Global Warming: Australia's Warning
Here in Australia, we have seen a significant shift in the weather patterns with less frequent rain and more severe storms. As the inhabited continent with the least rainfall each year we can certainly vouch for the merits of water conservation, especially now that we are looking at a very dry future.
Global warming is a fact and Australia has seen the evidence firsthand with seven years of the worst droughts on recorded history. Our water catchment areas, designed to cater for double our current population, have been as low as 20% capacity. With up to 95% of the country now under severe drought warnings and farmers leaving the land in droves because they can't make a living, it's a grim warning for the rest of the world.
Scientists are now united in their warnings about global warming. It is a question of "when" and not "if" you will begin to feel the affects personally (if you haven't already). So what can we do to help?
People the globe over need to become more aware of how precious water is and how important water conservation has become for everyone's future.
The earth while covered in nearly 70% water has very little fresh drinkable water. In fact only 2% of all the water on Earth is drinkable and of that, much of it is currently frozen at the polar caps, locked underground or is found in plants, animals and people (we are over 65% water). Amazingly, with a seeming abundance of water on Earth, as little as 0.036% of the planet's total water supply is found in fresh water lakes and rivers.
When you think about it, we are an incredibly wasteful and short-sighted society, using a precious resource for convenience and as a luxury item when in fact it's a necessity of life!
We shower with water, we flush our toilets with it, wash the pavement, our car, our dog, our dishes and our clothes with it. No, I'm not saying go without showers for weeks on end (Brad Pitt), I'm simply suggesting we should make sure the dish washer is full before we hit "start", that we reduce the length of our showers, a minute each will make a huge difference, that we install rainwater tanks and use grey water to water our lawns and gardens.
Simple things can make a big difference to the amount of water we use and consume. If everyone remembers that it is drinking water they are using each time they turn the faucet (tap in Australia) then we just might stop taking it for granted.
Here are some more important tips for water conservation:
- Install water-saving showerheads and don't brush your teeth in the shower (if you're really keen, try a 5 minute timer/alarm)
- Water your garden in the early mornings or evening rather than the heat of the day when much of the water is lost in evaporation
- Turn the water off while you brush your teeth or shave
- Check for leaking pipes by turning everything off, note the meter reading then check it again in an hour
- Fix leaking faucets and pipes straight away, don't put it off
- Choose water conscious appliances; washing machines and dishwashers come in all varieties and some are more efficient than others
- Spread the word about water conservation to friends and family
- Put a brick in your toilet cistern to reduce the water used or attach a weight to the flush lever so you have to hold the button down for longer flushes
It's only a matter of time before everyone becomes aware of how precious water is; better to spread the word and conserve it now than to realize how important it is when it's all too late!
Read another of my articles on global warming: The solution and answer to Global Warming is Compromise.
