Guess what’s the biggest natural gift to us bestowed by nature that we cannot live without? Water, right? But what if there was no more water left? Imagine a future where the fresh water resources have depleted to such an extent that people have to pay heavy amounts to get fresh water. What if water becomes rather a luxury? A society where the basic need for life is a luxury, is a frightening thought
The water crisis of the world is growing horribly faster than we care to imagine. Owing to the climate change, caused by us, floods are becoming more like a norm. Experts are warning the publics that the human family and life in all its forms on Earth are in the throes of a water crisis. As says the World Economic Forum’s 2017 Global Risks Report, water availability in cities will decline by two thirds by 2050.
A Research, published in the journal Science Advances, shows that four billion people worldwide, which makes it more than half the global population, suffer water scarcity at least one month a year. This might not include your city but as scientists say, the water crisis will soon overwhelm the whole planet whether it is Australia, U.S or India.
Now the real question is what can we do to stop this fast-growing crisis? Well, March 22nd is World Water Day. As the day approaches, let us all try to instill water saving habits in us so we can help save the planet drop by drop.
Applying these following tips in our daily life can bring a big change in just one-year.
- Turn Off Tap While Brushing/Shaving
This is probably the most common advice given when it comes to saving water. Make it a habit to turn off the tap when you don’t need to use water while brushing your teeth or shaving. This saves on the precious clean water that is otherwise usually wasted down the drain and is mixed with the dirty sewer water.
- Fix Leaks
Hidden leaks in pipes and faucets might not look like anything serious but, when left leaking, waste more water than you think. A leaking faucet can waste up to 11,000 Liters of water in a year. One way to check for leaks is to add some food color to the flush tank and then look for that colored water dripping.
- Take Shorter Showers
Showering once daily is a good habit. Showering once daily for an hour is a bad habit. Time tends to fly by when taking a comforting hot shower. Try to limit your showers to a minute and a half at most. This is ample time to wash oneself properly and not waste unnecessary water.
- Wash A Full Load Of Laundry
When you decide to do your laundry, make sure that the machine is filled to its proper capacity. Don’t just throw in a few clothes and start, this will waste a lot of water that could be used to wash more clothes in one go. Don’t put in more clothes than your machine can handle but just enough that it can do its job while saving water.
- Get A Water Meter
Installing a water meter on your main water pipeline will help you check how much water you’ve exactly used in a month. This will make you more conscious of the amount of water you use monthly and you’ll be more efficient while using water in your everyday activities.
- Use A Watering Can For Gardening
Using a garden hose for watering your plants might look more fun but is a wasteful way of watering. Instead use a watering can. Yes, filling up a water can again and again is a little demanding but this saves on so much water that is otherwise not required by the plant. That water just stays there above the soil and evaporates.
- Water Timely
Watering your plants during the day is probably the worst possible time. This is because the sun is at its maximum power and the most of the water will evaporate before the plant gets a chance to suck it in. Try watering the plants in the morning after sunrise. This way the plant can use the water and the sunlight but the heat isn’t too much.
- Use A Bucket To Wash Your Car
Just like gardening, using a hose to wash your car is very wasteful. While you scrub on the body, the hose is just running and wasting water. Rather use a bucket of water. This way you only use the amount of water you actually need whenever you need it.
- Cover Your Pool