From sea to shining sea, America is truly a beautiful country. Much of that beauty can be attributed to its gleaming lakes, rivers, creeks, canals, bays, and the two magnificent oceans that cradle the country from its coasts.
On May 22, we celebrate National Maritime Day, which honors and recognizes the men and women of the maritime industry. The U.S. Maritime Administration is responsible for managing, promoting and protecting the country’s water-based transportation systems. The first National Maritime Day was celebrated in 1819, when the steamship Savannah set sail from its eponymous city in Georgia, on the first-ever steam-powered transoceanic voyage.
Protecting the health of the country’s water systems, however, is no small feat. With more and more use, our waterways are becoming more and more polluted. Human activities – from waterskiing and boating to fishing and swimming – disrupt the natural workings of our water systems and also threaten animal habitats and critical food sources. And it’s not just disruption at the water’s source that’s problematic; our everyday actions also have detrimental effects. Water waste from homes, businesses and other public spaces negatively impacts the environment and climate change.
We can all remember to turn off the tap when it’s not in use and taking shorter showers helps, but water use is unavoidable. In an effort to positively impact our water sources, Terrapass partnered with the Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) to offer Water Restoration Certificates, or WRCs, which restore water to critically depleted ecosystems. WRCs fund water restoration projects reviewed and approved by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
Click here to get additional information on how water restoration certificates can help balance your “water footprint” (aka the amount of water you use) and restore water to ecosystems in need. For just $2 per every 1,000 gallons, your WRC purchase will directly contribute to the restoration of recreational and ecological vitality in critical freshwater ecosystems. Click here to make your purchase.
For more information and news on renewable energy sources and how you can live a clean, green, carbon-free lifestyle, stay connected to the Terrapass Footprint Blog. And don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook for more updates!
Brought to you by terrapass.com
Sources:
https://www.marad.dot.gov/education/national-maritime-day/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_National_Maritime_Day
