The sustainable choices challenge [35]

Did you know that the average (American) family of 4 uses 400 gallons of water a day? That's enough water to fill 6,400 drinking glasses.

 

You get the picture, it's that ⬆... times a lot.

I already talked about the importance of water, here (if you forgot, there's still time to go to the Hope Into Humanity website and donate!), but now I'm looking at it from more of a behavioral perspective rather than a giving/support perspective. You see, we use A LOT of water in the western world. Personally, one of my weaknesses is showering. It's a bit of a joke among my friends that I get cold really easily and so I'm selfishly protective of long, hot showers. Generally in the summer I'm much better about taking shorter and cooler showers, but in the winter? Forget about it. But, this year is about changing and improving so I said goodbye to long, hot showers this morning by taking a decently warm, 6-minute shower. I already restrict myself to showers every other day but from now on I'll be taking 10 minute showers max, enforced by the alarm on my phone. Why? Because a 5 minute shower, my eventual goal, uses up 10 to 25 gallons of water. Gross. 

So, because I want to protect this: 

I'll do this:   

Water conservation hasn't been my only interest in the environmental sphere. What I've done pre-2012 (and need to keep up this year) includes: using environmentally-friendlier laundry detergent and dish soap, reusable bags at the grocery store, and walking to class and up the stairs (even to my 4th floor apartment).

I'm not as smart as I sound, my info came from: Stanford or the EPA or Waterfootprint.org.