WORLD WATER WEEK PROCLAMATION by Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak
An introduction to World Water Week by SURGE Co-Founder Ummul Banin Yamani was followed with a proclamation by Minneapolis Mayor, RT Rybak, declaring Sunday March 22nd, 2009 as “World Water Day”. This was followed by a panel discussion to kick off a week-long campaign to raise awareness of the world water crisis.
During the week of March 22-28, 2009 various restaurants and bars in Minneapolis offered tap water in lieu of bottled water and accepted donations. Lack of access to safe water, along with the resources used and contamination caused by bottled water is globally detrimental. Drinking and supporting tap water is one simple way to make an impact.
U.S. tap water is regulated by the EPA with stricter standards than the FDA interstate bottled water regulations, and only costs 1/2000th the price, an important economic factor in these times. 1.5 million barrels of crude oil are required to produce the 2.7 million tons of plastic used to package bottled water annually; this does not account for the shipping or pollution impacts.
/ One in eight people globally do not have access to safe water. /
/ 4,700 people died on average every day due to lack of safe potable water, mostly children under the age of 5. /
Global sales of bottled water were $100 billion in 2005. In stark contrast, only $10 billion a year is required to meet the UN goal of providing safe drinking water by 2015 to half of the 1.1 billion people who lack it now.
All donations are 100% tax deductible.
DRINK:
Support safe tap water instead of bottled water.
DO:
Spread awareness of the world water crisis and the environmental impact of bottling water.
DONATE:
Just $1 can provide a child 40 days of access to safe water.
WORLD WATER WEEK PROCLAMATION PHOTOS
