World Rivers Day

Join millions of people around the world to celebrate the lifeblood of our planet: our rivers.

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FIND OUT WHAT’S GOING ON IN YOUR WATERSHED HERE »

Today is World Rivers Day, a day for us to celebrate the common bond we all have with our rivers. Mark Angelo, founder of World Rivers Day, says that "rivers are the arteries of our planet; they are lifelines in the truest sense.” World Rivers Day is a chance for us to ask ourselves: are we doing everything we can to treat our rivers with the same care our rivers provide for us?

The ways we depend on rivers are almost too many to count. 70% of earth's population lives within 3 miles of a river for a reason. Drinking water, transportation, agriculture, essential biodiversity, recreation—we are only here because of our rivers. Unfortunately, many of the ways we depend on rivers have become harmful. Using river water for industrial purposes has degraded water quality around the world, most often affecting the most vulnerable people. As the main connector between ecosystems, rivers ask us to acknowledge interconnectivity. So World Rivers Day is also a chance to contemplate the ways we're connected to each other.

Celebrating your closest river can be as simple as learning what that river is. If you've never consciously looked at your river, plan a little trip just to watch the water flow by. Bring a friend along. Establishing a connection to your river is the most important step you can take to begin to care.

What you can do to celebrate our rivers:

  • Learn more about the condition of your watershed at tiny.cc/watershed

  • Use biodegradable and eco-friendly cleaning products.

  • If you eat meat, cut back on meat once a week. Have "Meatless Mondays". It takes 600 gallons of water to produce one hamburger!

  • Talk about your river. Go see it for yourself if you've never been. Knowing is the first step towards caring.

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