How can we save water? We've grown accustomed to turning on the tap and just letting it flow. It's that simple, but the reality is that in a climate of climate change and repeated droughts, every drop counts. And as a slogan we loved says:
“The rain is very much theirs, the savings are very much ours”
Every August, World Water Week is celebrated. An event that brings together experts from around the world to discuss this topic and adopt new measures. The point is that proper water use doesn't depend solely on global agreements. We can all join in this sustainable practice.
This is how we do it here at Elisa Muresan: in the store, in the workshops, and of course, in our homes and… you know what?
We've realized it's easier than we imagined. It's within everyone's reach and doesn't require extensive resources or technology. Do you want to know what you can do to save water at home in a simple way?
Follow along and we'll give you tons of great ideas and tips for preserving this valuable but scarce asset.
Water, a valuable but scarce commodity
Without water, life on Earth would not exist; it is the most precious natural resource we have.
However, how can it be a scarce commodity? How is that possible if we live on the "Blue Planet" and 70% of its surface is covered by water? That's right, but only 2.5% of it is freshwater, and much of it is trapped in glaciers and ice caps.
In short, we have less than 1% of water left for human consumption.
As if that weren't enough, according to the Ministry for Ecological Transition, more than 80% of water is used for agriculture, depleting the resources of lakes, rivers, and underground waterways. What then happens to the water we need in our homes on a daily basis?
We've also researched this data, and with it, you'll discover the importance of your small, daily water-saving actions.
How important is saving water in our homes?
According to the National Statistics Institute, average Spanish household consumption falls short of the two liters of water we should be drinking per day. The figures are around this: each of us uses 133 liters per day. 36% for personal hygiene, 27% for cooking, and 32% for flushing the toilet.
This is the situation in Spain, but what about countries like Ethiopia?
In rural areas of this African country, the situation is dramatic. Seven out of ten people lack access to drinking water, and the women and girls charged with collecting it spend about two hours a day just on this task. Two hours that you could use to read, go to the movies, have a few beers, or enjoy a walk in a nearby forest or park.
And when drinking water is lacking, we're not just talking about being left without a basic resource. The lack of water is synonymous with poverty, discomfort, and disease.
In Spain and other Western countries, we don't experience any of these extreme circumstances. However, water restrictions are already common in many places around us due to the lack of rain. So, yes, we turn on the tap and water comes out. We are very fortunate, but we must be aware of the importance of consuming less water to preserve the environment and our quality of life.
The impact of the fashion industry on water consumption
We'll soon give you a ton of ways to save water at home. But first, we thought it was important to talk to you about how the fashion industry affects water conservation and quality. After all, Elisa Muresan, our sustainable fashion brand, belongs to the textile industry, and we are aware of the enormous impact this sector has.
Water is also an essential and indispensable resource for making clothing. At least today.
They say you only have to look at China's rivers to know what color is trending this season. Only in China? Maybe rivers elsewhere aren't fashionable, but they're also polluted. Twenty percent of global industrial water pollution comes from textile treatment and dyeing.
Polluted and increasingly scarce water. Today's clothes, tomorrow's drought?
Years of fast fashion have been synonymous with water waste. Millions of liters of water are used to produce tons of clothing that only lasts a short time in your wardrobe. Hence the importance of using sustainable clothing , demanding ecological certifications for your garments, and learning about their traceability.
You've probably heard about the 2,700 liters of water needed to produce a single conventional cotton T-shirt. That's the amount of water you consume in 20 days (based on the average figures mentioned above). However, if that T-shirt is made of organic cotton, it only requires about 243 liters (according to Vogue magazine and the Soil Association, a charity that joins forces with nature for a better future).
For this, and many other reasons, organic cotton is our favorite fabric.
Now, let's get to those tips. You'll see how saving water is much easier than you thought.
Tips for saving water in your daily life
Several of these ideas for reducing water consumption will sound familiar to you, others will surprise you, and some you'd never have imagined. In any case, choose at least three of them and implement them as soon as you finish reading this article. You'll see how effortless they will be. Here at Elisa Muresan, they are already sustainable habits in our daily lives .
1. How to save water when caring for and cleaning your clothes
- Wait until you have enough dirty clothes to fill the washing machine. If you run it with a half load, you'll use roughly the same amount of water as with a full load.
- Sort your clothes by color and choose the right wash program and temperature for the fabric. Not only will you save water, you'll also extend the life of your clothes.
- If you need to change your washing machine, choose one with maximum energy efficiency (A+++) and always select the ECO program whenever possible. In addition to saving water, you'll also reduce energy consumption.
