Water is Life

Our company is participating in a "Water For Life" benefit. Water is so important to the growth here in Southern California but we are an insignificant drop compared to real world life and death issues. As in other areas of consumption, The US uses an extraordinary amount of water compared to other nations so here are a few fact and tips provided by "Water For Life" that I think are important. Once again it is our individual small steps that add to something significant - think about that the next time you brush your teeth.

World Water Wise

Quick Facts:
* 1.1 billion people lack access to safe drinking water.
* Every week an estimated 42,000 people die from water related diseases.
* Over 1 million people die from malaria every year.
* The average American individual uses 100 to 176 gallons of water at home each day. The average African family uses about 5 gallons of water each day.
* While 70% of the Earth's surface is covered by water, 97.5% of it is salt water and 2.5% fresh water. Only 1% of the total water on earth is available for human use.
* 50% of the world's wetlands have been lost since 1900.
* Every day, 2 million tons of human waste is disposed of in water courses.
* 40% of water bodies assessed in 1998 in the United States were not deemed fit for hydro power recreational use due to nutrient, metal and agricultural pollution.

Things You Can Do:

* Participate in Beach Clean-Ups.
* Turn the faucet off while brushing your teeth, shaving, rinsing vegetables, etc.
* Wash the car with water from a bucket.
* Use water/energy conservation appliances.
* Repair dripping faucets by replacing washers. If your faucet is dripping at the rate of one drop per second, you can expect to waste 2,700 gallons per year.
* Check for toilet tank leaks.
* Water lawns during the early morning hours when temperatures and wind speed are the lowest. This reduces losses from evaporation.
* Plant native grasses, ground covers, shrubs and trees.
* Refrigerate a bottle of drinking water instead of letting a faucet flow until the water is cold.
* When washing dishes by hand, fill one sink or basin with soapy water. Quickly rinse under a slow-moving stream from the faucet.