With winter storms in full force, it is easy to take water for granted. When it rains in Isla Vista, students often complain about the inconvenience of biking in the rain, the colder temperature and the inability to wear a miniskirt with uggs and stay warm. In reality, 70 percent of Earth’s surface is covered in water, but less than one percent of this water is drinkable. In third world nations, where finding clean drinking water is an everyday goal and even in Atlanta where a water shortage revealed the trivial nature of watering Astroturf, the importance of water can never be denied. Conserving this water is important, especially in a world where waste happens on a daily occurrence.
Water bottles are one of the biggest daily wastes of water and energy. Bottled water is not as heavily regulated as the water that comes from the tap and the plastic in water bottles is a waste of energy. Instead of buying bottled water, which costs more per gallon than gasoline, buy a durable water bottle, like a Nalgene, and filtrate tap water through a Brita water filter.
One of the simplest things to do to save water is to check your appliances. Leaking faucets can waste gallons of water a day. Pester your friendly Isla Vista landlord to fix the leaks, thus saving water and lowering the bill. Water-saving appliances, although less practical to install as college students, will save money and water in the long-term. Low-flow shower heads can save a reported 1.2 gallons of water a minute and some low-flow showerheads also have a pause button to stop the flow of water while soaping up.
Changing simple habits can also help conserve the precious resource. When brushing your teeth or face, turn the water off while scrubbing clean. Even if you love hot showers, try to limit the energy-sucking properties of a hot shower or bath. When washing clothes, make sure the water level is low and the load of clothes is full. Turn off the water between scrubbing dishes. Scrape leftover food into the garbage can instead of rinsing dishes off with water. When washing dishes in the dishwasher, make sure the load is full.
Support causes which aim to protect our water supply. The Coastal Fund has recently allocated $87,804 to 15 coast-related projects furthering research, education, access, preservation and restoration.
Some analysts have predicted that the next great challenge to human kind will be food and water shortages. As it stands today, about a billion people in the world struggle daily to find clean water to drink and bathe in. Even though a water shortage does not look like it will be coming to Isla Vista soon, show some gratification and use only what you need. Do everything you can to ensure future generations the ability to easy access to water.