"If you've got a problem and you multiply it by 50-million people, it becomes unsolvable, but if you've got a problem and you divide it by 50-million people, it becomes solvable." ~ Lewis Pugh. Endurance swimmer and UN Patron of the Oceans
World Water Day is an annual United Nations observance day that has been held every year on 22 March since 1993. It is a celebration of water and raises awareness around the world about the importance of water and access to safe water.
Water conservation, by corporations, individuals, and everyone in between, is essential to ensure our precious water supplies are used responsibly and protected.
If you’re interested in finding out how much water is really used to make the products we use all the time, check this out: Calculate the hidden water in everyday products.
UN water statistics indicate that just 74% of the world's population has access to a safe water supply. We all know the importance of good hygiene - UNICEF estimates that 1 in 3 people around the world were not able to wash their hands with soap and water at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
We can all do our part to help tackle the global water crisis with just a few easy water-saving hacks we can do at home and at work.
1. Use your household grey water and divert it to water your garden. Greywater is the water that runs off from your shower, bath, kitchen washing machine and dishwasher. While it might have some food and detergent in it, it is quite safe to use to supplement your garden irrigation.
2. Switch to a water-free, soap-free shampoo bar - the equivalent to 3x 350ml standard plastic shampoo bottles. Shampoo bottles contain a whopping 70% water in the product that just gets washed down the drain! A typical 350ml bottle of shampoo uses 700ml water just to make the plastic packaging.
When you switch to a solid shampoo bar, not only do you save 2100ml of water that was made to produce the plastic bottle equivalents, you also won’t lose half of your water-based shampoo product when it accidentally pours down the drain.
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4. Turn off the taps! Leaving on a tap whilst brushing your teeth uses 6L of water a minute. Switching it off is such a quick and easy win. Keeping the taps off while preparing food in the kitchen, shaving and washing our hands will all go a long way to conserve water. .
5. Use mulch
to seal in moisture and waterwise plants in your garden. Waterwise plants are some of the best kept water-saving hacks your garden will love. Introduce beautiful displays of succulents, florals and cacti that are suitable for almost every climate - there are even frost tolerant options. Get a timer so you don’t overwater your lawns and gardens and be sure to just water in the coolest part of the day. Better yet, skip watering your lawn altogether and let nature do its thing.
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6. A shower uses approximately 15L of water per minute. That is an unbelievable amount of water for just a 10-minute shower. Shorter showers or a shower with a buddy are definitely the way to go.
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7. There is no need to pre-rinse the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. Modern dishwater technology means that you use less electricity and 80% less water than handwashing.
8. Ditch the kitchen waste disposal unit
and set up a compost system instead. Composted mulch in the garden is great for water saving, retention and efficiency and no water waste will need to blast through the disposal unit - learn more about how composting is a win-win!
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9. One of the best water saving hacks comes from the laundry. Using a water efficient machine with a full load - but not too full - can save heaps of water and electricity. Don't forget to recycle the greywater back out into the garden for a double water-saving whammy. If it doesn’t need to go in the machine, skip the laundry and simply do a spot wash with a damp cloth.
Another way to save water is to use our Flash laundry bar and stain stick.
10. Need a new appliance? When it’s time to upgrade any whiteware or bathroom requirements like toilets, put water conservation at the top of your list. Look for appliances that focus on water saving and conservation such as low-flush toilets, energy and water-saving dishwashers and washing machines. You can even save water using a smart flow water-saving showerhead.
What are your favourite water-saving hacks that you use to conserve water? We would love to hear all the clever things you are doing to save water! Send us your hacks via hello@ethique.com or chat to us on social.
