BLeaflet | Issues 1 - 7

Vol. 2, Issue 3

March 2024

THE BLEAFLET SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE Giving Back to the Earth

LOOKING AHEAD: Earth Week As you may know, Earth Day has been celebrated annually on April 22 since 1970, and the Sustainability Committee is excited to soon announce plans for BL’s Earth Week from April 22-26th. Keep an eye out for details regarding engaging games, crafts, events, and other activities (with the potential to win some great prizes!) with the backdrop of thoughtfulness, education, and care for our local communities and the only planet we have. We look forward to celebrating the earth with you all!

Most of us probably know that the majority of the earth’s surface is covered in water – about 70%, in fact. That equates to 326 million trillion gallons on (and in) the earth. However, the freshwater that we rely on to drink, clean, grow food, and recreate is surprisingly scarce. As shown in the graphic below, 97% of the earth’s water is saltwater and unfit for consumption, while the remaining 3% of water is freshwater. However, of this relatively small amount of freshwater, 69% is locked away in glaciers and ice caps, almost 31% is deep within the ground and largely out of reach, and just 0.3% (or <0.01% of all Earth’s water!) is surface water stored in rivers and lakes. For a resource we all rely on to sustain life, that’s a shockingly small amount! Of course, we all use these freshwater resources for public and private water supply to our homes, offices, and schools, which account for about 13% of total water withdrawal in the U.S. However, freshwater is an invaluable THIRSTY PLANET: Tackling the Challenge of Freshwater Scarcity

and heavily drawn resource for many other reasons, with uses including irrigation (37%), livestock and aquaculture (3%), self-supplied industrial usage (5%), and thermoelectric power (41%)¹, not to mention other non-withdrawal uses such as shipping and recreation. The industries and activities that rely directly on our limited freshwater resources also present direct sources of impact to it – think industrial pollution, nutrient and sediment influx from agricultural runoff or clearing of vegetation, and thermal and waste product pollution from power plants, just to name a few. As the climate changes, so do the stresses placed on these freshwater resources. Different regions experience different relationships with water, and as such the impact felt from one place to another will also vary. Consider the impact that larger and more frequent storms in one place may have on sediment runoff and water quality, river flooding, and local

Learn more here: 1. Visualizing All of the World’s Water https://www.visualcapitalist.com/sp/hf01-visualizing-all-of-the worlds-water/ 2. Summary of Estimated Water Usage ¹ https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2018/3035/fs20183035.pdf 3. Climate Change’s Impacts on Freshwater Resources ² https://www.epa.gov/climateimpacts/climate-change-impacts freshwater-resources#:~:text=For%20example%2C%20 increased%20rainfall%20can,%2C%20shellfish%2C%20 and%20other%20animals https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/climate-impacts/climate impacts-water-resources_.html March 22nd is the United Nation’s World Water Day and was established to promote the responsible use of water and access to safe water for everyone. Not only is water used for recreation, as discussed (above/below), but we rely on it for agriculture, hygiene/sanitation, health care, and industry. The COVID-19 pandemic has further demonstrated the urgent need for universal access to safe water, as frequent and proper handwashing with soap and water is one of the most effective actions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. International Day of Action for Rivers | March 14th March 14th marked the 27th Anniversary of the International Day of Action for Rivers. It’s a day for communities to come together to affirm that rivers are vital and need our protection and to promote the significance of ensuring access to clean, free-flowing water. International Rivers is a non-profit organization that fights to protect rivers and defend the rights of communities that depend on them. Check out the next page to find and/or host a river clean-up in your community and/or by your BL office. World Water Day | March 22nd

stormwater infrastructure. Additionally, think of how decreases in snowfall over the winter may lead to reduced snowy ‘reservoirs’, decreasing drinking water and irrigation supplies available in the spring and summer ². To learn more about areas close to home or across the globe check out the links in the sidebar.