Why is water conservation important?
Water is the basis of life. The
majority of the world is covered in water and most of our bodies are filled
with water. However, the world’s supply of fresh water is limited and sadly
running low. Because of this we need to conserve water and monitor our use of
it in our everyday life. Water can be recycled but at each taxpayer’s expense.
Hence, conserving water is both good for the planet and saves money!
Activity:
Have your child keep a diary/log of
everything in their house that uses water and how much water they use every
day. Have them also track the amount of water they drink daily (including
drinks containing mostly water). After a day ask them to review their diary and
inquire as to whether they think they use a lot of water and how they could
reduce their water usage. Continue
to track water use each week, rewarding a positive change. Parents, this will be great for your
water bill too!
Examples:
Dishwasher → Run a load of dishes only
when the washer is completely full (i.e. not necessarily daily). Hand washing
dishes using only a water filled sink basin instead of using a dishwasher
altogether.
Washing Machine → Wearing clothes on
more than one occasion will prolong the time between washes. Upgrading to a
modern, high efficiency washer reduces water usage by half.
Showering/Bathing: Showering only when
it is necessary (i.e. not necessarily daily). Reducing shower time in general
(get in, get out). Shutting off the water when cleaning and shampooing
conserves water.
Toilet Usage → If it’s yellow let it
mellow, if it’s brown flush it down. Upgrading to a low-flow toilet which uses
less water.
Brushing Teeth → Instead of letting the
water run while brushing shut off the tap and only use water to rinse mouth and
brush.
If your child is struggling to think of
ideas/concepts on how to conserve water, suggest some of these examples and see
if your child can come up with any original and creative ideas.
Activity:
For another fun activity that will
teach your child about water conservation try making a rainwater catcher. Cut
off the top of an old milk or juice carton and measure the height of the
carton, marking each inch on the side of the carton. Keep the carton outside
and collect rainwater over a certain period of time. Use the water to water
plants around the yard after!
Activity:
Saving Water: Bath vs. Shower
Fill up your tub to take a bath. Before
taking the bath, take a ruler and measure the height of the water in four
different locations in the tub. Collect the average height (adding the four
heights together and dividing total by four). Multiply the average height by
4.5 (4.5 represents 4 ½ gallons, the total amount for an inch of water in a
tub). This total will provide an estimate for the amount of water used while
taking a bath. The next day repeat the experiment however this time taking a
shower. Plug the tub before taking a shower; after the shower measure the
height of the same four locations and calculate the average height. Multiply
this average by 4.5 and compare the results of the shower versus the tub. Which
uses more water? To conserve water which should we use to bath, the tub or the
shower?
Activity:
The Human Faucet
(Materials Needed: 5 gallon bucket, (5)
1 gallon empty milk jugs, 2 new toothbrushes, toothpaste)
Have a volunteer brush their teeth like
they normally would. Have 5 volunteers hold a milk jug filled with water over
the 5 gallon bucket. When the volunteer brusher starts to brush their teeth,
have a volunteer pour their gallon into the bucket and when empty have the next
volunteer start to pour their jug out into the bucket. Have the “human faucets”
stop pouring when the brusher finishes brushing their teeth. Assess how much
water has been poured into the bucket. This experiment has shown how much water
has been wasted by leaving the tap on when brushing your teeth. Ask the
children how often they brush their teeth and whether or not they leave the
faucet on. Repeat the experiment twice, once like before and once having the
“human faucets” pour only when the tap is used sparingly by the brusher and
compare results.
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