Our planet earth is two thirds water. It has been named as 'The Blue Jewel', because from the space, the earth appears like a shining blue moon. This is due to its water content too.
We have so much of water around us everywhere.
· Then why save water?
· Why worry about water pollution?
· Is water Conservation a waste then?
Actually, out of all the water that surrounds us, only less than 1% is fresh water!
Which means, it cannot be utilized for our needs. It may all be salty or be permanently frozen in one of the poles. Hence, even if water is found in abundance around us, it is a very fragile and limited resource. Every one of us in the whole world depends upon the less than 1% of the fresh water to drink, wash and water their plants. Also, these fresh water sources are naturally replenished over time through the water cycle. But the human population is using up water very fast, leaving no time for the fresh water to replenish naturally. Hence, it is very important to save water in any ways we can.
Water is very important to life on earth. It is the most precious resource available. All forms of life need water to live.
· Human beings, plants, animal and even microorganisms require water for their survival.
· All living beings are made up water. Human beings are 70% water. Thus water is an important component of their existence.
· We need water to drink and cook.
· We need water to wash ourselves, wash utensils, wash clothes and more.
· We need water to grow our food - the plans and animals.
· We use water to generate electricity.
· We need water to clean ourselves and fill our swimming pools too.
· We use water to fight huge fires.
· Hospitals, laundry cleaners, schools, libraries, restaurants, salons, gas stations and any other business in your city need water.
· Product manufacturing industries use water to cool machinery.
· Industries need water to manufacture and process products.
· Swimming, cruising, canoeing, boating, fishing, surfing and rafting depend upon water.
· Water is an important way of transport. Huge luxury ships and small ferries travel on water. Water transportation has been used since the olden ages.
We utilize the less than 11% of water to fulfill all these needs. If the rate of utilization does not decrease, our fresh water resource will be depleted very soon, endangering the lives of all organisms on earth.
There are many ways to save water. We have the opportunity to save water many times everyday. Some common and simple practices are listed here. These can be easily followed even by the kids.
Turn off the tap when brushing.
Most of us brush at least once everyday. When we are busy cleaning our teeth and gargling, the water keeps flowing. A single person in a family can save 200 gallons of water every month. Imagine you could fill a tank with this water and grow 6 sharks in it!
Opt for showers instead of bath tubs. This can save significant water.
Fix all leaking taps and valves immediately.
Use low flow taps and use timers for watering your plants.
Join the Water Voice and give voice to save water!