Reducing Our Water Footprint
1.7 trillion gallons of water are wasted every year.
From leaky faucets to long showers, many of us take advantage of our water supply without thinking about the consequences and negative impact that it is leaving on our planet. Our Water Footprint is defined as the extent of our water use in relation to our consumption of goods and services.
Find your water footprint here!
Our Water Consumption:
Our water consumption comes from many different sources such as :
– water in our food: water makes up about 1/2 of our water consumption thanks to the amount of water that is needed to make our food.
– water used in and around our house/living spaces: appliances such as fridges, washing machines, sinks, toilets, showers, dishwashers, and more all contribute to our water consumption
– water used outdoors: sprinklers used to water our gardens and hoses used to wash our cars also contribute to our water footprint
– water used in things that we buy: believe it or not, water is also used to make material things such as clothes, shoes, and even cars! Our use of everyday things also contribute a significant amount to our water consumption, especially when we buy things to throw them away after a few uses.
– water to make energy: it also takes a large amount of water to create energy such as electricity and fuel, forms of energy that we use in our everyday lives.
How can we work to lower our water consumption:
There are many things that we can do to lower our water consumption and thus reduce our water footprint on our planet. Many of these actions can be easily taken in our everyday lives and it only takes a few small changes to make a big impact
– educate ourselves: The first and foremost thing to do is to educate ourselves on the general concept of water conservation. Then we can reflect on our own personal water footprint and decide what steps to take to reduce it
– Eating local: a large amount of water is used to not only make our foods, but to transport them as well. To lower our water footprint, we can change our diet to eating foods that are produced locally, rather than those being mass produced. We can also ensure that we are only buying things that we need so that we can lower the amount of food that we waste.
– Using less water in and out of the house: Taking shorter showers, using the dishwasher less frequently, and relying on the rain instead of using sprinklers are all actions that we can take in and out and around our house to ensure that we are lowering our water consumption in our own home. Not only will we be conservation water, but we will also be conserving money as the water bill will also go down!
– Changing our buying habits: Instead of going to the mall to buy brand new clothes, try thrifting instead! And if thrift stores aren’t available to you, there are many platforms such as Depop and Poshmark where you can buy second hand clothes to give them a second chance at life, while conserving water!