Article: Water: The United Nations urges campaign against waste

Reading time: less than 1 minute

Revista Maganews

The Environment
Water: The United Nations urges campaign against waste

Over one billion people worldwide now suffer a shortage of drinking water. The United Nations (UN) recommends countries create campaigns against wasting water supplies. This is the first in a series on the issue brought to you by Maganews.

On March 22nd, World Water Day, the UN made a recommendation to every country in the world. It wants them to create campaigns to reduce water consumption and to prevent waste. Our planet has a lot of water, but the problem is that the oceans’ water, comprising 97.6% of all water in the world, is unsuitable for consumption. There remains just 2.4% in freshwater, which can be treated and drunk. However, most of this water is frozen in ice flows. Over one billion people in the world now suffer a shortage of water. The number of people without access to drinking water may double by around 2030, says the UN. Population growth is one of the factors responsible for this shortage, with eighty million people added to the global total every year, according to the UN.  More people means more consumption. Waste, deforestation, pollution and climate change are other factors that contribute to making the problem worse.

Brazil:  awareness in schools

The States of Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo are this semester establishing the project Caminho das Águas in public primary schools. The aim is to make 6th to 9th grade students aware of the shortage of water and the importance of using it rationally, without waste. In the city of São Paulo in 2008 the water company Sabesp set up the program “Pura” (Uso Racional de Água) in 500 municipal schools.  Sabesp checks the amount of water needed by the schools and offers alternatives for them to reduce consumption. Sabesp says the program has resulted in savings of 26% in schools’ water consumption. From March 23rd another 750 municipal schools in São Paulo have joined the program.

Vocabulary

1. to urge – desejar / encorajar (aqui = recomendar / pedir)
2. waste – desperdício
3. shortage – escassez
4. drinking water – água potável
5. unsuitable – inadequada (o)
6. remain (s) – sobra
7. freshwater – água “doce” / potável
8. ice flows – geleiras
9. to double – dobrar
10. deforestation – desmatamento
11. awareness –  aqui = conscientização ( to be aware = ficar ciente / se conscientizar)
12. to set up – iniciar
13. amount – quantidade
14. to join – aderir