3 Steps to a Water-Smart Year

It’s January – and resolutions, new beginnings and fresh perspectives are still top-of-mind. As we move through the year, how can we be better stewards of our resources?

According to the Global Water Partnership, “the volume of freshwater is only 2.5% of [the] total volume” of water across the globe. And of that 2.5%, only 1% is available as drinking water – as the remainder is frozen.

While these numbers may be hard to reconcile in our everyday use – suffice it to say that we consider water to be a limited resource. For some perspective, check out this infographic from water.org. It shows how many people still struggle for clean water, globally.

Photo credit: http://bit.ly/1yznZIO

So, if we’re fortunate to have relatively unfettered access to water – how can we ensure we’re using it smartly?

Glad you asked…

1. Know your usage.

Per a local department of utilities, “the average American uses 140-170 gallons of water per day.” And our country is among the top consumers (and wasters!) of water as a resource.

Fortunately, there are many online and local resources to help us determine how much water we’re consuming. In fact, we recently shared a fun, hands-on way to get the whole family involved:

Photo credit: http://on.fb.me/1xkzvDA

Ask your local water department if they have a water usage calculator. Or, use this handy online tool to see how much water you’re household is using.

2. Customize your behaviors.

Once we know how much water we’re using or wasting, we can change what we’re doing. Here’s a look at some of the easiest ways to save water, courtesy of a previous blog.

We can also save water outside the home – like in our gardens. Again, there are many resources online that offer tips and advice re: how to best use water in our gardens throughout the year.

One of our favorites is a local nursery that provides month-to-month tips. Check your local area garden stores for insight about when to water and more. Also, consider planting water-smart gardens that include native plants and plants that require less water and maintenance.

3. Plan for the future.

In addition to discovering and changing our behaviors, we can take steps to ensure we have greater access to clean water. That’s where harvesting rain comes in.

Rain harvesting helps fill the gap when water sources become limited. For example, areas across the country continue to experience droughts and subsequent water restrictions. And having a reservoir of water, readily available to you and your family, is becoming more and more important.

Learn more about the practice and history of harvesting rain here. From personal systems for private homes to complete rain-harvesting systems for neighborhoods and/or commercial properties (i.e. as in the picture above), we have you covered from top to bottom.

For more information on rain harvesting – and more water-smart tips – visit us on Facebook, Twitter or Google+.