The fact that we live on a planet that is getting warmer every day is now universally accepted. Rising temperatures and scarce rainfall are phenomena that have begun to become noticeable even in those regions of the world that until recently benefited from a mild climate, and they generate events that are increasingly extreme and complex to manage.
In the space of a few decades, this rapid process of transformation has led to a reconsideration of the role of water, which was taken for granted until the end of the last century and has quickly become an element to be protected, guardian of the delicate balance that sustains the earth’s ecosystems.
According to the 2020 United Nations World Water Resources Development Report, the whole of humanity is facing a crisis that will see a 40% shortage in global water availability by 2030. And the current figures are no longer reassuring: it is estimated that 3.6 billion people already live in conditions of water scarcity for at least one month a year, while demand and consumption of this invaluable commodity have grown sixfold over the last 100 years, due to rising population and changing manufacturing processes.
In fact, this trend is also linked to the behaviour of certain “water-intensive” sectors that have a notable impact on water availability, such as agriculture, which in Europe alone utilises 40% of the available resources, energy production, which requires water for cooling nuclear and fossil fuel power plants, manufacturing, and mining.
But even the reports on domestic consumption cannot be ignored, with the European average standing at 165 litres of water per capita per day, and a figure that rises even further if one looks at Italian consumption, which is top of the list with as much as 245 litres per person every day.
This scenario is the backdrop to a series of initiatives aimed at preserving the global water heritage, with the emergence of international projects such as the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development or the EU’s Plan to Safeguard European Water Resources, and local activities conducted by institutions and private organisations: investments to improve the urban network, awareness-raising campaigns to encourage good practice in terms of water saving at home and in the office, right through to the implementation of water compensation programmes such as that devised by the Milan-based company Wami (Water with a mission) and activated in partnership with GreenGraffiti.
Wami is a water and beverage brand that has built its business model on a simple yet innovative principle: for every product sold, 100 litres of drinking water are allocated to communities lacking access to this resource, by means of investments defined in cooperation with associations and NGOs specialised in helping territories affected by social and climate emergencies. This approach has led to the construction of more than 50 aqueducts in just a few years, guaranteeing access to water for more than 58,000 people.
Since their inception, GreenGraffiti paving messages have been conceived as a sustainable communication tool: in addition to being made with a food-derived paint and not producing any waste, they implement Pureti® technology, a non-toxic, smog-absorbing substance that allows each graffiti to produce the same amount of oxygen as a tree, while also contributing to a reduction in toxic particulate matter. GreenGraffiti removal is carried out using a high-pressure jet of hot water, with an estimated water consumption of 120,000 litres per year. In order to reduce the impact of this stage of the production process, a partnership with Wami was launched, with an active participation in the construction of an aqueduct in the Rockwood district of Sri Lanka, and the subsequent connection of eight new water mains, which have brought running water to 44 inhabitants in the area.
Through this partnership, each GreenGraffiti campaign is therefore not only a different and sustainable method of communication, but also a tool that can positively affect the quality of life of people and communities.
