Earth Day Special: Why We Should Care About the Global Water Crisis

Several weeks ago, I shared some facts about water. In the spirit of Earth Day, let’s look at our roles in the global water crisis, and some easy ways to save water. I mean, we’re all stuck at home, might as well improve our water habits, right?

Can you imagine a world where only a trickle of dirty water is coming out of your tap? I’m lucky, I’ve never been in that situation, but I imagine it could be something like that:

You find yourself having to go to the place where a truck with a huge tank of water is parked, and join a queue with your large containers to collect water for you and your family. The water doesn’t look particularly clean, but it’ll have to do.

Back home, you have to ration your precious store of water. We need water to cook and hydrate. So that gets prioritized. Dishes are washed in one basin of water. Hand-washing needs to be swift, while showers can wait. Baths are out of the question.

This may be an imagined scenario, but water scarcity is a reality many people face around the world. Around two-thirds of the world’s population don’t have enough access to fresh water for at least a month of the year. That’s whopping 4 billion people!

You may say, water scarcity isn’t a problem where I am. I can’t control what happens in the places where water is scarce, can I? It looks like that, but dig deeper and you’ll see it’s all connected.

Water Footprint

Everything around us has a water footprint because everything requires water to produce. The steak you ate for dinner has one, the apple you ate after dinner has one. The clothes you’re wearing has a water footprint, as do the smartphone, tablet or computer that you’re reading this on.

These are examples of product water footprint, which measures the amount of water used to grow/rear/produce a product.

When a country produces a product and export it, the water that went into the product is considered exported too.

We have a water footprint too. It’s called the personal water footprint and it’s calculated based on our diet, lifestyle, and possessions. Do we eat a lot of meat? Take a lot of baths? Run the dishwasher when it’s only half full? Have 50 pairs of jeans?

Because of our lifestyle differences, people living in developed countries tend to have a higher water footprint than people in developing or underdeveloped countries. I’ll have a higher water footprint than a female my age living in rural India. But I’ll have a lower water footprint than a fellow city dweller who eats meat.

Are you curious about your water footprint? Calculate it on this nifty site!

Why is the concept of water footprint important?

The concept of water footprint helps us understand our role in the global consumption of water.

If we didn’t think about the water that goes into making the products we eat, wear and use, we may only think about the water we use in daily life for drinking, cooking, washing, and showering. That only represents a fraction of our water consumption.

We’re consuming water through the products we eat and use too.

In an increasingly connected world, we can’t simply say water shortages in another country doesn’t concern us because we don’t live there and use their water. After all, supply is driven by demand.

Besides, if water availability is poor in a country we depend on for our imports, like soybeans, cotton, rice, or beef, it will impact on us even if water is abundant in our region.

Consumers aren’t the biggest user of water, but water is used “on our behalf”

Globally, the biggest users of water are industrial (19%) and agricultural (70%).

Doesn’t that mean we’re not to blame for water shortages around the world? Well, I think it’s both yes and no.

Yes, because water usage around the world for both agricultural and manufacturing purposes could be managed better, and that’s out of the consumers’ hands.

No, because ultimately, just about everything that’s grown and made is ultimately for us, the consumers.

For instance, agriculture is the biggest user of water in India for growing rice, cotton, and sugarcane. These are all agricultural uses, but who uses the end products? People all over the world do. India is the biggest producer of cotton, we probably all own cotton products that originated from India.

In Pakistan, where water is routinely used and polluted by textile factories to make and dye clothes for rich fashion companies, we are the end-users.

Arguably, countries that export their water through products do so to make money and should’ve kept the water usage in mind. And without these exports, their economy will suffer. I have nothing to say to that.

However, I think we should all at least be aware of our role in it. There’s also something else.

Climate change and water shortage

Climate change is going to create massive changes in the way we live our lives, not the way COVID-19 has, but in a gradual and permanent way.

Scientists have predicted that a combination of increased temperature and erratic weather patterns will affect water availability and change the distribution of rainfall. It’s expected that there’ll be more of both drought and flooding.

Some places, like Southern Africa and the Mediterranean, will become dryer as a result of reduced rainfall and increased evaporation.

Remember the Guatemalans who found themselves unable to grow crops because of the drought brought on by the climate crisis? That will happen to more people when the temperature rises.

Already, parts of the United States and Australia are facing water shortages exacerbated by warming temperatures.

When it comes to climate change, we all played a part in it, and we all have a part to play in fighting it.

Key takeaway

What happens when a population runs out of water? They can’t grow crops, they can’t live. They’ll have to leave their homes in search of water. Would we let them into our countries? Would we share our resources?

The global water crisis is also a humanitarian crisis waiting to happen.

There are a lot of things we can’t control, like how water is managed in a country, the different farms, and industries. The most significant changes to help in water conservation will have to come from the agriculture and industrial sectors, but that’s no reason for consumers to remain passive.

Whether you live in a water-secure or water-scarce area, I encourage you to give our relationship with the global water crisis a thought and consider ways we can contribute to water conservation.

Can we support causes in water conservation? Create conversations about our roles in the global water crisis?

Can we vote with our money? Not buy water-polluting fast-fashion clothes? We can definitely support fair-trade and organic products which keeps sustainability in mind (where budget allows us to).

Perhaps we can curb our need for new things? So much of the world’s water and resources are used to make things we don’t really need. It boggles my mind, but I understand. Economy, wealth, boredom, playthings… They’re a package. How can we get around it?

Very importantly, can we vote for a government that will fight against climate change radically and quickly?

Okay, enough of the questions, I’m going to end off with some actual tips to save water. Please leave more suggestions in the comments!

18 Simple Ways to Save Water

1. Fix leaks
2. Take shorter showers or time your showers
3. Use a flow reducer in your showerheads and taps
4. Don’t leave the tap running when brushing your teeth or soaping your hands. Especially when doing the 20-seconds handwash!
5. Similarly, don’t leave the shower running when you’re putting soap on your body.
6. Wash your clothes only on full load and don’t wash your clothes if it’s not dirty
7. Use a basin or a sink of water when you wash vegetables, don’t leave the water running
8. Similarly, when hand washing dishes, wash them in a partially filled sink, then rinse off quickly, preferably with the spray attachment. Don’t leave the water running
9. Run dishwashers only on full load if you use a dishwasher
10. Use a lower volume flush
11. Pee in the shower before you start showering, unconventional, but you save one flush a day!
12. Plant according to your climate. Don’t grow thirsty plants if you live in a dry area.
13. Learn how to properly water your garden/lawn
14. Catch rainwater to water plants
15. Don’t buy bottled water unless you don’t have access to safe drinking water
16. Wear clothes out and consider buying secondhand
17. Don’t waste food – agriculture is water-intensive and food waste is a contributor to climate change
18. Eat lesser beef – beef has high water and carbon footprint