World Water Day

Water wheel. João Oliver / 2017 / CC0 1.0

The 22nd of March is World Water Day.

World Water Day focusses on the importance of freshwater. A core goal is to support the achievement safe water and sanitation for all by 2030.

Every year has a different theme. Typically there are educational kits for download in several languages on the campaign’s website (http://worldwaterday.org/).

Water is perhaps the most important cooking ingredient. In the First World, it is taken for granted in cooking that (a) water is plentiful, (b) quickly, conveniently and easily available, (c) available at the temperature we want, and that (d) it is safe to use.

Even if water is not in the final dish that is being prepared, you frequently need safe, potable water during meal preparation — for instance, to wash your salad greens in — or you will make them unsafe by using contaminated water.

About 2 billion people are without easy, safe access to safe drinking water at home. ^[1]World Water Day 2021 Toolkit. Page 1. and “around four billion people currently experience severe physical water scarcity for at least one month per year.” ^[2]UNESCO World Water Assessment Programme. The United Nations world water development report 2020: water and climate change. Paris, France. 2020. 978-92-3-100371-4. Page iv This impacts their health, education, and prosperity.

Water is also vital for raising crops and livestock.

Meanwhile, in the First World, we can practice some water-saving tips at home: ^[3]Singapore World Water Day 2018. Accessed February 2018 at https://www.pub.gov.sg/getinvolved/singaporeworldwaterday

• Take shorter showers;
• Use a mug when brushing teeth;
• Use half-flush when possible;
• Don’t leave the kitchen tap running while working in the kitchen;
• Run dishwasher on full load;
• Re-use grey water from kitchen for watering plants in the garden;
• Wash clothes on a full load.

Other activities you can do include:

• in Canada and the U.S., urge your governments to ensure that all First Nations territories have access to safe water;
• raise money for a water or sanitation project in a developing country, or donate to a project.

More activities: https://www.trueeducationpartnerships.com/schools/classroom-ideas-to-celebrate-world-water-day/ (link valid as of 2021)

#Water2Me #WorldWaterDay

Website: http://worldwaterday.org/

See also: Water, World Food Day, World Food Safety Day, International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste

History

In 1993, the United Nations General Assembly officially designated March 22 as World Water Day. ^[4]Historical theme list source: Accessed February 2021 at https://www.worldwaterday.org/archives

2022 – Groundwater
2021 – Valuing water
2020 – Water for all
2019 – Leaving no one behind
2018 – Nature for Water
2017 – Waste water
2016 – Better water, better jobs
2015 – Water and sustainable development
2014 – Water and energy
2013 – Water Cooperation
2012 – Water and Food Security
2011 – Water for Cities
2010 – Water Quality
2009 – Transboundary Waters
2008 – International Year of Sanitation
2007 – Water Scarcity
2006 – Water and Culture
2005 – Water for Life
2004 – Water and Disasters
2003 – Water for the Future
2002 – Water for Development
2001 – Water for Health, Taking Charge
2000 – Water for the 21st Century
1999 – Everyone lives downstream
1998 – Groundwater, the invisible resource
1997 – The World’s Water, Is There Enough?
1996 – Water for Thirsty Cities
1995 – Women and Water
1994 – Caring for Water Resources is Everybody’s Business

Irrigation. Pixabay.com / 2016 / CC0 1.0

Sources

CDC. World Water Day 2018. Accessed February 2018 at https://www.cdc.gov/features/worldwaterday/index.html

UN World Water Development Report. Accessed February 2021 at https://www.unwater.org/publication_categories/world-water-development-report/

University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Institute of Food and Natural Resources. World Water Day (March 22). Accessed February 2019 at https://food.unl.edu/march-food-calendar#worldwaterday