How can water scarcity be stopped? Without water, no life! Even today, some 2.1 billion people around the world have no access to clean drinking water.₁ Our resource-consuming way of life and the resulting climate change are mainly responsible for the fact that this alarming figure continues to rise. Very few of us can imagine what it is like to have very little or no water at all. After all, we consume around 120 liters of water directly every day and as much as 5200 liters indirectly₂ for our lifestyle - and are already feeling the consequences of this behavior ourselves due to increasing and extreme droughts.
It is high time to do something about the Water shortage in the world and stop living at the expense of other people and living beings. In this article, I would like to introduce you to 10 tips that everyone can use to stop water scarcity. Let's go!
In advance you will find here a short Overview about the contribution:
- Reduce direct water consumption
- Minimize consumption of animal foods
- Prefer regional & seasonal food
- Buy organic food
- Be more conscious with clothes
- Drink tap water
- Start or sign petitions
- Stopping deforestation and promoting the reforestation of forests
- Environmental organizations support
- Living in a fundamentally climate-friendly way
1. Reduce direct water consumption
We must learn to use water more sparingly. The best way to do this is to use less water directly in everyday life. Here are some tips on how to implement this promptly:
- Take a quick shower and turn off the faucet while soaping up.
- Turn off the tap even when brushing your teeth.
- Collect dirty laundry and try to fill the washing machine properly to save on washing cycles and thus water and energy consumption.
- Collect rainwater and use it to water your garden.
- …
In the detailed article about the Saving water at home you will find many more tips! However, this is not really about saving water per se, but about solutions to the environmental problem of water scarcity that can be implemented in everyday life. A problem that is mainly caused by the virtual, i.e. indirect, consumption of water (e.g. for the production of food or clothing) for our way of life. We will now look at this in more detail below.
2. minimize consumption of animal foods
Around 27 percent of global freshwater consumption is attributable to the meat and dairy industry.₃ Only to a single kilogram of beef for irrigation when growing animal feed, for example, as well as for the animals themselves and for cleaning stables, more than 15,000 liters of water (!!) necessary.₄
So if you eat a beef burger, you consume significantly more water behind the scenes via the "animal detour" than someone who treats themselves to a burger with a plant-based patty. If you want to do something about water scarcity in the world, you should reduce your own meat consumption accordingly. ecological - but of course also for ethical and health reasons - and strive for a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle.
Related articles:
- Start into vegan life
- Why live vegan?
- Factory farming - what is it?
- Become a vegetarian - This is how it works
3. prefer regional & seasonal foods
Cocoa, roasted coffee, beef, goat meat, butter, rice and avocados are among the foods with the highest water consumption. This is mainly because their production requires cultivation in dry regions of the world and therefore even more water.
The fact that today all food is available in supermarkets at any time of year, even though it is a Natural season is a cause for concern. Firstly, because they are often associated with even higher water consumption. In addition, off-season cultivation often takes place in greenhouses, which consume large amounts of energy and in turn accelerate climate change.
Our food should not come from the corners of the planet, where people are already suffering much more than we are from drought and water shortages - and certainly not all year round. By focusing on regional and seasonal goods, you are ultimately helping to combat the global water crisis.
Related articles:
4. buy organic food
The organic counterparts of the foods just criticized perform much better, but still consume enormous amounts of water. Switching to alternatives or consuming these foods much less often is recommended if you want to do something about water scarcity.
In principle, however, you should definitely Organic food from organic farming because artificial fertilizers and pesticides are not used in their production and the groundwater and adjacent bodies of water are also less polluted.
5. be more conscious with clothes
The Fast Fashion Industry with its countless new trends and short-lived materials is not just a a major consumer of water, but also a water polluter. Countless toxic substances end up in rivers and lakes - and make clean drinking water undrinkable and toxic, for example through cotton cultivation or dyeing.
To counteract this, you should therefore opt for durable, sustainable quality goods, for example from Organic cotton, linen or hemp. Look out for organic and Fairtrade labels, buy second-hand goods and recycle or swap clothes that you no longer like.
More tips on how to be environmentally conscious with clothing and what to do at Slow Fashion I'll introduce you to it in the linked post!
6. drink tap water
Also Tap water is a great, regional product! It is hundreds of times cheaper than mineral water. The latter ensures that Privatization of water sources (see Nestlé criticism) also for the drying out of entire regions, such as the French village of Vittel.₅
You can also find out more about this in the detailed article Tap water VS mineral water from plastic bottles.
