Today marks the annual World Wetlands Day. Wetlands are important ecosystems that support a host of animal and plant life, but are also hugely important for the survival of humans, being our main source of fresh water. They naturally filter pollutants, leaving water that is safe to drink.
They also keep us fed, with rice paddies feeding 3.5 billion people each year, and inland fisheries providing 12 million tonnes of fish in 2018! More than 1 billion people rely on wetlands for income – as the world’s most valuable ecosystem, their services are worth US $47 trillion a year.
Wetlands also keep us safe from floods and storms, with each acre of wetland able to absorb up to 1.5million gallons of flood water. They help to regulate the climate, storing twice as much carbon as forests.
As for non-human life… 40% of the world’s species live and breed in wetlands – with 200 new fish species discovered each year in freshwater wetlands.
Sadly, nearly 90% of the world’s wetlands have been lost since the 1700s, with those remaining disappearing 3x faster than forests. They can be preserved by using organic and eco-friendly products, in both your home and garden (see our blog post on bleach!) and conserving water as much as possible. Little things like turning off the tap whilst brushing your teeth and being quicker in the shower helps! We are aware there are bigger culprits at play here, but as individuals we can all make a difference – with each persons small effort contributing significantly as a whole.
We’ll be uploading our first recipe for making your own eco-friendly cleaning products this Sunday, so make sure to subscribe to follow us on socials and subscribe to our e-newsletter!
Reference: worldwetlandsday.org
