| Many people dismiss the idea that we need to | | | | water a year. That's a lot of water to save! |
| conserve water. After all, it's all around us in lakes, | | | | And guess what else? This translates into cold, hard |
| rivers, streams and the seas, in the rain and snow | | | | cash. Don't overlook simple things. |
| that falls from the sky. But consider the following | | | | 2. Use Care with Storm Drains |
| statistics: | | | | Have you ever considered that anything that gets |
| - 97% of the earth's water is salty or undrinkable | | | | washed down a storm drain goes directly to local |
| due to contamination of some sort | | | | creeks, rivers, and streams, and eventually to the |
| - 2% is locked in ice caps or glaciers | | | | ocean? Think about it, when water from your hose |
| - That only leaves 1% of the world's water that is | | | | washes over your yard or sidewalk or driveway, it is |
| available for human consumption of which only a small | | | | carrying pollution along with it. Things like fertilizer, pet |
| percentage is found above ground or in the air | | | | waste, yard and grass clippings, paints, pesticides and |
| - We need water for everything from our bodies to | | | | motor oil can all impact our waterways through storm |
| crops and animals. We depend on it for all our needs, | | | | drains. |
| personal, business, manufacturing, and community | | | | 3. Make Wise Food-Buying Choices |
| - Our water supply is threatened everyday by | | | | Did you know that irrigation of agricultural crops |
| deforestation and runoff from industry and toxic | | | | accounts for more than 70% of freshwater |
| pollution | | | | consumed worldwide. That is a huge percentage, |
| - To make the problem ever worse, Federal policies | | | | particularly in light of the fact that 1 in 5 people don't |
| have recently proposed to relax Clean Water | | | | have access to safe drinkable water. |
| standards | | | | Farmers have options. They can switch to drip |
| - According to Global Green, 1.2 billion people, or | | | | irrigation systems, which will result in a water savings |
| almost 1 in 5 people worldwide, are without access | | | | of 30 to 70% while increasing crop yields. You have |
| to safe drinking water | | | | options too. Seek out and support local and organic |
| - And, out of 191 nations in the world, 10 nations | | | | farmers through the farmers markets. Farming |
| share 65% of the world's water resources | | | | organically has a huge impact on preventing global |
| In developed countries we tend to take water so for | | | | warming because of the 28 most commonly used |
| granted that we let it run freely from the tap while | | | | pesticides, 23 are carcinogenic and end up in our |
| we brush our teeth or over-soak our yards when we | | | | water supply. |
| carelessly forget to turn off the sprinkler while many | | | | This may surprise you but another simple thing to do |
| countries across the world don't even have the basic | | | | is eat less meat. It takes up to 100 gallons (380 litres) |
| access to safe drinking water. | | | | of water to produce one quarter pound of meat. |
| It's time that we realize water is a precious resource, | | | | Yes, that burger you ate at lunch required 100 gallons |
| and its imperative that we stop wasting it. There are | | | | of water to produce. As a comparison, one ton of |
| many simple things We can do: | | | | beef needs 15,000 tons of water to produce while a |
| 1. Conserve Water at Home | | | | ton of grain needs only 1,000 tons. |
| There are also many things you can do to conserve | | | | To recap, here's some Water Conservation Action |
| water in your daily routine. In the bathroom you can | | | | Stepso Be careful about what you let wash down |
| install a low-flow toilet (which can reduce waste by | | | | storm drainso Recycle motor oil properlyo Buy |
| 20%) or place a toilet dam in your toilet. What's a | | | | non-toxic alternatives to pesticideso Dispose of pet |
| toilet dam? It can be something as simple as a half | | | | waste in the garbageo Plant native bushes and |
| brick or a bottle placed in your toilet tank to cut | | | | shrubso Water your lawn responsiblyo Install a |
| down the amount of water used with each flushing. | | | | low-flow toileto Install a toilet damo Avoid |
| For your shower, install a low-flow shower head. This | | | | unnecessary flushingo Check for toilet leakageo Install |
| can save up to 2.5 gallons (up to 9 litres) of water a | | | | a low-flow shower heado Take shorter showers; fill |
| minute! Think of taking shorter showers, some | | | | the bathtub only one-third fullo Don't leave the water |
| people even turn the water on to get themselves | | | | running when brushing teeth or shavingo Put drinking |
| wet, turn it off to lather up, then turn it on again to | | | | water in the refrigerator rather than run the tapo |
| rinse. If you have to take a bath, only fill it one-third | | | | Install an instant hot water heatero Instead of using |
| full, just remember that showering does use less | | | | the sink disposal, compost!o Only run the dishwasher |
| water than bathing. | | | | when it is fullo Buy an energy-saving front-loading |
| Don't leave the water running when brushing your | | | | washero Don't let water run down the draino Buy a |
| teeth, shaving, or washing your face. | | | | water recirculatoro Check for leaky faucetso Install |
| In the kitchen we can conserve water usage by | | | | flow restrictorso Buy from farmer's marketso Eat |
| pouring a pitcher of water, perhaps with a filtering | | | | less meat |
| system like Brita, and put it in the refrigerator if you | | | | Any and all of those activities listed in this report will |
| like your water cold, this saves you from running the | | | | help. The only thing that won't help is if you sit back |
| water to get it cold. Consider installing a instant water | | | | and do nothing. There are way too many people all |
| heater rather than running the water to get it hot. | | | | over the world who don't know or understand the |
| Don't be wasteful with water. Don't let it run down | | | | severity of the problem. Now that you do, it's up to |
| the drain. Whenever possible, reuse water. Waste | | | | you to take action. Whether you are 20 or 80 our |
| water can be used to water plants or your lawn, for | | | | future and the future of our children and |
| instance. You can install a water recirculation device, | | | | grandchildren depend on it. |
| which can save up to 16,500 gallons (62000 litres) of | | | | |