World Water Day is not the only day of the year to bring awareness to the issue of clean water! In today’s political climate it is getting more and more important to ensure that we still have water to drink! This is something we take for granted every day in developed countries, while people around the world are forced to drink contaminated water and are dying from thirst to this very day – every day…

The numbers are huge: 1.1 Billion people don’t have access to clean drinking water and about 2.5 million people die every year from drinking contaminated water. 90% of these are children under the age of 5. This is a shocking statistic, but most of these people are in far corners of the world, and what can we do about it?

How about supporting the water project or use one of your upcoming vacations to volunteer with a Non-Profit organization overseas?

And what about those of us who live in the western part of the world? What can we do?

1. Stop Buying Bottled Water!

Instead, buy a water filter and a reusable water bottle (Aluminum and stainless steel are best) and refill them with filtered tap water throughout the day. Why? Because:

• 80-90% of plastic bottles end up in landfills (2 Million Tons in the US alone), and when incinerated they release toxic fumes to the environment.
• About 90% of the trash in the ocean is from plastic, and at least 1 million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals and sea turtles die every year from ingesting or becoming entangled in plastic waste.
• 1.5 million barrels of oil are consumed when manufacturing plastic water bottles in the US alone. Add that to the fuel necessary to transport the water bottles from Fiji and other exotic locations to your local store.
• It takes about 3 liters of water to package 1 liter of bottled water! That’s just craziness!
• If all that is not reason enough for you, then think about this: Plastic bottles (even re-usable plastic bottles) release toxins into the water that end up consuming when the temperature of your water changes. One of them is Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical classified as an endocirine disruptor, which can alter the function of the endocrine system and affect reproduction and brain development.
• Some people argue that brand-name bottled water is safer than tap water, but tests have proven that supposition false. Tap water is actually more tightly controlled and better regulated than bottled water! Even in bottled water the fluoride content is too high, and some companies are even known to fill their plastic bottles with regular tap water then sell it for good money.

2. Stop Wasting Water

• Use a low-flow showerhead
• Take a shower instead of soaking in the tub
• Turn off the faucet when you are brushing your teeth
• Wash dishes in the water-filled sink instead of under the running faucet
• Fill the dishwasher and laundry machine to a full load

3. Drink More Water

All that said, make sure you drink enough water every day—filtered tap water that is. 60% of our body is made of water. We need to replenish what we lose through urine and sweat to stay hydrated to be healthy. A water intake of 3-4 liters or 100-135 ounces daily is recommended. Most of us drink less than half of that. Instead we drink coffee, tea, and alcohol, which are all dehydrating. This achieves the opposite effect, causing our body to lose fluid instead of replenishing it. In the western world there are people dying because they are not drinking enough water. People even die in hospitals and nursing homes because they are not given enough water to drink! That’s outrageous!

I recommend to read this book: Your Body’s Many Cries For Water by Batmanghelidj

Written by Eliane Baggenstos, owner of bodono, Registered Nurse, and Certified Health Coach with certification in Plant-Based Nutrition by the Cornell University and Evidence-based Health Coaching for Healthcare Providers by the National Society of Health Coaches, Licensed Massage Therapist with certifications in Advanced Sports Massage and Medical Massage, and Personal Trainer NASM CPT.