:
- Take short showers instead of baths. **
- Take shorter showers or shower less often. **
- Don't run the water full force when showering. **
- Turn the shower off while soaping or shaving. **
- Keep the water shallow when using the tub.**
There's not a lot that is asked of everyone in order to help conserve water. It takes minutes possibly even seconds out of your everyday life to help contribute to this cause.
Most people don't think they can make a difference but, we have to start somewhere. All social injustices need to have recognition and need to be heard. This is such an important epidemic that effects so many people. It's time to do something about it.
FEEDBACK
I am collecting data and feedback through this blog for more information on reactions and thoughts from people who visit this blog. Please email me the following questions at possibletochange@gmail.com. PLEASE DO NOT COMMENT THE BLOG WITH YOUR RESPONSES. It will be easier for me to track my information and I don't want other people to comment or influence your opinions or answers to the questions. This project is for my personal learning benefit and all of your feedback is very much appreciated! Thank you.
Please respond to the following questions and pass this along to at at least two other people. My hope will be for a lot of responses to make my data accurate. I believe power is also in numbers too, so I want my whole community to reach out and help me and help the world.
1) How would your daily routine suffer without the easy access to clean water?
2) Do you think our government should be more actively involved in this situation or do you believe there are too many other crises out there right now? I.e. do we lend a helping hand out to help other causes that may need more attention?
3) Is this growing social injustice everyone's problem? Or do you think that it's something the government of these nations and possible ours needs to be more involved with?
4) Please list one or two things YOU personally think you could do to help.
5) How does this information effect you? Does any of this material change your mind?
6) Please include anything else you think might be helpful for me. i.e. How do you feel about this crisis? Do you think you will want to get more involved? Do you have any information you think might be helpful for my report?
I greatly appreciate all of your feedback. Starting this project has already taught me so much and given me great insight to something I clearly take for granted everyday. Posted above are additional resources and literature to refer to if you would like to actively get involved in this process.
Posted below are references and literature to take a look at. I encourage you to look at them and contact the organizations and ask them what else you can do it help get involved.
References:
The following information taken to construct this blog is from the sources listed below.
* Water.org - http://www.water.org/
* Enviromental Protection Agency - http://www.epa.gov/lawsregs/azindex/index.html#W '
** http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/naturalresources/components/DD6946r.html
***Change.org - http://humantrafficking.change.org/blog/view/5_ways_a_lack_of_clean_water_leads_to_modern-day_slavery (Sign the petition on this site - wonderful article!)
Additional links that I found of interest:
http://www.youtube.com/water - This site just has so many amazing videos and feedback to watch. It was very cool for me to watch these.
http://www.change.org/start-a-petition - Want to start your own petition? This site will allow you to do so. Let's see you get your voice heard!
