8 Ways to Green Your Water
It seems as though everywhere we turn these days, the idea of being green is center stage. Companies are eager to promote their green products, friends and neighbors strive to live a green lifestyle and President Obama talks of a coming “Green Revolution” as our economy transforms itself like never before. But I’d like to discuss another color: blue.
Water, so essential to life on this planet, is our single most precious resource, and already there is not enough of it to go around. According to the latest figures, over one billion people live without access to clean drinking water, and over a half-million more (most of them children) die each year due to lack of clean water sources.
With over one billion people lacking clean water, every drip is precious. Photo: millerspecialyachts.com
Yet, even for those of us for whom access to water is merely a matter of turning on a tap, water is a critical issue. Pollution from industrial and household contaminants threatens water supplies, while shortages in parts of the U.S. has lead to rationing in many heavily populated areas. Clearly, we also need a “Blue Revolution.” Toward that end, here are eight simple steps you can take to green your water use:
1. Change Your Mindset
One of the easiest ways to start greening your water use is to rethink the water you flush, wash and drink as a finite resource. People who are now coming to that realization about fossil fuels are taking the initiative and changing their habits, and it should be the same with water. Following two easy rules will provide for cleaner, more abundant water wherever you are:
- If you aren’t using it, turn it off.
- If you don’t want to drink it, don’t put it down the drain. In most cases, the substances we pour down our drains and the water we drink are closely connected.
2. Check Out Your Water Footprint
Everyone knows about carbon footprints these days, but it can also be helpful to calculate your water footprint. Water footprints take into account the amount of water it takes to grow, process and transport products to your neighborhood, and they help provide a global perspective on water issues.
Waterfootprint.org has a calculator that can help you determine how water-intensive your lifestyle is. For example, beef is tremendously water-intensive, because of all the water used to grow the cow’s food. It takes almost 1,900 gallons of water to produce a pound of beef. Meanwhile, you can eat an apple for a mere 18 gallons.
3. Give a Hoot
What can I say? It’s a timeless classic, but Woodsy Owl only had it half right when he said not to pollute. Certainly, you don’t want to litter, especially since much of what you toss will eventually end up back in the water supply or out at sea. But you should also consider what you throw away, since toxins have a tendency to leach out of landfills and pollute groundwater sources. Make sure nothing dangerous or toxic ends up in your next glass of water by properly disposing of and recycling your trash.
4. Go With the Low-Flow
There are many ways to reduce water waste in the bathroom. Some are simple, like turning off the water when you brush and shave, taking shorter showers and flushing judiciously. You might also consider installing a low-flow showerhead, an aerator on your sink, and, if you’re gearing up to remodel, a low-flow toilet. Together they can reduce your household water use by up to 50 percent, which will save you money as well.
Opt for a reusable bottle when you're on the go. Try an aluminum or stainless steel bottle, such as Sigg. Photo: Flickr/freeformkatia
5. Watch Out for that Bottle
There is more water in that bottle than just the liquid living inside it. In fact, it takes more water to make the plastic bottle than the bottle itself provides.
Even though these water sources are pretty much the same as what comes from your tap, they charge up to 1,900 times the price of tap water – bad news for wallet, health and environment alike.
Be sure to purchase a reusable bottle that you can take with you on-the-go. Nalgene now makes BPA-free plastic bottles, but Sigg and Kleen Kanteen make bottles from aluminum and stainless steel, which are better than plastic from a recycling and resource standpoint.
6. Wash With Care
Another area in the house where water gets wasted is in the kitchen. For example, don’t leave the sink running while you wash dishes. Fill one side with soapy water for washing and use the other for rinsing. Only run dishwashers when they are full, and use a sponge to clean food off your plates, not a stream of water from the tap.
7. Green Thumb, Blue Thumb
Lawn care is both a big consumer and polluter of water. If you are into gardening and landscaping, try to grow vegetation that is suited for your climate and won’t require tons of extra watering. Some grasses are more drought-resistant than others, so look into seeding your lawn with a heartier alternative. Nitrogen and phosphorous runoff from home lawn fertilizers can end up tainting local water supplies as well.
Creating compost is a great alternative to store bought fertilizers, and it will help reduce the amount of garbage you send to the landfill.
8. An (Auto)Motive for Improvement
Consider that one gallon of motor oil can contaminate a million gallons of water. Now think of the tens of millions of cars on the road right now. Even if you aren’t a do-it-yourselfer, it’s worth getting your oil changed regularly and making sure that you aren’t leaking in between services.
If you change your own oil, be sure to take your old oil and filter to a service station where it can be recycled. You can also save water by not leaving the hose running when you wash your car.
