Take these steps to conserve Nature’s most precious natural resource
The scarcity of water is one of the most prominent problems facing the world today. according to a recent report by the government's policy think tank, the NITI Aayog, a large number of Indians face high to extreme water stress. Some studies say that less than 50% of India’s burgeoning population has access to clean drinking water. Globally, in 2018, the South African city of Cape Town declared a national emergency over its water crisis. Water scarcity is a real problem. Here are a few steps that we can take at home to contribute towards conserving water.
Start with the leaks
Whether it is your bathroom or kitchen, check for leaks. Are the pipes running from the basin leaking? Is your toilet leaking? While the small drips may seem innocuous, they can add up to gallons of water wasted per day.
Never throw away waste water
Most of us have RO (Reverse Osmosis) water purifiers at home. What do you do with the waste water that comes out from the pipe? Most of us just let it drain away. Instead, collect the water that is filtered out of the RO purifiers in a bucket. You can use that water to water your plants, clean your toilets and sinks and bath areas and even to wash your cars.
Shorter showers
Do you know how much water is used during an average shower? Research has suggested that an average shower of around 8 minutes uses around 17 gallons of water. Here’s what you can do to reduce the amount of water used while showering – try and reduce your shower time by a few minutes. Better still, collect water in a bucket and bathe with that to reduce the amount of water used during bath time. Another great way to save water in the bathroom is to remember to switch off the tap water when brushing our teeth or shaving. It is staggering, the number of people who let the tap run when brushing or shaving, letting the water just flow endlessly.
Use chemical-free, plant-based cleaners
It is important to use chemical-free, plant-based cleaners when doing the dishes, laundry, cleaning floors, toilets etc. Every day thousands and thousands of chemicals enter our groundwater, streams, rivers etc – and these chemicals come for the cleaning products we use at home. All this adds to water pollution. Switch to plan-based cleaners like Osh to reduce the amount of water pollution contributed by the use of cleaners at home.
Car washing
Another area where we can conserve our use of water is when it comes to washing our cars. Use a bucket instead of a hose to wash your car. And does your car really need to be washed every day? Maybe switch to every alternate day or wash only when the car really needs a clean. Dust your car regularly to prevent dirt from accumulating.
