Water

Water we talking about here?

from behance.net

Water Is Life

Water is at the core of sustainable development and is critical for socio-economic development, healthy ecosystems and for human survival itself. It is vital for reducing the global burden of disease and improving the health, welfare and productivity of populations. It is central to the production and preservation of a host of benefits and services for people. Water is also at the heart of adaptation to climate change, serving as the crucial link between the climate system, human society and the environment.

A Renewable Resource

Water is a finite and irreplaceable, globally shared resource that is fundamental to human well-being. It is only renewable if protected and managed well. Water can pose a serious challenge to sustainable development. But managed efficiently and equitably, water plays a crucial role strengthening the resilience of social, economic and environmental systems in the face of climate change.

Current Challenges

Boulder is lucky to be the first major stop on water’s journey from snow and glaciers in the mountains to the sea. But climate change has already severely changed the amounts and reliability of our access. Other pressures stem from population and economic growth, pollution, and fossil fuel extraction, all of which have major impacts on our social, economic, and environmental well-being. The Colorado River no longer reaches the sea. Boulder Creek is not immune to the contamination most rivers around the country face, and contains frightening levels of chemicals–pharmaceuticals, plastics, detergents, pesticides, and estrogen-like homrmones–which are very hard to filter out though water treatment plants. This means the world’s water has become degraded in quality, threatening the health of people and ecosystems and increasing the cost of treatment.

We can and must do better by focusing on these water principals:

Protection  |  Conservation  |  Responsible Use  |  Equitable Access  |  Stewardship