HAPPY 35^th BIRTHDAY CLEAN WATER ACT!

 
That’s right, today is the birthday of one our most important pieces of environmental legislation.  The Clean Water Act has helped reduce and prevent pollution in our nation’s waters since 1972 helping to keep all of us nourished and healthy.  Today, the EPA certifies that 90% of our tap water is safe for drinking. Who could ask for a more giving friend than that?!

I’ve spent the past week thinking about what kind of birthday gift I give to such a devoted friend but after many sleepless nights I finally figured it out.  It’s kind of cheesy and very cheap but none-the-less appropriate for the occasion. My gift is my pledge to our nation’s water sources that I will take a new step each month to reduce my personal water consumption until these behaviors become second nature.  I hope you too will join me in this pledge. And for those who do, here is a starter list of easy ways to conserve water:

1. Believe it or not, it is ecologically better to use a dishwasher rather than hand washing.  Whenever possible, do not pre-rinse, just scrape your dishes and place into the dishwasher.  By running your dishwasher only when it is full you could save 10-20 gallons of water a day.  (Likewise, only run your washing machine when it is full)
2. Showers account for 20% of total indoor water use. Installing Low-Flow Showerheads reduces water consumption by 50%, saving roughly 2.5-gallons-per-minute. And, they can cost as little as $5!
3. Most household cleaning products contain oodles of toxics which pollute our used water.  That pollution later gets mixed in and pollutes larger bodies of water requiring extensive treating systems. But we can minimize our toxic output by switching to eco-friendly products such as Seventh Generation or BioKleen.  There are also many cheap and natural alternatives to use as household cleaners.
4. Bottled water is a dirty habit that must be curbed (especially since US waters really are safe).  Supplying our bottled water addiction requires 900,000 tons of plastic, 17 million barrels of oil, and emits more than 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide each year – excluding the trucking requirements. Additionally, bottling water is a surprisingly water-intensive endeavor. It requires an average of three liters of water to produce just one liter of bottled water!
5. I shouldn’t have to state the obvious, but some people simply haven’t seen the memo (wink, wink parents): Don’t leave the water running!!!   When you are brushing your teeth, washing your face, doing dishes, or shaving simply shut it off. And if you have leaks, get them fixed promptly.  These small steps will save thousands of gallons of water each year.

For lots more fun tips see: http://www.wateruseitwisely.com/100ways/ne.shtml

Water is our most valuable natural resource so we must all do our part to conserve and ensure that the CWA indeed has a happy birthday and a bright future.