The Color of Water
It's time to reveal dirty water’s true colors.
Today marks World Water Day, a very important day for our new Unsplash for Good partner, charity: water whose goal is simple: bring clean and safe drinking water to every person on the planet. In order to do that, we need to wake people up to the fact that 771 million people in the world still do not have access to clean water.
“Since charity: water was founded in 2006, we’ve been chasing one ambitious goal: ending the global water crisis. And while the water crisis is huge, we’re optimistic. We know how to solve the problem, and we make progress every day thanks to the help of local partners and generous supporters. If we work together, we believe everyone will have access to life’s most basic need within our lifetime.”
— charity: water
This year, they’ve put together an awareness campaign called The Color of Dirty Water to help paint a picture of the real color of water that too many people around the world drink today. There is water in countries where they work that is milky gray, mustard yellow, and forest green. Colors that look beautiful on a Pantone tile or accent wall but are unbelievably shocking when poured into a glass.
That’s where you come in.
Our plan: Rally the support of the Unsplash community to reveal dirty water’s true colors and bring awareness to the world water crisis through a new topic, Color of Water.
Color of Water
Inspired by trips to communities around the world, charity: water has identified five different shades of water. Appropriately kicking off on World Water Day (March 22) and ending on Earth Day (April 22); submit your most striking BROWN, GREEN, RED, GRAY and YELLOW images to match the colors of dirty water.
The subject matter can be anything (it doesn’t have to be a liquid) and our goal is to highlight that although your coffee, cat, or even car may be that color, water shouldn’t be.
Unsplash and charity: water will be highlighting their favorite 3 photographs for each color as campaign imagery on the charity: water website and on our social channels in the month to come.
To take this impact even further, we are partnering with our friends at Boxed Water, who are going to donate $1 per approved submission (up to $2500) to charity: water. This donation will go towards funding a water project in helping a community get access to clean water.
The 5 colors of water & where they’re found
Green
About a third of the world's poor live in India, battling blatant gender and class inequalities to climb out of poverty. Safe drinking water and improved sanitation can give these families a chance for healthier, happier lives.
Red
While Madagascar’s rich biodiversity draws environmental and conservation attention, the people who live there are often overlooked. Basic access to clean drinking water sits at just 54% throughout the country and drops to 36% in rural areas. Sanitation and hygiene access is no better. Coupled with regular floods, droughts, and cyclones, basic health and safety can be hard to come by.
Yellow
As the largest country in West Africa, Niger has over three billion cubic meters of drinkable water available underground. The problem is, few can afford to build systems to bring it to the surface.
Around half of Niger’s population lives below the poverty line. Between the desert landscape and shortage of clean water, farming—and life—are difficult throughout the country. These are some of the reasons Niger consistently ranks near the bottom of the U.N. Human Development Index.
Brown
Cambodia has plenty of available groundwater; the problem is that not much of it is safe enough to drink. Many ponds or open wells are contaminated with industrial runoff, human waste, or contaminants like arsenic and E. coli bacteria.
Gray
Northern Uganda is still rebounding after two decades of civil war. More than 1.6 million people were internally displaced (80% were women and children) and many remain far from home today.
But clean water projects can improve health, shorten the time spent walking for water, and even help define and rebuild communities returning to or looking for a home after years of displacement.
Submit to the Color of Water Topic
Go ahead — submit your most striking YELLOW, RED, BROWN, GREEN, or GRAY images (of any subject matter) directly to the topic for a chance to be featured. Submissions are open now until April 22, 2022.
- Head over to the Color of Water Topic on Unsplash
- Hit the “Submit to Color of Water Topic” button
- Submit any photos you’ve shot that meet our Submission Guidelines.
- The top images from each color will be featured online and across both Unsplash and charity: water social channels.
- Terms & Conditions apply.
↪Submit to the Color Water Topic
Help us make an impact
Help us spread the message by showing your support on social. Download png templates here to use alongside your (or anyone’s) Unsplash image.
Use the caption:
“[Your item] might be [this color]. But water shouldn’t be.
In honor of #WorldWaterDay, @charitywater is revealing dirty water’s true colors. Learn more and get everything you need to help spread the word at charitywater.org/dirtywater.”.
Examples:
- Beer might be this color, but water shouldn't be.
- Succulents might be this color, but water shouldn't be.
- Coffee might be this color, but water shouldn't be.
If you want to join Boxed Water in financially supporting the cause, you can donate directly to charity: water at charitywater.org.
How does Unsplash for Good work?
Unsplash for Good supports charities and organizations by building awareness on global issues through visual content. Focusing on causes such as environmental concerns and social injustices, let’s create a global impact by using Unsplash for Good.
Do you want to get involved with Unsplash for Good? Reach out: we’d love to make magic happen — partnerships@unsplash.com