Don’t get drowned by water waste (Sustainability article)

Don't get drowned by water waste

By Karen Digby, member of St. Francis Sustainability Team for the FORUM on February 24, 2013, Page 16 at:   http://www.stfrancisa2.com/sites/all/files/users/user28/130224.pdf

Water.  We rely on it every day, from bathing, to washing things, cooking, to drinking.  According to Sustainable Water, LLC, people in the USA utilize over four hundred gallons of water daily.  In fact, they further state that our water usage has exceeded from 127% over the past fifty years!  And, although it seems as though we have enough water all around us, reality is that only 2.5% of it is potable. However, much of this water is frozen in polar ice and glaciers, making only 1% that amount that can really be consumed.  This is a crucial factor given the reports over the last several years of drought, leading to famine, stealing food out of the mouths of people worldwide and driving up food prices.  For these reasons, water conservation is key.  There are many things that we can do at home and in our communities to begin saving water and even recycling what we use.  Here are just a few tips…
·         when using the washing machine, ensure a full load and wash on the cold cycle (washing and rinsing with cold water uses about 0.3kWh /load which at about $0.15 per kWh equals $0.05  cost of water each load vs. $0.68 using hot wash/warm rinse water at 4.5kWhs)
·         change out shower heads to the "low flow" style- this can save approximately 45 gallons of water per household per day (toilets and faucets can be converted to "low-flow" too)
·         fix a leaky faucet by replacing old washers and this can save up to twenty gallons of water daily
·         turn off the water when not using it directly to brush your teeth, shave, or wash your hands or face
·         use mulch around your trees and plants to soak up water and keep the soil around your them moister for longer
·         place a water cistern or barrel on your home's downspout to capture rain water which can then be used to water your yard (can be purchased at Walmart ready made or a DIY kit there sells for about $26 [called DIY Rain barrel diverter & parts kit])
·         re-use water in a vase of old flowers, left over bottled water, bath water, or even fish bowl water (when cleaning it out), to water your plants or garden
http://www.o-sw.com/solutions/commercial-solutions
http://www.benefits-of-recycling.com/importanceofconservationofwater/
http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/The-Simple-Dollar/2012/0119/Here-s-exactly-how-much-you-ll-save-doing-laundry-in-cold-water
http://www.treehugger.com/htgg/how-to-go-green-water.html