Rivers Are Running out of Clean Water

What if I told you the clothes you are wearing helped contribute to water pollution? You'd probably ask me, how can that be? An article by Johnny Vatican states that it takes 7,000 liters of water to produce one pair of jeans. He also tells us that the fashion industry is the second most polluting industry, oil being the first.

Globally, water pollution is a major problem. Vatican tells us that over half a trillion gallons of fresh drinkable water are used a year to dye clothing and fabrics around the world. He says dyeing clothing uses many harmful chemicals that contaminate the water used, which is then dumped into lakes, rivers, streams, and more, contributing to 20% of industrial water pollution globally.

The chemicals used to dye your pink shirt in that top drawer at home are more harmful than you think. Not only are chemicals being put into the environment, but some of these chemicals are known to be able to cause cancer. Johnny Vatican includes in his article that chronic exposure to dye chemicals have been linked to cancer and hormone disruption in both humans and animals. He continues to say Azo dyes are some of the most commonly used dyes, yet the most toxic and can cause cancer.

Often times global issues, in this case water pollution, don't seem relevant when they don't directly effect us personally, however water pollution is more present in our lives then we think. On November 14th, the Greater Salem Chamber of Commerce held a Southern N.H. Water Forum. An article by Julie Huss explains the meeting.

Huss tells us Jim Ricker, a speaker at the forum, provided data on water sources in New Hampshire, and said that many public and private water supplies are contaminated. He explains illegal dumping, and even things like farms and apple orchards that use pesticides are cause to some of these contaminations. However Ricker says some of the polluted water is naturally occurring, like high arsenic levels due to the type of bedrock in the ground, which can be seen in Salem and Windham New Hampshire.

Mindi Messmer, another person present, shared information about particularly high numbers of children with pediatric cancer in the seacoast area. She said this is cause of a combination of things, but water pollution being a big one. She says children are more susceptible to harmful components contaminating the water we drink.

The problem of water pollution is closer to home then we thought, and luckily we have people in our community taking action, such as those who attended this forum, but who is going to step up to the plate and help the world? So many people are without clean drinking water and just because it's not us struggling, it doesn't mean we can't take action.

Works Cited

"Creative Common Photos of Water Pollution ." Photos for Class,
www.photosforclass.com/search?text=water+pollution.

Huss, Julie. "Southern NH Water Issues Center Stage at Forum." The Eagle-Tribune, 14 Nov. 2019,
www.eagletribune.com/news/southern-nh-water-issues-center-stage-at-forum/article_
eabee0f8-9aaf-532a-9e6a-56aeeb965bdd.html.

Vatican, Johnny. "Clothing Industry A Big Contributor To Global Water Pollution."
Medical Daily, 6 Nov. 2019, www.medicaldaily.com/clothing-industry-big-contributor-
global-water-pollution-445402.