This is the second of a series about sustainability.
As a resident of southern California I’m used to living in a virtual desert. Right now, in fact, our rainfall is about 50% below normal. It’s possible this season could be one of our ten driest on record.
So when I heard about World Water Day I wanted to know more.
International World Water Day is held annually on March 22 as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.
Most of the water on the Earth (97%) is salt water. Only three percent is fresh. Two thirds of that is frozen in glaciers and polar ice. The remaining fresh water is underground, on the surface or in the air.
Of that small fraction of a fraction, 69% is put to agricultural use, 22% goes to industrial use, and the remaining 9% is used for domestic purposes.
Every time humans disrupt the natural water cycle there is a consequence. When large quantities of water are diverted or taken out of the natural system this affects the local surface water supply, which, in the long run, affects the ecosystem, plants and animals, as well as the local communities.
It takes 1,000 times more water to feed the human population than it does to satisfy its thirst. With a population that just reached 7 billion that’s a lot of water!
I was surprised to learn that Kentucky, like my southern California home, also experiences drought. The bluegrass state is where our printing operations are based. So I was glad that Overnight Prints uses waterless printing.
As its name suggests, the process uses less water. Printing has historically been a leading industrial consumer of water. According to the Waterless Printing Association, the average printing press utilizes 3175 gallons of fresh water each year. Waterless printing helps conserve this resource.
By consuming less water-intensive products we can deal with population growth and ensure access to nutritious food for everyone.
For more about our green initiatives checkout our video What Makes Us Different.
–BR
