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Water Scarcity Atlas Published To Drive Behavioural Change
A new educational tool has been published by Aalto University to help people make more sustainable choices where water usage is concerned.
The Water Scarcity Atlas, created by post-doctoral researcher Joseph Guillaume and assistant professor Matti Kummu, makes use of interactive global maps to introduce people to the issues that arise from water scarcity and how these issues can be tackled.
It presents water scarcity in a visual way to show how this has evolved over the last 100 years, presenting possible scenarios for the rest of this century. You can use it to explore how factors like changes in diet and food losses can have an impact on water resources the world over.
The average person apparently uses between 3,000 and 5,000 litres of water each day, the majority of which goes towards food production. Limited water resources around the world is becoming increasingly pressing as a result of climate change and booming populations, resulting in droughts in the south and north of the globe.
Dr Guillaume said: “As water use increases, it becomes more difficult to access the resource sustainably. Eating less meat and avoiding food waste can reduce water use. We need to support initiatives by governments, [non-government organisations], and companies with water stewardship programmes.
“It’s hard to strike a balance between environmental and human needs, especially when there isn’t enough water to go around. We can work together to help farmers and other water users adopt new techniques, and establish effective management arrangements.”
With a new year just around the corner, now’s the perfect time for businesses and consumers alike to start looking into the different ways in which they can reduce their water usage – and chatting to water conservation consultants can really help in this regard.
What about trying to find out more about rainwater harvesting, for example? This is the process of collecting and storing the rainwater that collects on your roof area, water that is then filtered and reused instead of your mains water. You can use it for toilet flushing, vehicle washing, laundry and process water, and more.
A rainwater system can be installed on site that will help to increase cost efficiencies, reduce your water bills and also lessen your impact on the environment.
Or what about water recycling if rainwater harvesting doesn’t seem feasible at the moment? This involves using the water that’s discarded from everyday activities such as toilet flushing, irrigation and vehicle washing so you can save lots of money on valuable mains water.
Water supplier Anglian Water already uses a water recycling system to use its waste water by cleaning it and returning it to the rivers, so it can then be used again for irrigation – and even drinking water once it’s been treated.
If you’d like to find out any more about of these water-saving strategies, get in touch with us here at H2O Building Services today.