Whether we’re sipping cool water on a hot day or hopping in the shower before work, most of us take clean water for granted. The United Nations wants to change that.
March 22 is World Water Day. It’s a day to celebrate water and educate ourselves about the struggles of those who lack access to clean water. In the developing world, WorldVision Vice President Dr. Greg Allgood tells Guideposts.org that “nearly 1,600 children under the age 5 die from diarrhea caused by contaminated water, poor sanitation and improper hygiene.”
It’s not just a problem overseas. Last year, 400,000 people in Toledo, Ohio were without access to clean drinking water when their water system was contaminated with algae. And just this week, the state of California has been in the news as it enters its 4th year of drought, with record-high temperatures and record-low rainfall. Water problems impact us all and World Water Day provides a timely reminder to be more responsible with our vital resource: water
Here are 5 easy ways you can help conserve water:
1) Handwash your dishes.
Unless you’re washing a full load of dishes, don’t run the dishwasher. Instead, handwash your dishes and use a biodegradable detergent.
2) Turn off the faucet.
Don’t run water while you’re lathering up your hands or brushing your teeth. Instead, wait until you’re ready to rinse to turn the faucet on.
3) Shower instead of bathing.
Using a low-flow showerhead, take short showers instead of long baths. It’ll help protect your skin from drying out and will save much more water.
4) Only wash full loads of laundry.
Wait until you’ve got a full load of whites before washing the handful of socks in your hamper. It might be a bit of a wait, but the water you’ll save will be worth it.
5) Check for leaks.
Pay attention to how long your toilet runs after use. Small leaks can cause tens of thousands of gallons of water to be wasted a year.
