Have you ever stopped to think how the Water is important? Have you ever imagined living without Water? This would be really impossible! THE Water it is fundamental to the functioning of life. It participates in our body's chemical reactions, in the biological cycles of nature and is essential in the maintenance of ecosystems.
All activities of the society require the use of Water, as well as our daily activities.
Many people do not attach much importance to the conscientious consumption of water, because they think it is an inexhaustible resource and can be used at will. This impression is given because we see water everywhere, whether in rain, rivers, lakes, seas, dams, swimming pools, etc. Indeed, most of the surface of our planet, about 70%, is occupied by water. However, of these 70%, only 2.5% is made up of fresh water (this is the type that is treated and destined for our consumption), the rest is salt water, according to the Ministry of Environment's Water Resources Environment.
Approximately 70% of our planet's surface is made up of water.
If we think of 2.5% of 70%, this number seems quite low, but this total would be enough to supply the entire world population, were it not for water pollution, its inadequate distribution and, above all, the waste.
Most of this water is destined for food production and another large portion for industry, leaving a small fraction for our consumption. In addition to the waste of water that occurs in food production and industry, we waste enormous amounts of this resource during our daily activities.
The 2.5% of fresh water available on the planet is not evenly distributed among the human population around the world. The UN (United Nations) estimates that one billion people do not have access to a water supply that is sufficient to meet their daily needs.
With the increase in world population, industrial and technological advances, the demand for water will only tend to increase and, if if we do not consume it consciously, it will be an increasingly scarce resource, which will increase conflicts due to its access.
Thus, we need to take care of our precious asset, so that it will not be lacking in the future and continue to support the functioning of ecosystems. After all, water is a finite resource.
Everyone can and should help take care of the water. Observe your daily water usage and think about how you could change your habits in order to save water. Here are some attitude changes you can adopt to contribute to conscientious water consumption:
Avoid wasting water, always turn off the tap when brushing your teeth, soaping your hands, as well as when washing the dishes
- Do not take long baths. Five minutes is usually enough time for us to have a good sanitization;
- Turn off the shower when soaping and shampooing and conditioning, turning it back on only when rinsing. According to the Ministry of the Environment, a minute of shower running uses about 15 liters of water. Now imagine how much water you will use if you shower for 20 minutes, and still have the shower running! There would be about 300 liters of drinking water being thrown away down the drain!;
- Avoid playing with water. Replace them with others. They can be just as fun as the ones with water;
- Turn off the faucet when brushing your teeth;
- Avoid using disposable cups, even recyclable ones. Both the production and recycling of this material demand the consumption of many liters of water. Always prefer to have at hand a mug (the ones made of plastic) or a small bottle of water (this will encourage you to drink more water).
Flávia Figueiredo
Graduated in Biology