7. start or sign petitions
You can stop global water scarcity not only by adopting a water-friendly lifestyle, but also by taking active steps in our society. For example, by Start online petitions or supported. Such digital signature collections can really inspire countless people and bring about change.
Here are two examples that you can also sign directly:
- Water for all! Implement human rights to water and sanitation now!
- Our drinking water belongs to us - not Coca-Cola
8. stop deforestation and promote the reforestation of forests
Rainforests and forests in general store water through their strong root system and protect the soil from evaporation. That is why we must Deforestation of the forests and at the same time promote reforestation if we want to stop the problem of water scarcity.
Soy cultivation destroys rainforest. This is mainly soy that ends up as animal feed. Around 80 percent of the soy grown worldwide is fed to animals. 18 percent is processed into frying oil or biodiesel and only 2 percent is eaten by us humans.₆ However, the latter is mainly European organic soy from GMO-free agriculture, as genetically modified soy is not permitted here. Another reason for a plant-based diet to counteract the water shortage.
You can support the reforestation of forests, for example, through your Support for environmental projects like Planet-For-The-Planet or also through the use of a sustainable search engine like Ecosia.
9. support environmental organizations
There are so many people in the world who have to walk many kilometers every day to fetch water for their families. But there are also great people who help them want. On the one hand, those from human rights and environmental protection organizations - on the other hand, those who support them financially. Here are some organizations where your donations will reach the right people:
Do you know of any other organizations working to address global water scarcity? Then feel free to write me a comment!
10. living in a fundamentally climate-friendly way
The development of climate change plays a decisive role in whether or not we will be fighting wars over water in the future. Our current and future way of life determines thishow rapidly the earth is warming up and how often climate-related extreme weather how droughts will occur in the future. A climate-friendly lifestyle is the key to averting regular horror scenarios for everyone in the world. Each individual must make a contribution.
Drive less, fly less, stop eating meat. For many people, this may sound like giving up - but there are also ways to reduce climate-damaging behavior. sustainable alternativesRail & public transport, vacation in Germany and Europe, Vegetable meat alternatives based on soy or peas - and so on. The world is changing for the better. You too can be part of this change.
Further contributions:
- Climate protection tips for everyday life
- Difference between weather and climate
- What are climate tipping points?
Stop water scarcity - Everyone can do something!
As you can see, the global water problem has much deeper causes than just our showering behavior. It is our entire way of life that ensures that people in other parts of the world cannot find drinkable water.
"When the well is dry, we know the worth of water."
Benjamin Franklin (see also Water Quotes)
I hope that with this article I have raised your awareness of one of the biggest social and environmental issues in the world. ecological problems of our time could sharpen. Use the tips to reduce your water footprint and help solve the problem yourself every day.
Do you have any questions or other ideas on what we can all do to combat water scarcity? Then I look forward to your comment!
Stay sustainable,
PS: Also about the World hunger I have written a detailed article for you and explained how we can all use the stop global famine can. Have fun with the implementation and your personal development!
References:
₁ Tim Rohde; UNICEF: World Water Day 2021: 10 facts about water (as of 19.03.2021), https://www.unicef.de/informieren/aktuelles/blog/weltwasserwoche-2018-zehn-fakten-ueber-wasser/172968. [26.08.2021].
₂ Philipp Wagnitz: 5 things you can do against the water crisis (as of 22.03.2016), https://blog.wwf.de/5-dinge-gegen-die-wasser-krise. [26.08.2021].
₃ Things explained - In a nutshell: Meat - The tastiest evil in the world, YouTube, 24.01.2019, Web, 26.08.2021 at 08:32, in: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6f3dwxexZM.
₄ Federal Environment Agency (2017): Hidden water (as of 22.03.2017), available at https://t1p.de/ddfg. [07.05.2020].
₅ MultiWatch Association: Nestlé in Vittel - Fight for water, https://multiwatch.ch/fall/nestle-in-vittel-kampf-ums-wasser. [26.08.2021].
₆ Albert Schweitzer Stiftung für unsere Mitwelt: Why soy sausage does not harm the rainforest (as of 01.06.2018). https://t1p.de/jzvz. [09.08.2019].
Hello, nice article! In the direct saving is still missing the dishwasher, but you should also always fill properly. Washing by hand needs enormously more water! Generally, I think the indirect savings are more important. Locally, we usually have rather rarely a problem with water shortage, at least not here in Hesse in the "country" 😉 ...