Down in the Dumps
March 1, 2024
“Seeing the Unseen− The Value of Water”
W
ater. It’s everywhere, from our planet’s vast oceans to the bottle I take to work every day, it is an essential component of our lives. But how often do we think, I mean really think about its value; not just to us, but to our planet as a whole? And how are sustainability initiatives tied in to all of this? Well, we first have to ‘water down’ our line of inquiry and uncover the role that good old H2O plays in our own bodies.
Looking within: The importance of clean water in daily life
I’m sure you might be getting flashbacks of your parents or teachers telling you to drink more water, swearing by its ability to solve all of life’s problems and grant you immortality. I now realise that– albeit to a certain degree – they were not wrong. In the rush of urban life, it is easy to forget that water is a basic human need. Carrying a water bottle to work keeps me more energetic throughout the day and has made me feel less stressed overall. Unfortunately, this is not a privilege able to be enjoyed by everyone, as clean water remains a scarce resource behind the veil of its seeming abundance. One of the UN'S Sustainable Development Goals is achieving equitable and universal access to clean water by 2030. However, as of 2024, 1 in 4 people in the world still do not have access to safe drinking water, according to the Wold Health Organisation (WHO) and United Nation’s Children’s Fund (UNICEF). As pollution rises in our oceans and rivers, the task of constructing viable treatment plants only grows more difficult, while the UN's 2030 vision shrinks further and further away from becoming a reality.
The big picture: Water's value to our planet’s survival
Pollution doesn't just affect us but the environment, too– and despite being necessary components of all life, our planet's water sources are not treated as such. Recent research confirms that our oceans contain microplastics which are being consumed by both humans and animals, the long-term effects of which could be detrimental to our survival. Plastics and other non-biodegradable materials in the ocean have also contributed to the endangerment of several marine species. Now, although this all sounds very doom-and-gloom, there is a splash of hope on the horizon. Responsibly recycling our waste and instilling sustainable development practices consistently will ultimately contribute to the long-term cleaning up of our oceans. Here at Cycle Trends, we do our best in making it our business to ensure SMEs recycle their e-waste, doing our part in keeping it out of our water. Our planet has been drowning in pollution for far too long; let's give our water the respect it deserves.
