Empower your kids on water conservation. I’m a native Californian and well into my 50’s. Growing up, we rarely heard anything about conserving water. If my mom told us to shut the water off, it was more about saving money, not water. Since I was seven years old, California has grown by over twenty million people–––yes, I said twenty million. When we hear about water conservation, we rarely hear about the population, but the fact is, California is providing water to forty million people daily. California has seen steady growth in population for the last 168 years. The answer is simple. Each person needs to embrace the idea of using less water and stick to it. A small minority can usually carry out the desires of most movements, but with water conservation, we need the majority to participate in making a difference.
We All Need To Do Our Part
Unfortunately, since everyone is not on board, our politicians will regulate water conservation. For example, Governor Gavin Newsom requested that all Californians cut water usage. While some may not always agree with our politicians, the rule they put in place is common sense. For instance, washing cars should be done with a hose shutoff nozzle. Additionally, there is no hosing down driveways, sidewalks, and poor use of sprinklers such as water running down our streets and sidewalks. Parents need to educate their children about water conservation in California. Older siblings have embraced conservation efforts in some cases because some schools have endorsed them.
Start Educating Your Kids About Water Conservation
What are the best ways to start educating our kids about water conservation? Most kids take water conservation for granted. They don’t seem to wrap their minds around it. But our kids are thirsty for knowledge so let’s teach them the facts about water usage. But before we teach our children, we need to educate ourselves. Here are some great questions on water for us and our kids.
How many gallons of water does a family of four use each day?
A family of four uses 320 – 400 gallons of water each day.
How many gallons of water do you use by brushing your teeth with the water running?
You can save 8 gallons of water by shutting off the water once in the morning and the evening while brushing your teeth. That amounts to 200 gallons a month–––WOW!
What uses more water- a shower, or a bath?
A shower uses much less water than a bath. A shower uses 10-25 gallons of water, while a bath uses 40 to 70 gallons. When showering, you can conserve lots of water by turning off the water to lather then turning the water back on to rinse. This will save a significant amount of water.
How much water is wasted from a toilet that leaks?
A toilet leak can waste 200 gallons of water per day. That’s equivalent to 125 flushes. It sounds crazy! Here’s a fun project to do with your kids. Have them put a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank. If the food coloring shows up in the toilet bowl, you have a toilet leak.
Is it true that the best time to water your plants is in the evening?
Yes, the best time to water your plants is early morning or evening. Doing this will avoid evaporation and allow your plants to get most of the water.
How can we save water when shaving?
Before shaving, pull up on the stopper and slightly fill the bowl with water. Then, turn off the water and use the water in the sink to rinse your razor. There is no need to keep water running while shaving.
The Best Place To Educate Your Kids About Water Conservation Is WaterSense®
A great place to start the water-saving journey with your kids is with WaterSense®. WaterSense®, a partnership program by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, seeks to protect the future of our nation’s water supply by offering people a simple way to use less water with water-efficient products, new homes, and services. In addition, they have fabulous tools for educating our kids. The fact is, most of us are learning together. Check out WaterSense for kids here.
