Did you know…
SAVING WATER SAVES YOUR AIR ?
Everyone knows it’s a good idea to save water, but now you have more reasons than you may think.
If you’re from where I’m from, water shortages have never been a big issue. I guess that comes with the great lakes being the largest source of fresh water in the world. But if you’re from Australia, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
NEWS FLASH:
For all those who haven’t heard, Taiwan is experiencing lower than average rainfall. Thus, Taiwan’s freshwater reservoirs aren’t filling as fast as normal (at present they‘re roughly 60% full). This isn’t problematic yet, but in light of low rainfall forecasts for the summer, it could become a BIG PROBLEM real soon. For all us in Kaohsiung, just look out your window, when was the last time we had rain?
ON THE ENVIRO SIDE:
As if a drought isn’t enough reason to conserve, listen to this: In California, 19% of the state’s energy bill comes from pumping water to homes. About 30% of the average household’s carbon footprint can be attributed to water transportation to and from the home and inside the pipes. In Toronto, the Toronto Water corporation is the single biggest user of energy in the city during peak summer months.
In a country like Taiwan, water usage matters as more than 80% of the country’s energy is produced by burning coal. Thus, if you want to help reduce the country’s carbon footprint…SAVE WATER!
Here’s how:
- Never put water down the drain if there can be another use for it. Water plants, washing windows and other surfaces, etc.
- Avoid flushing the toilets unnecessarily. Dispose of tissue in the trash rather than down the toilet. The more you put in a toilet, the more energy you need to push it all the way to the processing facility.
- Take showers instead of baths
- Replace old shower heads and faucets with new water efficient ones. When they first were introduced these water efficient ones were badly made. Now you can’t tell the difference.
- Wash dishes and clothes in cold water rather than hot.
- If you can hear your toilet running all the time, that’s water cycling through. FIX IT!
If we all think a little more about the energy it takes to do the little things in our daily lives we take for granted, we can all help reduce what we use