Why you should care, and what you can do Since water falls from the sky, sloshes around oceans and comes out of our taps, it’s easy to take it for granted. In reality? Fresh water – the stuff we all need to live – is actually pretty scarce. Think about it like this: while most of the world is covered in water, 97.5% is too salty to drink, and most of the fresh water is locked in glaciers and snowfields. That means 99.003% of the world’s water is off limits. Feeling a bit thirsty? Same. Many of us are only now waking up to the importance of caring for those precious litres of fresh water. Water is essential to all life on this planet, and you, reading this right now, are 70% water. But it’s a bit more complex than that – the UN says water is linked to almost every issue we have, from climate change to human rights. Here’s how: Without water, we starve It takes 3,000 – 5,000 litres of water to produce 1 kg of rice, 2,000 litres for 1kg of soya, 900 litres for 1kg of wheat and 500 litres for 1kg of potatoes (WWF). 125ml of espresso takes 140 litres of water to grow and make (sob!). Growing meat and dairy is even more expensive, which is why agriculture accounts for 70% of global water use (FAO). Scarce water means more wars and disease We’re using more water per person every day – in the last century, water use has been growing at more than twice the rate the population has. There’s still plenty of water around the globe, but more regions are chronically short supplied. WWF predicts that by 2025, two-thirds of us could be facing water shortages. That won’t just mean poor crops and starving communities – it could also see an increase in wars over water ownership, and more disease, as people use polluted water. We’re polluting the little water we have Worldwide, 80% of waste water is just dumped, untreated, into otherwise usable water. In some countries, that figure is as high as 95%. That’s not just making water more scarce, it’s making us sick. According to WHO and UNICEF, about 1.8 billion people drink water contaminated with sewerage. It’s actually amazing then that only 1 billion of us get sick from water every year. Our plastic addiction is making things worse Plastic is a problem here too? How surprising. We’ve done a bit of maths, and worked out that every year it takes 132.8 billion litres of water just to make plastic shampoo and conditioner bottles. Since it takes 83 litres of water to make 500 grams of plastic, you’ve used twice as much water to make the bottle, than actually ends up in the bottle. 8 ridiculously easy ways you can save water I know, it all sounds a bit grim, right? But guys, there is actually enough water for everyone, we just need to keep it clean and easily available. Giving up coffee to save a couple of hundred litres of water per cup (!), might be out of the question (we get it). Here’s what else you can do. Have short showers (and no baths). It takes roughly 260 litres of water to fill a tub, but with a low-flow head, a five-minute shower will only set you back about 38 litres – there, you’ve earned your espresso. Bonus points: turn off the shower while you’re lathering and shaving. Use a hose or watering can to water your garden – those sprinklers are handy, but you end up watering the footpath along with your tomatoes. Let your lawn take care of itself. It might look a bit sad in summer, but come winter, it’ll be lush and green again. If your area gets particularly dry or hot, stop into your garden centre to ask about drought-hardier grasses. Even better, turn that wasted land into veggie patches! Choose appliances with good water ratings. The initial cost might sting a little, but they’ll pay off – they’re likely to be better-quality, longer-lasting machines, so will save you in the long run. Eat less meat and dairy. The average hamburger takes 2,400 litres of water to make. As a point of reference, you get a whole kilo of soy beans for almost a fifth less. Buy second-hand – the fashion industry is very thirsty. Second-hand gear saves clothes from landfill, thousands of litres of water and a whole bunch of money. Swap bottles for barsPerhaps one of the easiest changes you can make is to switch to solid bars in plastic-free packaging. An average shampoo or body wash can be up to 80% water, so you’re essentially paying for packaged water (with chemicals to preserve it), when there’s water already there with you in the shower.One of our conditioner bars is equivalent to five 350ml bottles of liquid conditioner. That means you’re saving plastic bottles going to landfill, and the 5L of water it would have taken to make them in the first place. And all you have to do is join us and #giveupthebottle.So far we’ve prevented over 10 million bottles, jars and tubes from being made and disposed of. By 2020, we’re aiming to have hit 25 million. How much water do you use? Work out your water footprint here. References: National Geographic - Freshwater Crisis UN-Water - Water Facts UN-Water - Water Sanitation and Hygiene UN-Water - Water Food and Energy Water Calculator - The Hidden Water in Everyday Products National Geographic - Water Conservation Tips UN-Water - The United Nations World Water Development Report 2017 WWF - Water Scarcity