Tag Archives: clean water

Water is a Human Right

Whoever you are, wherever you are, water is your human right

As we marked World Water Day last week I would like to highlight the importance of access to clean water around the world.

This year’s theme of World Water Day has been “Leave no one behind – clean access for everybody by 2030”.

The heartbreaking reality

Here are some of the realities we are facing in today’s world:

  • 2.1 billion people live without safe water at home.
  • One in four primary schools have no drinking water service, with pupils using unprotected sources or going thirsty.
  • More than 700 children under five years of age die every day from diarrhea linked to unsafe water and poor sanitation.
  • Globally, 80% of the people who have to use unsafe and unprotected water sources live in rural areas.
  • Over 800 women die every day from complications in pregnancy and childbirth.
  • Around 159 million people collect their drinking water from surface water, such as ponds and streams.
  • Around 4 billion people – nearly two-thirds of the world’s population – experience severe water scarcity during at least one month of the year.
  • 700 million people worldwide could be displaced by intense water scarcity by 2030.

Water in Myanmar

As a United Nations staff member in Myanmar I can see the challenges of access to clean water every day. Since I moved here, I have been faced with the reality of having to use water from bottles and filters as the tap water cannot be used, not even for brushing teeth. While I am in the fortunate position of being able to buy clean water for my family, many people in Myanmar do not have that ability due to their limited income.

Inle Lake

I was glad to see that Myanmar has been chosen as a backdrop in the official World Water Day poster. Inle Lake is located in Shan State in the north of the country, a complex area with a long history and inspiring sights. The fisherman you see in the poster has a unique way of peddling on the lake, wrapping his leg around the pole to steer the boat. They also use the traps you see to hunt for fish. To me Inle lake as been an inspiring region were tradition and innovation is coming together. You can see amazing projects where renewable and sustainable energy meets traditional Myanmar and Shan state culture.

It is also a reminder of how precious these water reservoirs are. They provide livelihood to thousands of people.

Water is essential

Since we all need water to survive, people are forced to drink the tap water, resulting in many people becoming sick and even dying from water born diseases. People in the developed world do not think much about water as it is readily available around us. Once something becomes scares it will rise as a priority and gain our attention. We do not see water as a critical element for survival. In most developed cities, water is available as tap water or can be drank from clean fountains as I have experienced in Rome, Italy.

Living in Myanmar made me realize how important clean water is for our survival and wellness. Since water is clear and odorless there is a lot of trust we need to exercise when drinking water that it will be good for us and safe to drink.  

We often rely on known water brands to be certain that the water will be safe and clean for us to drink.

The fine water industry

The fine water industry takes this important step forward. Not only do premium brands provide clean and safe water to drink, they also ensure that minerals are available in their waters which will promote wellness in our lives. You will find a description of the mineral content on the water bottle label. The TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) will give you s sense on the overall mineral level in that particular water.

We are constantly in search of improving ourselves and performing at our highest level and with water we have an easy-to-implement product right in front of our noses.

Take a moment to think about the state of our planet when it comes to water and consider what action you can take to improve the current state.

Stay Thirsty!

The 4 fantastic dimensions of water that will make your day

As a water and tea sommelier I am probably thinking and living water and tea more than the average person is. My goal is not covert you into super experts, I want to find a way into your heart and give you ideas on how water and tea can enhance your life and give you a better experience.

You can look at water from different perspectives. For the normal person in the developed world, if you get thirsty, you get a glass of water and move on. But water can be so much more. I hope that the following thoughts can create a spark of inspiration in you to see water in a different angle. If I get you to think a few minutes about water – mission accomplished.

Water as the most essential component of life

As a child growing up in Germany, I did not pay much attention to water. It came out of the tap, it was in the fridge, I just had to say the word and water would appear.  I did not realize that it is the most essential liquid on the planet. You only miss something, if it is not there. Fast forward a few centuries and here I am sitting in Yangon, Myanmar, one of the least developed countries in the world. Suddenly my relationship to water changed on so many different levels.

Water is a valuable commodity, something to be appreciated and to be grateful for every single day. We need to pump water into a tank every day to make it available and then it can only used for the bathroom and for washing the dishes. I cannot even brush my teeth with this water and I have to use bottled water for that. We have water filters around the house and have to spend a lot of time every day to ensure that my family and me has clean drinking water.

And I am one of the lucky ones in Myanmar. A large part of the population cannot even afford to by the purified water sold here in big 5 gallon bottles. The have to drink the poor quality water just to survive. Some of the people will get sick and some will even die on diseases from bacteria in this water. Providing access to clean drinking water to the people of Myanmar is one of the missions of the UN here in Myanmar.

 

Water for hydration

About a year ago I changed my approach to hydration drastically. I started to carry water bottles around with me and take a sip every once in a while. The change in my well being has been dramatically. It contributed (together with diet and exercise) to my 75 pound weight loss. Proper hydration (constant sipping with up to 2 liters a day) is like the oil for an engine. It will help your body to perform more efficiently. While easy to do and a game changer, still very few people pay attention to proper hydration. If you really want to help your body, use good quality mineral water. The minerals will help your organs to function better and assist in proper digestion of food. It also promotes vital brain functions. 

Water as a culinary experience

Water can be so much more than just proper hydration. Since there are so many different high quality mineral available,each with their unique terroir and story behind them, making such waters part of your meal experience, will allow you to learn about cultures, and makes you appreciate the different tastes around the world. There are some waters I am deeply connecting with and it is always a joyful experience doing so. The Cottorella water or Aqua Morelli water from Italy are such examples. Drinking them is a unique experience , one that adds a bit of pleasure to my daily life and is a piece of affordable luxury to add something positive to our day. Pairing water with different foods is an art by itself, but will create a wow factor to your next dinner party. See the fine water facebook site for some amazing inspirations.

 

Water in a futuristic dimension

I would like to leave you with another dimension of water, which I strongly believe in, but a lot of people dismiss as nonsense. Water has memory. Watch the documentary here and you will understand. It was amazing to see the experiments where water was played sound of a genetic blueprint and then was able to recreate building blocks based on that memory; just incredible. We are still in the beginning of this journey, but I strongly believe that water will play an important role in medicines in the centuries to come. I love the fact, that the water brand 10,000 BC, which bottles 10,000-year-old glacier water, plays inspirational music during the bottling process.

I hope these thoughts made you stop and think about water in a way you might not have before and maybe one or two things can be useful to improve your daily life. Feel free to reach out to me in case you have further questions, I am always happy to answer them.

Stay Thirsty!