Every day mankind wastes about 10 billion tons of water. According to the UN, by 2030, five billion people, that is two-thirds of the world’s population, may be left without drinking water. The more we pollute water, the more we have to purify it. And of all the water reserves of the earth, less than one percent is fit for consumption. Due to population growth one day there will be a point when treatment plants simply won’t have enough water for everyone. Consequently, the price of water will increase. Furthermore, about 30% of water is lost on the way from the source to the end consumer.
Scientists all over the world are trying to find an answer to the question of how to use water wisely and minimize its leakage and irrational consumption. According to the most common view, the only way is to refuse centralized supply. Such projects are already underway in Spain, Brazil, China, and other countries. According to some estimates, this would cut consumption by half.
Countries that have access to the sea or the ocean are launching projects to desalinate salt water. The Gulf states are especially active in this direction. Not everyone agrees with this approach: there are concerns that mass desalination may upset the balance of ecosystems.
One gets the feeling that real change can only be achieved through large-scale and expensive projects. This is not true; everyone can make a contribution to the fate of the planet.
1. Turn off the Water When You Wash Your Hands and Brush Your Teeth
This saves about 4 liters of water per day. In one minute, 10 liters of water flows through the faucet, and in 3 minutes, 30 liters of water can be used.
2. Water Your Houseplants With Water Left Over From Washing Fruit and Vegetables
This will help to reduce your water consumption – even if just a little. Especially if you have lots of plants in your house.
3. Only Run the Washer-dryer With a Full Load
We spend about 100 liters of water for one machine wash, so it’s wise to load the drum fully. In addition, you can carefully study the washing machine manual, find out which modes spend the most water and choose less costly options.
4. Install a Toilet Cistern With Two Flush Buttons
Toilets with one button flush about 10 liters of water down the drain. A two-button flush will help you use the water more efficiently.
5. Recycle Your Recyclables
Recycling can significantly reduce the use of resources. For example, recycling one ton of paper can save about 26,000 liters of water.
6. Turn off the Water in the Shower While You Soap up
Approximately 20 liters of water are used per minute in the shower. Reducing the washing time from ten minutes to five minutes, or turning off the water during soaping, can easily save 100 liters!
7. Use Rainwater in the Countryside
If you live in a suburban home, install a rainwater barrel in your yard to collect rainwater. This solution can save up to 5,000 liters of water per year.
8. Defrost Food in the Fridge
We often defrost our food under running hot water. Not only is this not environmentally friendly, but it also causes a loss of vitamins and minerals.
9. Check Your Plumbing
If a faulty faucet drops a drop per second, you can get almost a liter of water in an hour. That’s 22 liters a day, 660 a month, and 8,000 a year. Therefore, even the smallest leaks and malfunctions must be repaired.
