This week for That Little Bit Greener we were
asked to look at water and water conservation.
Here
are a few interesting facts about Water ;
Over 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered
with water.
The overall amount of water on our planet
has remained the same for two billion years.
If all the world's water were to fit into a gallon
jug, the fresh water available for us to use would equal only about one
tablespoon.
A quarter of the world's population is
without safe drinking water and every 15 seconds, a child dies from a
water-related disease.
We think of the UK as being a ‘rainy’
country but according to the water saving week website … our rainfall is no
longer guaranteed here and in the south of England the water available per head
is already less than in Syria and the Sudan. This does seem incredible, especially
as we have suffered a lot of floods in this region, but it seems to be
suggesting that it is due to high population and heavy water usage.
We are so very fortunate in the UK that we
have access to safe, clean drinking water.
The water that is pumped into our homes has been treated and cleaned. It
requires a great deal of energy to treat our water and to pump it via a series
of underground pipes into our homes. The
more water we use then the more energy is needed thus contributing to our high energy usage.
The water we drink, wash with and which
flushes the toilet is all treated clean water. So much of this is wasted. If we consider this
then I think it helps us to be more aware and to adopt a more responsible attitude. we can also help save water by doing the following ...
*Only
flushing the toilet when needed and fitting a hippo water saving device in the cistern.
*Turning off the tap whilst brushing our teeth.
*Only using the washing machine on a full load, and purchasing energy ‘A’
rated efficient washing machines and dishwashers when you need to replace
yours.
* only filling the kettle for the amount of water we need.
* taking showers: Showers are known to use a third less water
than baths, though only if they are very short (5 mins) and are not from a 'power
shower' which can use as much as a deep bath. If you do enjoy taking a bath , it is best to keep it shallow and share it. (which can also be fun!)
* avoiding using mains water to
water your plants by installing a couple of water butts in the garden to collect rainwater andto water early in the day or late in the evening.
* researching grey water options to add within your home.
There are many other ways to use less water and in
June 2010 a Water Saving week is being launched in the UK to raise awareness of water
issues and to encourage us all to save water. The website has many tips and ideas for how we can make a difference to secure that our water
supplies are looked after for future generations and to encourage us to only
take only what we need and become more responsible and water wise.
Access to clean water is still not available for many people in the world and I have been reading about the amazing work carried out by water.org and Wateraid to help provide safe water and sanitation in some of the world's poorest countries.
When you think about how some communities
have to walk miles to collect water from wells which are often polluted and how easy it for us to turn on the tap and get clean water… it really does start to make
us think a little more about how lucky we are… and to be aware that water is a
gift and as such we need to look after it for our future generations..
other 'That Little Bit Greener' posts about Water can be viewed here... and here .. and here.
