Categories: Quick Tips

Friday Quickie: Take your Water Footprint! (& Improve your habits, dammit!)

Did you know that globally 70% of water used is for agriculture?  Were you aware that 1 in 3 people worldwide are affected by water scarcity?

Although water problems may seem foreign to us, water conservation is still essential here in our hometown.  As we pointed out on our Twitter feed, yesterday (March 22) was World Water Day, which focuses on the sustainability & importance of freshwater.

Assess your household’s water usage with the Water Footprint Calculator.  It’s a fun and interactive quiz that asks you a variety of questions (I switched answers just to see their other cartoons!)  The average American uses 1190 gallons of water per day!

Readers, share with us in the comments how much water you use. How do you plan on reducing your water use? Turning off the faucet or shower? Switch to bar soap? I’ll start by confessing: I use 614 gallons/day (according to the calc) but definitely could turn off the water more while showering.

 

Pic courtesy of laist.

Julie Hancher

Julie Hancher is Editor-in-Chief of Green Philly, sharing her expertise of all things sustainable in the city of brotherly love. She enjoys long walks in the park with local beer and greening her travels, cooking & cat, Sir Floofus Drake.

Share
Published by
Julie Hancher

Recent Posts

De-icing with rock salt, moon meditations, & more

Catch up on the latest sustainability news:  City service updates after the storm. Sunday’s storm…

7 days ago

Trying to reduce waste? Here’s a practical, local guide for Philly residents

Local tips, services, and swaps to help you send less to the landfill. Climate change…

1 week ago

Wind chill, Stop Trashing Our Air, MLK Day, & more

Catch up on the latest sustainability news: Philly honors MLK Day of Service. Philadelphia is…

2 weeks ago

Need a break from the cold? Here’s 15 local orgs warming our community’s hearts during our volunteer matchmaking event.

Here's who they met and who you can volunteer with, too. Last night, Green Philly…

2 weeks ago

Eco-Explainer: Why Philly has so many sinkholes

In early January, a giant sinkhole formed at an intersection in the West Oak Lane neighborhood of…

2 weeks ago

Avenue of the Arts redesign, Filbert Street bus terminal reopens, & more

Catch up on the latest sustainability news: Filbert Street bus terminal to reopen in May.…

3 weeks ago