Water Is NOT Infinite

Our bodies (human, that is) are at least 60% water. I say at least because I learned it to be 80%, but the numbers vary. I think that's because they are talking about what isn't directly in cells, rather than cell and free floating.

Anyway, we aren't just carbon-based units - we are far more water-based. So, with something that is so vital to us, we tend to be very casual, and abusive of it. Why is that? When you look at a country such as Australia, which is in a drought of unprecedented proportions. I have friends there, and have only heard about the drought. I've never heard anything else but drought conditions, and it's going on its 8th year.

I just found the following quote from a newspaper article from The Australian online newspaper: But Dr Cai and Dr Cowan are convinced that the DOI is a “bigger scale” phenomenon which can overpower ENSO. As well, they will report in GRL that climate change is an even broader scale phenomenon that is increasing the frequency of IOD events.

The above quote truly points out the theory posed in the movie "The Day After Tomorrow". While it may not happen nearly as quickly as the movie shows it, it's a very solid theory that is being borne out in a different way, south of the Equator.

How we use our water in the US is not going to make a difference in what happens in Australia. However, if we learn from them, we are far less likely to be so severely affected as they. What is scary is, we aren't learning. The following picture is a map of the Great Plains (Ogallala Aquifer) and it's water decline (without replenishment) over the last 50 years:

You know what that major area is called? America's Breadbasket. And what else? Desert.

They are now saying that the 30 million people who rely on the Colorado River in 7 different states will be without water by 2021. All from overuse, and increasing temperatures evaporating it as well as reducing the snowpack that fills it in the springtime.

So - what can we do? It's easy - reduce!
Look at an article I wrote on how much water is used just to produce our energy.
Reduce the amount of energy you use.
Reduce the amount of WATER you use.
Reduce the amount of water you BUY - really, how stupid is that?
Learn good gardening techniques that will significantly reduce watering you might need to do during the hottest months of the summer.
Use rain barrels. Divert the water from your rooftops and driveways into your lawns and flower beds.
Use the water from your washer to water your container plants.

Check for leaks in your water system. Make sure all faucets are turned off in your house. If your meter changes position during this time, you have at least one leak. Find it by ruling out all lines - shut off all but one and check the meter again - keep doing until you find the leak. Fix the leaks!

Don't flush your toilet as often. If you have an old toilet that uses up to 8 gallons per flush, start looking at replacing it. The first generation of low flow toilets were horrid, but they've improved greatly (we have a Toto that is phenomenal).

Change the way you shower. WWII Navy personnel learned to take the 2 minute shower. Challenge yourself to take a shorter shower. You can reduce your time, reduce the flow which reduces the volume you use, or shut the flow off while you're soaping up. My dad uses the first, I use the second and my mom uses the third. All work the same.

Don't wash your car. It's actually better to leave the grunge on in the NE during the winter time, as warm wet salt. Cold wet salt does less, and cold dry salt doesn't do anything. Leave it. You're also less likely to have it stolen. If you must wash your car, do it at a public car wash. You use about half the water, and it's generally filtered and recycled now.

Don't water your lawn. If you live in a dry area, cut down on the amount of lawn you have. Pay attention to your irrigation system. Don't water the road or the sidewalk. I lived in Dallas TX for about a year, and was able to reduce the water use at the house by half, just by changing the way the system watered the lawn. Rather than 1 30-minute cycle for each zone, I watered it in 4 5-minute cycles. It didn't run off, but had a chance to soak in. This meant it stayed moister for a far longer time, reducing the number of times the lawn was watered, and used less water overall.
If you don't live in a dry area, don't water. It isn't necessary. And often, it isn't watered properly, making the grass even weaker during the hottest period.

Don't use container plants. I hate container plants. They have no way to hold their moisture. They just evaporate and transevaporate (through the leaves) so quickly that you're watering gallons for singular plants. That's just wrong.

Divert Rain Water - it's virtually impossible to use a rain barrel that will collect enough water, but if you want to, go for it. It only takes a few minutes of a good thunderstorm to fill a 55 gallon drum. What happens to the rest of the storm's water? And what if there are several in a few days' time? Look at the flow of the water and sculpt your lawn to either collect it in an area that is perpetually dry, or to disperse it much like irrigation ditches in developing countries. It works wonders! I'll be posting one project here that I started last year and will be making look good this year.
Only wash full loads. When you use your washer, particularly if you have a teenager, you tend to not wash full loads. Stop that right now! It's costing YOU, not just the environment. In energy, water and detergent.

Use your dishwasher. If you use your dishwasher, vs hand washing your dishes, you can save half of the total volume. Washers are even smarter now, using only what is necessary for your style of washing - the first few times it washes, it may use more, but it's "learning" you and your dishes dirt level. This saves ever more.

None of these ideas are ground breaking or life-changing. But they all work. Be efficient!