World Water Week 2023

Water; it is the very essence of life. Water is what sustains every single being on this planet, from the smallest of budding flowers in a local garden to one of the thousands species of mighty sea animals that dominate our vast oceans. The importance of water cannot be underestimated and we at Pineapple Island know this; it is at the heart of what we believe in.

That is why we are very excited that World Water Week is upon us! World Water Week is an annual event organised by Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) and the purpose of this event is to discuss global water-related issues such as pollution, lack of water and sustainable water management through activities. Through this discussion, plans will be made to develop solutions to the current water crises that is impacting sanitation, agriculture, climate change and various other issues.          

   

The issues that endanger our water is significant; one of the many examples would be the issue with wastewater. Wastewater (also commonly known as sewage) is a polluted form of water, typically created from human usage, like from restaurants and chemical industries. Wastewater typically contains bacteria, radioactive substances, oil and viruses. So, you can only imagine devastating it must be for nearly half of worldwide wastewater to be carelessly released into our nature. That is equivalent to 144 million Olympic sized swimming pools! Another example is how water quality across a large variety of countries, even the wealthiest, is shown to contain pharmaceuticals and plastics. I mean come on, we asked for a gin and tonic to drink, not the bin and toxic’s! Do you want to know where’s safe to swim in the UK currently? Check out the water quality in the UK with Surfers Against Sewage pollution tracker.

It is easy to feel hopeless when looking at these devastating statistics, but it is of the utmost importance to remember that every single one of us has the power to work against this damage, to set an example of human behaviour that will carve the way for the future generations to follow and bring salvation to our home once again. We will not give up when the chance to reverse the damage is still very possible. Earth has been our home for millions of years, providing countless gifts which allowed us to thrive; it is time we returned the favour.

There is something everyone can do to help save our water; from a simple task that can be completed in minutes to big challenges that would satisfy the adventurous go-getters!

• Turning off taps when brushing teeth
• Sharing information and petitions about World Water Day on your social media
• Recycling as much as you can and encouraging family and friends to do the same
• Educate yourself- look up world water day and keep on researching!
• Supporting and buying from companies that have sustainable policies. From deodorant to phone cases to shoes and clothing, there are companies that provide sustainable alternatives to every item you use in your everyday life. For example, here at Pineapple Island we sell products that donate to charities such as our Surfers Against Sewage Collection, where 50% of every sale is donated directly to Surfers Against Sewage.
• Collecting rainwater and using that to water the garden instead of fresh water
• Going on a litter pick at a local beach (we often host our own- we have already held two so far, with more to come! Keep an eye on our social media so you can see when we will host our next one)

World Water Week is your chance to make yourself a part of history, to be the movement that will stop the damage that the past generations have done to our planet. With countless resources at our fingertips, there is nothing we can’t do. Happy World Water Week!