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Why is World Water Day Important and How Can We Conserve Water?



March 22nd has been celebrated as World Water Day since its declaration by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993.


After being brought up at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, participation in World Water Day has increased exponentially every year since 1993. On March 22nd, people are encouraged to refrain from running taps all day as a show of support for World Water Day.


The event has also gained significant attention on social media platforms.


So, what is the purpose of World Water Day? What can we as individuals do, and how can we better conserve our water?


First, let's look at some data related to water: In Türkiye, the average daily water consumption per person is 224 liters. In the three major cities, the average daily water consumption per person is measured as 189 liters for Istanbul, 239 liters for Ankara, and 208 liters for Izmir.


The amount of water we use per minute in the shower is 15 liters.


Considering the water crisis in Africa, where people in Cape Town are forced to manage with only 25 liters per day, it's crucial for us to reevaluate our water usage.

It's not just about personal use; let's also examine the water quantities needed to produce the products we consume. This is called the water footprint.


For example, producing 1 kilogram of rice requires about 3,500 liters of water, while producing 1 kilogram of meat can require up to 15,000 liters. The water footprint for 1 tomato is 13 liters, 1 potato is 25 liters, and 1 glass of milk requires 200 liters of water.

Additionally, as we know, our most powerful weapon against the current pandemic is cleanliness and hygiene. Therefore, we must use our water resources consciously and sustainably.


So, what actions can we take at home to contribute to water conservation?


Firstly, we should consume products consciously and ensure that nothing goes to waste. We can reduce the number of days we consume products like meat in our meals.


While waiting for the water to heat up in the shower, we can collect the water wasted in buckets and use it for household cleaning, watering plants, or washing fruits and vegetables.


We can take shorter showers and ensure that we're not wasting water unnecessarily.


We should organize our taps to maximize efficiency every time we turn them on.


We can turn off the taps while brushing our teeth.


For more information on areas where more water conservation can be done, you can visit the link below.


 

Using water efficiently and protecting water resources is our duty for the sake of our future. We should appreciate the value of water for a sustainable future. We cannot combat a pandemic without water.


Do not let water run wastefully, do not use it for mere comfort.


To learn more about the topic, raise awareness, and adopt more sustainable water consumption practices, please watch the amazing documentaries below.




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