My dad was the one who hipped me to the worldwide water crisis years ago, I remember it like it was yesterday. He called me into the living room as he was watching a news report on the crisis in Haiti, we watched as this young woman, carried a bucket of water on top of her head up and down the hill at least ten times; it was her daily routine. This was one of those many experiences when you stop and truly give thanks for the simple things in life, many of us have access to, but sometimes take for granted. Several celebrities including: Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jay-Z, Pharrell, Jessica Biel and many more have stepped up to speak out on this crisis. The world wide water crisis is the real deal people, according to LiveEarth, almost one billion people worldwide live without access to clean, safe drinking water. The effects of not having clean water lead to various diseases including: Cholera,Malaria, Typhoid and Trachoma. Every 20 seconds a child dies from a water related illness. More people die from water related illness than any other form of violence. Today marks the 20th Anniversary of World Water Day, which is held annually on March 22nd, as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. We encourage you to take action to help fight this crisis, even the small steps lead to a greater change. Check out these five ways you can give back in honor of World Water Day!
Infographic Provided by Water.org
1. Check out your Water Footprint! The Water Footprint calculator will help you understand how much water you and your family are using on a daily basis. Once you know your footprint, there are a ton of little things you can do, to make change happen in your own home. Consider installing water saving toilets, applying a water-saving showerhead, closing the tap during teeth brushing, using less water in the garden and by not disposing medicines, paints or other pollutants through the sink.
2. Buy less bottled water! Americans consume an estimated 1,500 water bottles per second. However, consider buying a filter and using our tap water systems, which are regulated for drinking purposes, so fill up your reusable bottle for on-the-go refreshment. According to Earth911, you can fill up to five, one-gallon jugs with water from your tap for about one cent.
3. Support a Organization Fighting the Crisis. If you are looking to donate a few dollars to the cause, there is no shortage of organizations fighting the water fight. Check out Water.org or I Am The Remedy!
4. Get Social! Sometime we fail to the realize the power of our voice. Giving back to the cause is as simple as clicking share on your computer and informing your Facebook friends and Twitter followers of the cause! Click here for a bevy of facts and resources you can use to share the cause!
5. Create a campaign! BCG is in the Atlanta area and a very unique campaign is underway to fight the crisis. College students across the Atlanta metro area have been tagging it up in photos on Instagram for #WaterWarsATL. The campaign aims to build water wells in Africa in partnership with TheWaterProject.org. Next month these students will attempt to break the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest water ballon fight, all while raising awareness of the cause. Think of the impact this event will make and now think of a project or campaign you can start in your community. If you start a project drop us a line at info@BlackCelebrityGiving.com so we can support you!
There are a million ways you can help the water crisis, but take the first step today and know that in taking thats step you are saving lives!
