As I stated in yesterday’s post, September 26, 2021 was both World Environmental Health Day and World Rivers Day. Yesterday I wrote about World Environmental Health Day, so today I want to discuss World Rivers Day. Actually, the two complement each other quite nicely since they both revolve around keeping our natural environment healthy to improve the health human beings and the wildlife that depend on the environment. World Rivers Day is just a little more distinct, targeting river health, specifically.

World Rivers Day was started in 2005 as part of the United Nations Water for Life Decade, which was dedicated to emphasizing the importance of taking better care of the world’s water resources. World Rivers Day was specifically put forth by Mark Angelo, a well known international rivers advocate. As we all know, rivers are important waterways throughout most countries in this world. Rivers are used by both humans and wildlife for drinking and transportation, but much of the human activity damages those essential waterways, and thus damages the ecosystem that is vital to the health of all beings. World Rivers Day is celebrated to remind us all to be better stewards of our precious rivers.

So what can we do to be better caretakers for the world’s rivers? One of the easiest and most effective things we can do is to use biodegradable soaps and detergents since everything that goes down the drain eventually finds it’s way into rivers. We can also try to conserve our water reserves by timing showers, stopping leaking taps, and running only full loads of laundry and dishes. We can also be certain that when we go out on the rivers that we don’t leave our trash, nets, empty bottles, etc. behind. By following just these few simple steps, each of us can make a tremendous difference. And if we wish, we can also involve ourselves in larger projects like river and beach clean ups or by joining an organization that lobbies for clean water initiatives.

World Rivers Day was celebrated this year in quite a number of ways. There were webinars and live events concerning clean water campaigns, there were canoe and kayak races, paddles, and other boating events. Many local tourist boards and community leaders organized river clean ups and fund raisers. I’m sure that similar events will also be occurring in years to come, so as we approach the fourth Sunday in September next year, look into what you can do to help celebrate World Rivers Day. Did any of you participate in any World Rivers Day or World Environmental Health Day activities? If so, what did you do and how can others get involved next year?

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