DID YOU KNOW:
That although 70 percent of planet Earth is covered with water, only 1 percent of it is available for human consumption?
The average water used per person per day is 142 litres in England and Wales, 165 litres in Scotland and 145 litres in Northern Ireland. As well as the water that comes out of our taps and toilets, there is hidden water in the products we buy. For example, one cotton t-shirt has about 2,700 litres of water embedded in its production, which is around 49 baths full of water!
Population growth, rising water use and climate change will increasingly affect future water resources in the UK. If water efficiency action is not increased, the UK could be hit by water shortages by 2050.
So, while we are all correctly looking to reduce our carbon footprints and looking for alternatives for fossil fuels, there are alternatives…THERE Is no alternative to WATER!
WATER SAVING TIPS
REUSE COOKING WATER TO WATER PLANTS
When you boil your food such as pasta, vegetables, eggs, or potatoes, many of the micronutrients such as phosphorus, nitrogen, and calcium are boiled off into the water. Therefore, after you have let the water cool down, not only will you provide your plants with a nice drink, the plants also get a bit of much needed fertilizer from the nutrients within the water. There are many advantages to using cooking water to feed your plants. Not only is it cost effective and resourceful, the fertilizer it provides for your plants gives them a more stable and steady growth period. The water will help promote natural nutrient storage within the soil. This means you will not have to fertilize your plants or garden as often providing longevity for your soil. It will also help your soil retain more moisture, therefore reducing the number of times you will need to water.
HOW MUCH WATER IS WASTED IF YOU KEEP THE WATER ON WHILE BRUSHING YOUR TEETH?
According to waterwise.org ‘a running tap wastes over six litres per minute’, meaning if adults brush their teeth the NHS recommended twice a day for two minutes – they could be wasting over 24 litres of water a day – which is roughly a shower and more than is used in the average modern dishwasher cycle
HOW MUCH WATER IS USED TO FLUSH THE TOILET?
About 30% of total water used in a home is used to flush the toilet. Remember, this water is the same high-quality water that’s in our taps. Dual flush toilets have a split flush button which gives the user the choice of how much water to use. Turn away now if you are squeamish. So, is it really necessary to flush when you only wee??
