We all know that “April showers bring May flowers,” but have you ever considered how scarce the fresh water from those “showers” actually is?
97% of all of the water that covers the Earth is salt water. That means only 3% of all the water on Earth is fresh water, and 2% of that fresh water is frozen in the form of glaciers, making only 1% (or less) of fresh water available for our everyday activities? ONE PERCENT!
With such a small amount of water available for us to use, we need to be wiser about how we use it. In honor of Earth Day, here are some things that you can do to help lessen your water footprint:
Just getting started?
- Take shorter showers (and choose showers over a bath).
- Turn off the faucet when you brush your teeth or wash your hands.
- Re-use water! Take water you boiled pasta in and cool it down before using it to water plants.
- Fix your leaks.
- Go to the car wash- many car washes use reclaimed water.
- Water your plants/lawn early in the morning instead of mid-day — less evaporation!
Ready to take it to the next level?
- Eat less meat (chocolate too, but I’d never ask you to do that!)
- Install low flow toilets, faucets, and shower heads.
- Adapt your lawn to more Florida native, sun worshipping species instead of water-hungry grass.
- Use those dishwashers — and fill them up! They often use less water than washing by hand. Better yet, upgrade your appliances to more water-efficient ones!
- Track your water usage and stop leaks with apps that give you feedback in real time, like Buoy, “a smart home for your water”.
Want to know what your water footprint is? Check out: https://www.watercalculator.org/wfc2
