Conserving water may seem unimportant when we have so many other worries to consider. With the current economic crisis affecting our everyday lives why should we bother imposing more restrictions on ourselves when we perhaps don’t immediately see the benefits? It can be all too easy to sweep this seemingly insignificant issue under the carpet but we may feel differently in a few decades when we don’t have access to clean drinking water or are unable to fertilise our crops.
The fact remains that we are using more water than is dispersed, which, plainly put, is something we should ignore at our peril. Clean water may seem plentiful now but when the crisis fully hits, every part of the globe will be affected, developed nations included. By implementing a few simple changes to your lifestyle now you can ensure you won’t be furthering the problem and instead become part of the solution.
1. Turn the tap off when brushing your teeth. I bet most of us fail to do this on a twice daily basis and yet it is one of the most simple changes we can make. When you consider how long you brush your teeth for (two to three minutes is the recommendation) that is a whole lotta wasted water going straight down the drain so…..turn the tap off!
2. Take shorter showers. Again, we are all offenders when it comes to long, leisurely showers but in reality five minutes is sufficient to get ourselves clean as a whistle. Think five and then towel down.
3. Use a water filter jug. Normally when we want a glass of cold water we let the tap run for a few minutes but with a water filter jug you can save on this colossal waste of water by refilling it throughout the day and keeping it cool in the fridge. Brita have some really pretty ones available at the moment too, which are a perfect way to brighten up your kitchen as well as protecting the precious blue stuff. You can also forgo bottled water by using the jug to refill your flask!
4. Only wash full loads. Whether it’s the dishwasher or the washing machine, wait until you have a full load before pressing the on button. While you’re at it, try re-using the same glass or mug throughout the day, you’ll be amazed how many fewer dirty dishes you have to deal with.
5. Eat less meat. It takes an incredible amount of water to rear livestock. By reducing your meat intake you are not only improving your health and curbing your carbon footprint, you are also directly contributing to the global conservation of water. Plus, veggie meals taste so good!
6. Don’t leave water running when rinsing dishes. We all do it, but by leaving the water running to rinse dishes wastes a massive amount of water. Turning it off in between can have a hugely positive impact.
7. Don’t flush unnecessarily. Sometimes we treat the loo like another type of bin, whether it’s to throw away odd bits of tissue, cotton pads, buds or sanitary products – toss it in, flush it away and forget about it. This is damaging to our water supply on many levels so the message is….think before you flush!
8. Wash your fruit and vegetables in a bowl of water. Okay, it may be handier to use a colander under a running tap but just consider how much fresh, clean water gets used this way. Better to fill a large bowl or sink and wash the fruit & veg in the same water. I bet you won’t even notice the difference but the planet will reap the rewards. Go you!
