Coming up with a topic to write about was harder than expected. Shouldn’t it be easy to think of a topic related to what we spend about 25% of our week focused on? We started reading through old blog posts to get some ideas and stumbled upon one written about Earth Day from a couple of years ago. We started googling holidays in March that could be beneficial to write about and it just so happens that World Water Day is coming up! Water Day sounded familiar, but we honestly could not tell you what day it was on. (For anyone else who’s like us, it’s on March 22^nd). So, with all of that being said, we present to you some background on World Water Day and a list of 5 ways we can honor it on March 22^nd.

World Water Day is an annual United Nations Observance that has been held on March 22^nd since 1993. Its purpose is to celebrate water and inspire action to tackle the global water crisis. The United Nations has a total of 17 sustainable development goals to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. Goal 6 is directly correlated to World Water Day. This goal hopes to ensure access to water and sanitation for all by the year 2030. We only have 6 more years to make this goal happen and we are still far from it. The UN website describes the progress like this, “Despite great progress, billions of people still lack access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene. Achieving universal coverage by 2030 will require a substantial increase in current global rates of progress: sixfold for drinking water, fivefold for sanitation and threefold for hygiene.”

The 2024 theme of World Water Day is Water for Peace. The key messages listed on un.org are:

• Water can create peace or spark conflict. When water is scarce or polluted, or when people struggle for access, tensions can rise. By cooperating on water, we can balance everyone’s water needs and help stabilize the world.
• Prosperity and peace rely on water. As nations manage climate change, mass migration and political unrest, they must put water cooperation at the heart of their plans.
• Water can lead us out of crisis. We can foster harmony between communities and countries by uniting around the fair and sustainable use of water – from United Nations conventions at the international level, to actions at the local level.

Here are some easy, sustainable options for you to do and encourage others to participate in to support World Water Day:

1. Consider switching to laundry detergent sheets. Look for brands that are plant-based and do not contain phosphates, surfactants, dyes, formaldehyde, or brighteners. These detergent sheets do not damage ecosystems like traditional detergents do.
2. Consider switching to a metal/glass water bottle. These reusable water bottles reduce waste and minimize the release of micro plastics and other harmful contaminants like pfas into our water.
3. Use a Dishwasher. Washing dishes by hand uses 7x more water than using a modern dishwasher.
4. Eat locally. Support local farmers who use water-efficient irrigation methods and promote organic farming practices that minimize water pollution from pesticides and fertilizers.
5. Plant Trees and Native Plants Trees and native vegetation help prevent soil erosion, recharge groundwater, and improve water quality. Encourage others to participate in tree planting and native plant restoration projects.

As we go back to our daily routines here in Colorado, we hope you remember World Water Day 2024 and its theme of peace. As a state we are lucky to have access to such amazing facilities that provide us with clean water, and we should remember that this is not the case for many. By adjusting how we think of using this precious resource and embracing simple yet impactful actions such as reducing water waste and supporting clean water initiatives, we are not only safeguarding our way of life but also fostering peace and equity among communities. We hope you will join us in committing to spreading awareness, engaging in sustainable practices, and educating others about the importance of water conservation. 

References:

https://www.un.org/en/observances/water-day

https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/water-and-sanitation/

https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/

Haley West (Senior Laboratory Manager) and Catherine McDonald (Laboratory Manager) work at SeaCrest Group, where they focus on conducting Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) tests and culturing Ceriodaphnia dubia and fathead minnow.