By Nashalie Irizarry
Water is vital for all life. It is an essential resource to which all people should have access and which all of us bear the responsibility to protect.
This relationship is important because less than 1% of the water in the world is available for human consumption. Human actions have contributed to the deterioration of our water bodies around the world. Unfortunately many people are not aware of the consequences of pollution and if we do not prioritize water quality, our entire ecosystem will suffer.
More than 2.1 billion people worldwide do not have access to clean drinking water which is a fundamental environmental justice issue facing our world. It is essential for us to monitor water quality and act to protect our water resources.
Every member of the family, from kids to adults can get involved in their own community.
Below are 5 actions that you can take to protect community water resources everyday:
- Recycle: by disposing of trash properly and separating the materials you can reuse
- Reduce the use of water: by taking shorter showers, closing the sink while brushing your teeth and lathering your hands when washing them
- Harness the power of plants: by planting and maintaining riparian zones near the water bodies to prevent erosion and pollution
- Dispose safely: recycle, up-cycle, or otherwise avoid landfill for electronics, batteries, medicines and any materials that contain chemicals
- Limit or eliminate the use: of phosphate-based detergents, chemical pesticides/insecticides, and fertilizers
Through the EarthEcho Water Challenge YOU can participate by monitoring a local body of water, sharing your data through the EarthEcho Water Challenge database, and taking action to protect that body of water.
Through your involvement you’ll join over 1.5 million contributors who are monitoring and protecting water resources around the world.
Remember that if you are not sure if the materials you want to get rid of are harmful in any way, ask for help! Help us protect our water. Test, Share and Protect for a healthier life!
To get started, you can visit www.monitorwater.org to learn more.
As a mother of twin tweens in 2011 and an active Girl Scout Troop leader, Cristy realized there was a need to develop bilingual digital content and foster a community facing the challenges of raising kids after first grade. That year she founded and remains co-Publisher of Los Tweens & Teens, to support multicultural parents and mentors with content related to raising Gen Z- tweens & teens ages 7-18. Through the Los Tweens & Teens LIVE events such as Teens & Me – the growing team aims to provide our community with essential resources from chats with therapists to battle anxiety and bullying, to understanding social media and technology.