One of the many things that connect us as humans is our need for water. If we work together to preserve and expand this finite and precious resource, we will guarantee ourselves a healthier, wealthier and tastier water future.
- CDC(02/24/2009). "Global WASH Statistics" Centers for Disease Control and Prevention http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/global/wash_statistics.html.
- Indiana Department of Environmental Management "When Cars Leak Fluids, Our Water is Affected" http://www.in.gov/idem/4529.htm.
- Water Footprint Network(02/24/2009). Water Footprint http://www.waterfootprint.org/?page=files/home.
- Naidenko, Olga Olga Naidenko, Nneka Leiba, Renee Sharp, Jane Houlihan. EnHoulihanvironmental Working Group(02/24/2009). "Bottled Water Quality Investigation: 10 Major Brands, 38 Pollutants" EWG Research http://www.ewg.org/reports/bottledwater.
Arizona Landscaping
posted on March 2nd, 2009 at 5:02 pm
In Arizona landscaping, we incorporate the use of Xeriscapes – they save a ton of water and can survive even the worst desert conditions!
chris
posted on March 3rd, 2009 at 4:55 pm
Your Earth
Your Water
Your Responsibility
www.greatlakescleanwater.org
posted on March 3rd, 2009 at 5:13 pm
Don’t Flush drugs down the drain-Help organize collection and disposal of unused/unwantd drugs
Donna
posted on March 7th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
I read an article that stated that it takes a lot of energy and water to produce steel, so perhaps stainless steel isn’t the best environmental choice for permanent water bottles.
jordan
posted on March 11th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
In my opinion, “going green” is the new thing. It is highly important to reuse, recyle, and conserve our Earth’s resources, whether they can be replaced or not. So everyone should do their own little part in the movement, even if it is just something as simple as turning the water off while you brush your teeth. Every little part helps. Remember, GREEN IS THE NEW PINK.
GreenvsGreedy
posted on March 12th, 2009 at 2:51 am
Recently, I helped my son pick a green article for current events project in his 3rd grade class. We choose to focus on bottled water. During this process, I started thinking about my own lifestyle, choices and what steps I could take to live a more eco-friendly existence.
This new sense of awareness led me to start a blog a couple of weeks ago. The goal is to share some simple tips to help busy people live greener. I am learning a lot and trying to make some changes.
GreenvsGreedy
posted on March 12th, 2009 at 3:08 am
Recently, I helped my son pick a green article for current events project in his 3rd grade class. We choose to focus on bottled water. During this process, I started thinking about my own lifestyle, choices and what steps I could take to live a more eco-friendly existence.
This new sense of awareness led me to start a blog a couple of weeks ago. The goal is to share some simple tips to help busy people live greener. I am learning a lot and trying to make some changes.
http//greenvsgreedy.blogspot.com/
Becky
posted on May 7th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
I recently received a tip about unclogging drains without using draino or other harsh chemicals. Pour about 1/4 cup of baking soda down the drain, then pour vinegar afterwards. This combination fizzes while it cleans and unclogs your drain without adverse affects on the water and the earth.
I am totally a green queen. I love challenging myself to be as green as possible.
Tuntufye Singogo
posted on June 30th, 2009 at 1:43 am
i’ve just noted that Malawi, where i come from has all the potential to go green and be much much better than where we are today …but the biggest problem we have currently is on what our mindset is like …we turn to place too much value on manufactured products that can pollute our enviroment just coz they are the thingz that are mostly used by ppo with status in here. i’ve thus liked the fact #1 that sayz first change your mindset…if i can be given more education on how to go green, it can help me change a few lives and bring some change to our enviroment as well.
Kathleen
posted on July 22nd, 2009 at 3:58 pm
before I take a shower I use a bucket to catch the cold water and then use that water for my
plants.
Peter V
posted on August 26th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
want to make a big difference? be sure to educate yourselves on the breakthrough regarding enzyme based household cleaning products that do not contaminate our drinking water. Read about these products at http:www.wowgreen.net/greenfam
lynne
posted on September 26th, 2009 at 10:30 pm
Good idea Kathleen. I’m always looking for more ways to be green. Oh, and Steve Uydess is hot. : )
Arizona Landscape Design Guy
posted on October 30th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
A lot of people in the north eastern part of the US have taken to storing water in rain barrels or at the very least, 55 gallon drums and using that water for watering flowers and irrigation. You do whatever you can to help conserve our precious resources.
hemorrhoid treament
posted on November 12th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
I think this is a very good article and very educating about water. I think that there are a lot of great tips in here for trying to save money and water. We should all consider trying to do this as much as possible.