5 Ways to Reduce Daily Water Waste
You may have noticed, but this week was World Water Day 2022. With sustainability at the heart of our mission statement, along with a continued effort to end single-use plastic, we're making it "World Water Week".
We want to promote water and its health benefit, as well as highlighting issues and disparities. As so many of you will know, it's a limited resource, and in some places it's available freely and safely, but many places globally still have huge water scarcities. As well as concerns around its availability to be safely consumed.
This is very much a work in progress. But a big part of helping the planet is spreading the word about quick and easy ways to save water in your daily rituals. And if nothing else, it's always helpful to pass on suggestions, as the cost of... well, everything, seems to be on the rise.
So, here's just a handful of ways you can be good to the planet and your wallet, by saving on water:
1: Take shorter showers
Sometimes easier said than done, especially if you're still half-asleep during your Monday morning soak. And the jury is out on baths, with some saying it's much more excessive in water use, others recommending it over a shower. What we do know is your daily shower can use between 6 and 45 litres of water a minute. Some recommend an aerated shower head or installing a regulator to time them. However you do it, singing a shorter song during your wash can be a quick and easy start.
2: Make the most of your machines
Dishwashers and washing machines are getting greener, with many manufacturers looking at ways to appeal to an increasingly eco-conscious market. But the biggest problem is routine spins. So, when you're putting a wash on, the first priority is to use full washes. As many dishes, glasses and cups, as many pants, socks and t-shirts as you can, without things getting too overcrowded. Just to minimise the in-between washes.
3: Turn off the tap when you brush your teeth
Who knows, this may already be a running debate in your house. It's a common habit, however you prep for brushing your pegs, a lot of us leave the tap running while we're doing it. But cutting this habit out can save you around 6 litres of water a minute. Simple as that.
4: Reduce food waste
What's food got to do with water? More than you might think. Of the 7 million tonnes of food and drink thrown out in the U.K every year, more than half could be saved. Water is crucial in producing every day foods like fruit, cereals, meat and all sorts of others. If nothing else, it's estimated that you can save around £540 a year by not throwing out food before it's ready to be binned.
5: Fix a leaking tap
It's not just the incessant "drip, drip, drip" that could make this a beneficial quick-fix. A leaky tap can waste 15 litres of water a day, or 5,500 litres every year.
There's plenty of other ways to stop waste, or 'grey' water. You may know another five yourself. But as so much of World Water Day is about highlighting the deficit in available water across the world, we want every drop to count.
