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The world is on the brink of a global water crisis! Mounting pressures on the world's supply of fresh water is threatening access to acceptable levels of healthy drinking water. The universal decline in water resources is due to the multiple factors of global warming, increased personal consumption (caused by an exploding population), burgeoning industrial requirements, widespread pollution and the loss of the vast majority of freshwater supplies that are siphoned off for irrigation. These factors have caused such a burden on the world's water reserves that the UN has forecasted by the year 2025, two-thirds of the world's population will have inadequate access to fresh water. The Colours of the Nile Expedition intends to generate awareness of the issues that surround this very serious problem. We ALL need access to clean uncontaminated water. When we are healthy, our bodies are made up of 70% water. We can begin to feel thirsty after losing just 1% of our bodily fluids and can face death if the deprivation nears 10%, something that can happen in 2-3 days without proper re-hydration. Nowhere is the water shortage more apparent than in the region of the River Nile - historically an area of fertile banks and access to an ample water supply. The region, now facing a severe water crisis and threatened conflict as a result. The Nile Basin is confronted with the following challenges around its continued supply of fresh water:
The awareness generated by the Colours of the Nile expedition will draw attention to an impending global water crisis and illustrate the extreme pressures already being felt in the Nile Basin. A heightened awareness of these issues will encourage informed decisions from policy makers and personal water users alike, to ensure we maximise the potential of the world's precious freshwater supply. Why is it important to draw awareness to these issues by travelling down the Nile? The same issues that are responsible for the worsening global water crisis are also factors that symbolize the decreasing likelihood of an unbroken paddle from the source of the Blue Nile to the sea. Time is not on our side. Circumstances such as the declining river levels that cause difficult navigation, lack of potable water due to pollution, obstructions caused by damming, and regional hostilities (in some cases caused by conflict over the control of water resources), are all factors that threaten the future success of such a journey. A momentous expedition such as the first unbroken paddle from the source of the Blue Nile to the sea, faced with extreme danger and blessed with colourful scenery, cultures, history and architecture, will provide a captivating and engaging backdrop for the delivery of these messages. Our intention is to capture the magic and splendor of the region on film with a view to highlighting the local water crisis. The crisis of the Nile is simply a precursor to the larger issues that will confront us globally in the years to come. What can YOU do to help? If you are involved with a corporate organization that is interested in demonstrating corporate social responsibility by contributing to this high profile expedition or to become a friend of the expedition yourself, please visit the sponsors section of this website. On a smaller scale, you can help build awareness of the issues by sending a friendly email to your friends and letting them know about the NileTrip.com website and our small step towards building awareness of the water crisis that is currently most critical in this region of the world. You can also demonstrate your support by posting a banner linking to NileTrip.com on your web site. Click here for more information. Thank you for taking the time to visit our website and read about our expedition. We hope that the next time you turn on your tap you will consider how lucky you are to have unlimited access to clean uncontaminated water. Take a moment to ask yourself how you can help preserve the earth's limited water supply. So many lives rely on your understanding and cooperation.
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