Water Conservation

Water Conservation

Drinking water that is fresh and clean is something we take for granted. We may not think carefully about what it takes, but from the place of origin of a stream or river to tap water, a lot happens to make that water fit to drink and use it in different ways at home. Our water may come from Mother Nature, but it’s far from having its original purity. Because water is considered a precious resource, we need to find ways to cut back and prevent waste. My effort in using water efficiently over a period of one week at home contributed to reducing water by 328 gallons. My estimate in different ways of water usage in my home included showering, flushing toilet, washing hands/face, brushing teeth, washing dishes and washing clothes.

Reducing water by 328 gallons in the course of one week does not seem much if you consider each person uses about 80-100 gallons of water per day, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It’s probably not much of a surprise to learn that the largest use of household water usage is to flush the toilet, to take shower and/or bath, and to use kitchen and bathroom faucet. For better water conservation, we are starting to see products that use less water than before and energy efficiency. For instance, in some areas, the local government may have laws that specify new water faucets, toilets and shower heads that only has certain amount of water flow per minute. Another way of water conservation is through the ENERGY STAR program which is a voluntary program under U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that helps businesses and individuals save money and protect climate through energy efficiency. ("Energy Star," “n.d.”, p. 1) While average Americans may save significant money, save w...

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...tal by “clearing mature forest much faster than they can grow back and eroding topsoil faster than nature can renew it. And we are also loading some rivers, lakes and oceans with chemical and animal wastes faster than these bodies of water can cleanse themselves.” (Miller & Spoolman, 2013, p. 9) As a result of a growing population, human activities is putting more strain on the natural functions of Earth that it makes it difficult for the planet’s ecosystems to sustain future generations. (Miller & Spoolman, 2013, p. 12) If people continue to live unsustainably, it will affect large quantities of freshwater from streams and lakes which humans and other species cannot live without. Because water is vital to humans and other species, there is a great need to raise individual and collective awareness about water scarcity and find ways to cut back and prevent waste.