Protecting freshwater health means managing pollutants, tackling climate change, and fixing broken city infrastructure. It also requires us to take a serious look at how we choose to use and consume this precious resource.
From simple household needs to growing food to manufacturing computers, we need freshwater for just about everything we use and consume – it’s unavoidable. As more and more people depend on freshwater, we can’t afford to maintain the status quo.
At an individual level, this can mean taking practical actions at home, such as:
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Limiting your showers
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Turning off the tap when you brush
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Flushing only when necessary
Another step would be to review the products you use and consider their water footprint. How much water did it take to produce, package, and ship these items?
More and more, brands and companies are waking up to water scarcity and quality challenges and making significant changes to their manufacturing processes. This is where your choices come into play. Are there similar products that make competitive and credible claims about their water use? Can you use your personal economic activity to make decisions that contribute to freshwater health?
