Water: Reduce, reuse, recycle.

Water is something that we use every day for a variety for reasons, and we use a lot of it. We live in a[n increasingly more] watery world, with the average American lifestyle fueled by nearly 2,000 gallons of H2O a day. What may come as a surprise is that very little of that—only 5%—runs through toilets, taps, and garden hoses at home. Nearly 95% of your water footprint is hidden in the food you eat, energy you use, products you buy, and services you rely on (National Geographic).

So, I used this Water Footprint Calculator to figure out my water footprint. As a vegetarian that walks or bikes to work almost every day, I felt pretty confident that I’d be below the national average for water usage; and I was right… to a certain degree. I sure did blow the average out of the water in three of the four categories of usage; however I fail horribly when it came to transportation. Shattered, I quickly learned that even though I’m more likely to be seen on a bike than in my car, because I take up to three short to medium flights a year, my water usage for transportation is 65% above the national average!

Program Manager Jeanette's water footprint score above, and compared with the national average below.

How much water we use is a serious thing because although it seems insignificant from an individual or household perspective, it can really add up at a neighborhood, city, state, and so on, level. And, just because most of your water footprint is hidden, doesn’t mean that cutting down in the obvious ways isn’t worth it. Just consider that a leaky toilet can waste about 200 gallons of water every day, or that an average bathroom faucet runs 2 gallons of water per minute (EPA).

So, the choices that we make can help to balance the delicate ecosystem on which we depend. Here are some tips for reducing the amount of water you use, or making the water you use go further in this hot and dry season.

• RE-USING WATER: Mama said…. When my mom washes dishes, she rinses them in a tub that fits in the sink and collects the water. This water can then be used to water potted plants or a garden. Whenever I rinse my greens (grown in my back yard, of course), I save the water for this purpose. Water used to rinse pasta can also be saved for this purpose (you’ll just want to make sure it’s room temperature before you water your plants, and use it on outside plants only).
  • So… get creative! How can you re-use water every day?
• WATERING YOUR GARDEN: It’s not rocket science that when we’re hot, everything else feels hot too—that’s including plants. Now, don’t think for a second that we’re promoting a perfectly manicured, green lawn because really… who needs it? But, if you’ve planted a garden this year, then you’re concerned about keeping your fruit, veggies and/or berries hydratedso that they’ll grow and produce. There are ways to keep our garden as happy as possible while conserving resources.
  • Chances are your rain barrels are empty, and so you’re using the hose or sprinkler to water your garden. Make sure you do this at the coolest times of the day (early morning is best) so that the ground retains moisture for as long as possible.
  • Adding mulch to your garden beds also helps to retain moisture after you water.
  • If you are using a sprinkler, don’t use it for any longer than you would use a hose to water.
  • Rig a shade canopy if your garden is in full sun to reduce evaporation and keep your veggies and fruit cool. Sounds fancy? Get a sheet from the thrift store and tie it to as many existing structures like a fence or trees, or splurge on a few posts which you can use year after year.
• YOU ARE WHAT YOU DRINK: Bottled water is so 5 years ago…. So, take back the tap!
  • There are so many reasons to avoid bottled water: the plastic waste, the energy used to bottle water and ship it, and who drinks just 16 oz of the stuff anyway?
  • Keep yourself hydrated by downing THE best tap water in the country. Bottles are cute, come in so many sizes and some can be recycled when you’ve worn them out. So, pick out a good one and start loving full access to a non-stop flow of the most important liquid in the world.