The average person in the United States and Canada uses 90 gallons of water a day. Global water demand has increased by over 600 percent in the last 100 years and the World Health Organization cautions that by 2025, half the world’s population will be living in water-stressed areas. We know water is essential for survival, but we don’t consider it one of our most threatened natural resources. In Laurie David and Heather Reisman’s new book, Imagine It!: A Handbook for a Happier Planet, they laid out a few ways to minimize water usage and more.
Watch Out for Leaks
The average household leaks nearly 10,000 gallons of water each year. Dripping taps, broken sprinklers, and trickling hoses add up. A leak that produces one drop of water a second wastes more than 3,000 gallons a year–the equivalent of 180 showers. Check your water sources–and your water bills–to make sure you’re not dropping water and money!
Beware of lead
Not only should we conserve water but we should ensure the water we are consuming is pure. Lead consumption is tied to increased blood pressure, hypertension, and decreased kidney function. Get your water tested for lead levels, consider installing water filters, do not drink hot or warm water from the tap (it increases the potential for lead to leach), and use filtered water for baby formula. (PS — picking up dog poop is another great way to ensure local water sources don’t become contaminated!)
Water your lawn more efficiently
Watering early in the morning or late at night prevents water from evaporating. Even better, consider replacing grass with less thirsty, native plants. For concrete areas that don’t need watering, try and sweep off rather than hose down. Also, adding an automatic shutoff nozzle to the end of your hose can save countless gallons of water per year!
Be an advocate
Support the Environmental Health Justice Alliance to help marginalized communities dealing with contaminated drinking water. This group works with communities hit hardest by pollution, contamination, and infrastructure neglect. You can also call your elected officials and demand they enforce water quality safeguards, hold industries accountable, and invest in replacing lead infrastructure in your community.
For more information, buy a copy of Imagine It! Here.