- Air-dry your clothes instead of using a dryer. And if you have to wring them out, collect that water and use it to mop the floor or use it for irrigation.
- Unless it's essential, don't hand-wash your clothes; you'll use more water than a washing machine. You can choose a delicate cycle and skip the spin cycle to take maximum care of them.
- Do you know about eco-friendly detergents? These soaps don't contain any ingredients classified by the European Commission as causing physical harm to health or the environment. It's not just about consuming less water, it's also about preventing its contamination from reaching rivers and oceans. Wash your clothes sustainably .
- For the same reason above, avoid polyester garments. They release microparticles with each wash that contaminate the water when they end up in rivers and oceans.
2. How to save water in your personal hygiene
- When you turn on the hot water tap, does it take a while for the temperature to rise? While you wait, collect the water and reuse it to water your plants or mop the floor. Did you know there are special bags to make this easier?
- While you soap up, brush your teeth, or shave, turn off the tap.
- Don't use the toilet as if it were a trash can or wastebasket. It's a sanitary appliance, and you already know its purpose.
- A classic (and one you shouldn't forget): take a shower instead of a bath. If you take a bath, you'll use twice as much water.
- Have you noticed that your toilet cistern has two buttons? Whenever possible, push the smaller one; this will save you water.
- Reduce the water flow rate on your faucets and shower head with water-saving devices or aerators. You'll barely notice the difference in pressure and you'll save a ton of water.
- Does your faucet drip when it's turned off? A leaky faucet or cistern, even just a few drops, wastes a lot of water every day. Fix it!
3. How to save water when cooking
- Defrost food in the refrigerator, never under running water. Not only will you save water, but you'll also gain flavor and health benefits.
- When you have to change appliances, choose the most energy-efficient ones and use ECO mode whenever possible. This way, you'll not only save water, but also energy.
- Did you know you use more water washing dishes by hand than your dishwasher? About 30 liters more per day than this appliance (as long as you run it with a full load). Don't rinse dishes before loading them either. Today's dishwashers have a manual pre-rinse function. And if you wash dishes by hand, fill one sink for soaping and another for rinsing.
- Don't throw away water from boiling eggs, washing vegetables, etc. As long as it doesn't contain salt, it's ideal for watering your plants. It provides nutrients as well as water.
- Always keep cold water in the refrigerator so you don't let the tap water run until it's cold.
- When washing vegetables or fruit, fill a container instead of letting the tap water run.
4. How to save water in your patio, garden or pool
- Design your garden with as little grass as possible and choose native plants, shrubs, or climbers; they use the least water.
- Install an automatic irrigation system tailored to your garden's needs instead of using a hose. And water your shrubs and trees with a drip system.
- If you use sprinklers, pay close attention to their flow rate, height, and the area they cover to avoid wasting water.
- Always water at dawn or dusk to avoid high temperatures in the middle of the day. This will prevent water loss through evaporation and prevent damage to your plants.
- Remember, you can use the water you collected in the kitchen and bathroom (while waiting for it to heat up, boiling eggs, washing vegetables, etc.). Use it!
- Did you know you can keep your pool water for more than 5 years without changing it? Never empty it. In winter and summer, whenever you're not using it, cover it with a solar cover. This will prevent water evaporation and reduce dirt buildup and even algae growth.
- Install a closed-circuit pool purification system.
- Perform preventive and periodic maintenance on your pool to detect leaks and maintain healthy water.
- If you have a poolside shower, it's best to use an automatic or timed shower. And always make sure it doesn't drip.
- If you're going to wash your car in your yard or garden with a hose, think twice. A professional car wash with water recirculation can save you hundreds of liters of water.
And we won't finish without mentioning another water-saving trick: using sustainable products for eco-friendly household cleaning , which reduce pollution of this valuable resource. Now it's your turn. And not just at home. Maintain your sustainable conscience wherever you go. At work, in any hotel, in every restaurant, on the street, ...
Do you now see how saving water at home is within your reach?
If this article has managed to touch your heartstrings, we're satisfied. You've already realized the importance of reducing your water consumption. All you need to do is get started. Start with a few actions, the ones that are easiest for you. Once you've mastered them, keep adding more. You'll see how in no time you'll have water savings incorporated into your sustainable habits.
Do you know of any other ways to use less water in your daily life that we haven't told you about?
Tell us how you do it and we'll share it in our newsletter along with other tips, sustainable news, and lots of Vida Gata.
