World Water Day!!!

Today, March 22, is World Water Day, a date sanctioned by the United Nations to bring awareness to the fact that by 2030 two-thirds of the world will lack access to clean drinking water.

Right now more than one out of six people lack access to safe drinking water, and that number will continue to grow unless we can do something about it. (Did you know that even in the United States, only 90% of the country currently has access to clean drinking water??)

Here are a few suggestions that can help enormously, that YOU can do right now!

* Carry a reusable water bottle instead of buying bottled water, and make the switch from the bottle to the tap. The production, transportation, and disposal of bottled water consumes large amounts of water and energy
* Take the pledge to only use bottled water when absolutely necessary.
* Become a fan of Get Off the Bottle on Facebook and suggest the page to your Facebook friends. * Tell your local officials to put the repair of water infrastructure at the top of their agenda.
* Take shorter showers. Shorten your shower by a minute or two and you’ll save up to 150 gallons per month.
* Invest in a low-flow toilet or put a plastic bottle filled with water in your toilet tank to reduce the amount of water used per flush.
* Turn off the tap while brushing teeth, shaving, and washing your hair. Turn off the water while brushing your teeth and save 25 gallons a month. Turn off the water while you shave and save up to 300 gallons a month. Turn off the water while you wash your hair to save up to 150 gallons a month.
* Run dishwashers or laundry machines only when full. Washing dark clothes in cold water saves both on water and energy while it helps your clothes to keep their colors.
*Choose landscaping plants with low water requirements.
*Eat foods that require less water to produce. The amount of water used to produce animal products and processed foods like soda and chips far exceeds the amount used for growing vegetables and grains.
*When grocery shopping, try to buy more whole foods like vegetables that are in season, and a variety of grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
* When you are washing your hands, don’t let the water run while you lather.

We live in the desert. So, ever since moving here 6 years ago, we have become incredibly aware of water. On our little ranch, we live off WELL water. That's right, our water is pumped from the Tucson Aquifer, stored in a well, and pumped to our house. Our tapwater tastes like spring water. Wells are INCREDIBLY expensive to repair, and we had a few problems when we first moved in. So we have made some big changes.

One of the biggest ones was - we made the choice to turn OFF the irrigation system. The previous owners grew roses - the water was dripping on them all day long. The roses are long since dead. They don't belong in the desert. The only things we have growing here are drought-happy plants. And those that can be watered from the hose a few times a week.

So do it - get rid of the bottle!