Water has arrived as the global crisis point du jour. World Water Day, first established by the United Nations in 1993, finally got its due attention this past March 22. Why now? The numbers shock:
- 1 in every 8 people DO NOT have access to safe water
- 2.5 billion people live without a toilet
- More than one-quarter of the world’s adults — or roughly 1.3 billion people — are dissatisfied with the quality of water in their communities Gallup, 4.6.10
- Two billion tons of human and animal waste and industrial pollution are dumped into waterways every day around the world news.nationalgeographic.com 3.22.10
- By 2025 1.8 billion people will live where water is scarce
Communities, corporations, individuals are stepping up to challenge old ways of using and abusing water. This is a huge building shift in awareness with a demand for action. For a pulse on the amazing spectrum of entities focusing on the water challenge, page through the April, 2010 issue of National Geographic Water. NGeo is taking a leadership role in raising global awareness and is dedicated to an ongoing research focus by establishing its first National Geographic Freshwater Fellow.
Panoramix View: We look for water stewardship to become a universal, price-of-entry criteria as every business, community and government is dependent on fresh water quality and quantity. Study the smart, strategic positioning as celebrators and stewards of water by hydro-conscious brands like Kohler, Pepsico, Crystal Light, RBC. An authentic audit of your environmental imprint and impact is a first step to defining the path to water resource management.