World Water Day was celebrated on March 22.
It is celebrated every year as a way to draw attention to the importance of fresh water and to advocate for sustainable management of the resource. It is also about taking action to address the global water crisis, in support of the Sustainable Development Goal (ODS) 6 *: water and sanitation for all by 2030.
*(On September 25, 2015, at the UN and as part of the “2030 Agenda”, world leaders adopted a set of global goals to eradicate poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all as part of a new sustainable development agenda).
We are already 7 years away from 2030 and, as things look, both due to the apathy of many people in charge in all areas, as well as the political interests of those “in command”, we are very, very far from achieving it.
So I ask you: Could we say “celebrated”?
Between two and three billion people around the world lack access to basic drinking water and sanitation services (a problem that will worsen in the coming decades).
More than two thousand 300 million people do not have access to basic facilities to wash their hands (something so “simple” that perhaps we do not appreciate its real dimension)
The lack of access to drinking water and basic sanitation has a significant impact on the health and well-being of people, especially in the poorest and most marginalized communities.
It is estimated that the urban population suffering from water scarcity will reach 2.4 billion people
Lack of safe drinking water can increase the spread of waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, and lack of proper sanitation can lead to waste buildup and water contamination
Increasing pressure is being placed on the world’s water resources.
I no longer want to dizzy you with so much data that is so serious. What is happening is obvious and we need to recognize it. Above all, recognize the REAL VALUE of water.
It is not what you get on the receipt. It’s much more than that. It is a (very) limited and valuable resource.
Did you know that water already trades on the New York Stock Exchange?
already listed in Wall Street, just like other resources (such as oil and gold). It is linked to the index Nasdaq Veles California Water (NQH20) and is an indicator of future water prices in California.
They did this so that California farmers can protect themselves against the scarcity of the resource in the event of long periods of drought, where people who have purchased “water futures” will receive money to compensate for the lack of water.
Do any of you already have a water futures contract in Wall Street?… ok, I supposed.
We cannot just be simple spectators, passive in front of what is happening. We know that our work as marketers and publicists can be very powerful if we deliver the right message in the right media, especially since we work in the area of persuasion and people’s awareness.
What can we do to alleviate the problem around water? What touches us?
A lot, if we work in a coherent way with the brands we work with, inviting them not only to communicate that we are committed to the environment and the efficient use of water, but also to take real action.
A lot, if we communicate within an ethical and professional framework, without giving priority to economic ends, but rather to the human objective of the brands: people (the money will arrive, sooner rather than later, when people see that we do not identify them only as a dollar sign, but rather as people to whom we satisfy a need and, furthermore, we help to create a promising future for the benefit of all).
A lot, if we promote that brands also become agents of change.
But, here’s the damn “but”:
Very little, if we allow (to win the account) that our client, whether it is Government or private initiative, continue giving useless speeches to “look good” with their stakeholders or making useless propaganda campaigns, dressed as “social communication”, more made to finish the budget with the “guys” or for electoral purposes.
Now or never. This is not science fiction and we have the problem of water today. Either we act or we let it go its way. Then don’t squeal, eh?
