Take A Shorter Shower — It's World Water Day

[tflaris]

Even though water scarcity is probably among the top of our list of 21st century worries, few people stress about it unless directly lacking a safe source of ample water.

World Water Day — this year landing on Sunday, March 22 — aims to raise awareness, especially among those who do not try to do enough to decrease their everyday usage. Here is a good example: The average American, taking a 5-minute shower, uses more water than an average person in the slums of a developing country in a whole day; and a 5-minute shower is on the short end for most people.

More dramatically, the U.S. uses more water in a day than oil in a year. A tragic statistic: Every 20 seconds a child dies from a water-related illness. Many more stats and sources of information can be found here.

The water we have here on Earth came mostly from outer space as our planet was forming. It is the legacy of countless collisions with comets and asteroids, something that, fortunately, slowed down dramatically about 4 billion years ago. This means that what we have here is what we get, at least until we start mining celestial objects for water and minerals, a project far in the future.

Since desalination is extremely costly, using ocean water is not a short-term solution, even as costs are dropping.

The short-term solution is more awareness and a mindset open to change at the individual, as well as the industrial and agricultural level.

It takes more than 2,400 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of meat, while a pound of wheat uses 25 gallons. These numbers, coming from PETA, are staggering; a competing source has much lower numbers, but still suggests that it takes about 110 gallons of water to make a 1/4-lb. hamburger.

Leaving the politics of interest groups aside, it is clear that water usage and waste are central issues of our times. We may all do well by finding ways to cut down, irrespective of politics.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2015/0...orld-water-day


"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed that is the only thing that ever has."
- Margaret Mead, Anthropologist

[snakedoc]

Even though water scarcity is probably among the top of our list of 21st century worries, few people stress about it unless directly lacking a safe source of ample water.

World Water Day — this year landing on Sunday, March 22 — aims to raise awareness, especially among those who do not try to do enough to decrease their everyday usage. Here is a good example: The average American, taking a 5-minute shower, uses more water than an average person in the slums of a developing country in a whole day; and a 5-minute shower is on the short end for most people.

More dramatically, the U.S. uses more water in a day than oil in a year. A tragic statistic: Every 20 seconds a child dies from a water-related illness. Many more stats and sources of information can be found here.

The water we have here on Earth came mostly from outer space as our planet was forming. It is the legacy of countless collisions with comets and asteroids, something that, fortunately, slowed down dramatically about 4 billion years ago. This means that what we have here is what we get, at least until we start mining celestial objects for water and minerals, a project far in the future.

Since desalination is extremely costly, using ocean water is not a short-term solution, even as costs are dropping.

The short-term solution is more awareness and a mindset open to change at the individual, as well as the industrial and agricultural level.

It takes more than 2,400 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of meat, while a pound of wheat uses 25 gallons. These numbers, coming from PETA, are staggering; a competing source has much lower numbers, but still suggests that it takes about 110 gallons of water to make a 1/4-lb. hamburger.

Leaving the politics of interest groups aside, it is clear that water usage and waste are central issues of our times. We may all do well by finding ways to cut down, irrespective of politics.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2015/0...orld-water-day




"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed that is the only thing that ever has."
- Margaret Mead, Anthropologist

Flaris, I'm doing my part. I haven't showered at all this winter. I do use some water to brush my tooth everyday.

[coldwaterjake]

I appreciate the intention to promote conservation by individuals. However, I think water use by big industry, including agriculture, and including pollution of water by big industry is the more likely culprit in water shortages.

[oya]

It takes more than 2,400 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of meat, while a pound of wheat uses 25 gallons. These numbers, coming from PETA, are staggering; a competing source has much lower numbers, but still suggests that it takes about 110 gallons of water to make a 1/4-lb. hamburger.

This is one of the (many) reasons I follow a vegan diet.

[rddvet]

-



It takes more than 2,400 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of meat, while a pound of wheat uses 25 gallons. These numbers, coming from PETA, are staggering;

And it only takes 20,000 gallons of water to wash the bs off any "fact" that PETA creates to get down to the actual truth.

[oya]

And it only takes 20,000 gallons of water to wash the bs off any "fact" that PETA creates to get down to the actual truth.

According to the EPA it only takes about 1,800 gallons per one pound of beef.

[oya]

And according to the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (an organization very well known for it's honesty, transparency, and integrity): 450 gallons per pound.

[MarkR]

99.8% of statistics are made up on the spot.

[sandy]

Could we take the same length shower but with a friend - cannot believe this has not been mentioned.

[Garth]

99.8% of statistics are made up on the spot.

Except the fact that "60% of the time it works all the time", which is mostly true.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk