We cannot go a day without water. But what many of us don't know is that climate change threatens our water security, especially in nations where water scarcity is already part of daily life.
In the UK it is expected that we will see water shortages by 2050. Currently, the average Brit uses, on average, 140 litres of water per day. Luckily there are some simple ways of reducing our usage and help conserve this precious resource.
1. Wash smart
Don't be put off by a full laundry basket. Saving up your dirty laundry so that you can wash a full load uses much less water than doing two half-full loads. When it comes to your Navygrey knits and hard wearing denim, it's best to wash them as little as possible.
We're such staunch believers in washing your knits as little as possible that we've even started a club. Join our Wash Less, Air More club here.
2. Turn off the taps
You can save up to six litres a minute by turning the tap off while you brush your teeth.
Another culprit when it comes to running taps is the (natural) desire for cold drinking water. Put a jug or bottle of water in the fridge, waiting for your tap to run cold can waste up to 10 litres a day. Over a week - that's up to 70 litres.
3. Save baths for special moments
A bath can use up to 80 litres of water, whereas a shower uses anything between six and 45 litres of water. So keep it short and shower daily, saving baths for those special moments where you can really savour the luxury of a hot soak.
4. Garden in the cool
Watering your plants in the heat of the day means more water will be evaporated before it has a chance to be soaked up by your thirsty plants. Water first thing in the morning, or later in the evening for maximum root quenching. We appreciate this one is less relevant as autumn dawns.
5. Count your cups
"I've popped the kettle on, who wants a cuppa?" Famous last words, (heard frequently at Navygrey HQ), as no doubt everyone is absolutely thrilled you asked first.
To save water, count your cups before you pop the kettle on and only boil what you need.
6. Steam your veg
Not only does steaming your veg help it retain all it's nutrients (no one wants to eat broccoli if you aren't even getting the benefits), it also saves water.
If you prefer to boil your veggies then consider ways of reusing the water - whether it's to make gravy and stock, or even to water those plants we mentioned.
7. Don't let it drip
Not only is the sound of a dripping tap enough to drive anyone crazy, it also wastes up to 15 litres of water a day. So try get the plumber in to sort it out as soon as you can. Every drop counts.
8. Washing up rules
If you're lucky enough to have a dishwasher, be sure to fill it up completely before running it. Most dishwashers have an eco setting too. While not as powerful, it's much better environmentally so use it as much as you can.
If you're stuck with washing by hand then fill a bowl of soapy water rather than leaving the tap running.
9. Catch rainwater
Whilst we may not want to drink it, rainwater has lots of great uses. Plants often prefer rainwater to tap water, but if you don't have a garden you could use it to wash your car and clean your windows. Leave out a few buckets when it pours.
10. Fight food waste
This is a slightly less obvious way of saving water. But everything we buy at the supermarket (whether fresh or not) takes water to produce.
Making sure we eat what we buy and use up our leftovers helps to keep food out the bins (which is good for reducing your carbon footprint) and means that water hasn't been wasted in the process.
