Our source of water is limited. However, the world’s demand for it increases year by year. And If we keep at it, two-thirds of the global population will experience water scarcity by 2025.
It’s high time that we reduce our water footprint. How? Keep reading.
Turn the tap off
One way you can conserve water is by turning the tap off when not in use. Sounds simple, right? Unfortunately, many people fail to do this.
A perfect example would be hand washing. Those quick seconds of hand washing may seem harmless. However, many people let the water run as they lather and scrub with soap.
Add up the number of people who do this, and that’s a lot of water wasted from just hand washing! The same applies to other activities such as brushing your teeth, washing the dishes, and taking a bath.
If you have this bad habit, then it’s time to be more mindful of how you use the tap.
A great way to remind yourself of this is by writing a note on a paper. Then, stick the note where you’ll see it every time you wash your hands. It’s a simple trick, but it will go a long way!
Reuse clean water
Plenty of clean water goes to waste. And It’s not just water that comes from the tap. It’s the water you use to rinse clean things.
For instance, you don’t have to throw away water you rinsed your laundry with. Reuse it for your next batch of laundry instead.
And don’t throw away the water you used to rinse your dishes from all that soap. Use that to rinse your next batch of dishes before you start scrubbing with soap. You can use it for your laundry, too!
Be reminded of this tip with an empty water container. Place it by your side while you do your chores. That’s where all the reusable water should go, instead of letting it all go down the drain.
Fix anything that leaks
Another major water waster is anything that leaks. It could be your toilet, shower, faucet, or pipes. In fact, fixing leaks can save about 1 trillion gallons of water yearly!
So, if anything in your household is leaky, get it fixed immediately. Spending on repairs is nothing compared to how much these leaks will cost you and the planet in the long run.
If you don’t notice any leaks, then great! But make sure to do regular inspections from time to time. Also, keep an eye out for puddles or anything that drips.
A great tip you can do is by checking the water meter. Make sure no one is using water and that all taps are turned off. If the meter continues to move, you have a leaky pipe somewhere.
Fixing anything that leaks not only reduces your water footprint, but it also helps you save on bills.
Go for water-saving technologies
As much as you try to conserve water, your tools at home make you consume more. These can be your washing machine, shower head, sink faucet, and more.
For instance, a normal washing machine needs 41 gallons of water per load. However, a washing machine that is highly efficient only needs less 28 gallons of water. If you do the math, that saves about 6,000 gallons of water yearly per household.
The same goes for sink faucets. A standard faucet’s water flow is 2.2 gallons per minute. An efficient faucet’s flow consumes about 1.5 gallons of water per minute. That saves 30 percent of water, and you won’t even notice the difference!
However, it’s not necessary to purchase efficient household tools right away. You can still use what you have. Just be mindful of how you use water as you use these items.
Once your tools need replacing, then can you consider going for more efficient ones.
Buy products that consume less water
Reducing water footprint goes beyond our direct usage of water. It also applies to our indirect usage of it. In other words, we still consume water even if we don’t actually see it!
Some examples are your daily items like clothes and toiletries. Water is a very important tool in producing these items. And you’d be surprised how much water is consumed.
For instance, producing one cotton shirt consumes 2,700 liters of water. That’s enough water to keep a person hydrated for almost two and a half years!
The same goes for toiletries. Producing items like tissue paper consumes 140 liters of water per roll. And that’s enough water to wash 2 loads of laundry!
To reduce your water footprint, choose items that need less water to produce. The next time you buy a cotton shirt, go for organic cotton instead of the usual. Or, use reusable tissue like LastTissue by LastObject zero waste shop instead of disposable ones.
If you want to help save the planet, start reducing your water footprint today!