Water is life.
Globally, 844 million people lack access to clean water (1). People are struggling to access the quantity and quality of water they need for drinking, cooking, bathing, handwashing, and growing their food. The water crisis is a health crisis. Over 1 million people die each year from water, sanitation and hygiene-related diseases which could be reduced with access to safe water or sanitation (2).
Without clean, easily accessible water, families and communities are locked in poverty for generations. Time otherwise devoted to school, work, and family is instead dedicated to retrieving water.
During the pandemic, the water crisis has surged.
Now more than ever access to safe water is critical to the health of families around the world. Access to safe water at home directly helps families protect themselves, limiting exposure risks and providing a necessary resource for washing hands. Worldwide, 3 billion people lack basic handwashing facilities at home – and 2 in 5 health care facilities have no soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub (3).
Ensuring access to water and sanitation for all is number 6 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
As a blue planet, it’s often difficult to appreciate the widespread severity of water scarcity. Water covers 70% of our planet, however freshwater— life sustaining water —is incredibly rare. Only 3% of the world’s water is freshwater, and two-thirds of that is tucked away in frozen glaciers, deep under the surface, or otherwise unavailable for our use (4).
Our world’s limited freshwater now faces increasing threats. Rivers, lakes and aquifers are drying up or becoming too polluted to use. More than half the world’s wetlands have disappeared. Agriculture – which also requires freshwater - consumes more water than any other source. Much of it wasted due to poor farming practices and inefficiencies. Climate change is altering patterns of weather and water around the world, driving droughts in some areas and floods in others. By 2025, two-thirds of the world’s population may face water shortages (5).
For Earth Month, we’re raising money for access to safe water. With your Happy Earth order, you can choose to “Give 1 Year of Safe Water” with every single item purchased.
If you choose to support this Giving Back Campaign, we gift our sticker of the month and 'Give A Damn' pin.
On Wednesday April 7th, we'll be launching our first giveaway in our Giveaways for Good Series where you can help provide safe water just by participating! With every entry, we'll give 1 month of safe water. See our Instagram for details.
Our Giving Safe Water campaign will be facilitated through a donation to water.org.
1. https://inweh.unu.edu/wp-
2. https://ourworldindata.org/
3. https://www.un.org/
4. https://www.usbr.gov/mp/arwec/
