Today is World Water Day. A day of appreciation for the most precious element on this planet, the element that was able to create and sustain life since the beginning of time. Over time our ability to access clean water sources has been few and far between. We have now reached a stage where global water scarcity has become a reality. While the earth may be covered by 70 percent of water, only one percent is accessible since most of the fresh water is trapped in glaciers or snow fields. Furthermore only .007 percent of the earths water is available for consumption and food production for 6.8 billion people.
As the population increases our water sources are quickly diminishing. Factors such pollution and fracking taint our water sources, while the extensive misuse of water to produce certain products creates a world wide water crisis.
While many people in developed countries do not often see the immediate effects of the water crisis due to the continuous flow of clean water into our homes , one in every eight people in the world lack access to a clean water source. Many of these people are either forced to travel extremely long distances to obtain water, putting themselves at risk or are left to drink from a polluted source causing deathly water borne illnesses. Nearly 3.4 million people die each year from water related diseases, many of them being children.
Water is a necessary component of life. On World Water Day we should recognize the seriousness of the water issues we face today and work together to try to find solutions not only for our own well being but for the future of our children and grandchildren.