22 March was World Water Day - a day to celebrate our most valuable resource and at the same time draw attention to its protection in line with the UN motto ‘Save Our Glaciers’.
Let's celebrate and take care
Water connects us across continents and carries memories that are as old as the earth itself. Because every drop that has ever existed or will ever exist is already there - 1386 trillion litres, to be precise.
It is the sea, then, ‘that has made our blue planet what it is, and in the sea we recognise a vulnerability that is also our own vulnerability.’ These words by the writer Patrik Svensson strike at the heart of our reality and our responsibility.
For it is a vulnerability that affects us not only in future scenarios of rising sea levels, but in far-reaching contexts in the present moment. The oceans, for example, also drive the water cycles that keep our vital freshwater in motion. Fresh water, which makes up just three per cent of all the water on our planet and of which more than two thirds is frozen in the ice of the glaciers and polar ice caps.
This leads to another connection, which the United Nations is drawing attention to on this World Water Day under the theme ‘Save Our Glaciers’: Last year, glaciers worldwide lost more than 600 gigatonnes of water - the largest loss of mass in 50 years. Yet almost two billion people depend on water from glaciers and mountain runoff.
So let's celebrate water today and remind ourselves that we need to ensure that these cycles remain in balance for future generations.
"Water knows no borders - just like our responsibility for it. This year's World Water Day focus emphasises how closely connected the global water cycle is. We celebrate this connection and at the same time take it as a mandate for action."
Lior Etter, WfW co-founder
Did you know that...
If you want to get active too - take part in our join-in events.
For example, in the national cigarette butt collection challenge until 25 March or on our Clean-up Day on 26 July in Lucerne.
Did you know that a single cigarette butt can pollute up to 1000 litres of water? By collecting waste, we are helping to improve the quality of our waters.
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