Skip to content

Water Waste

2012 November 8

Did you know it takes about 70 gallons of water to fill a bathtub, so showers are generally the more water-efficient way to bathe? 

I had a 4th grader sit me down and “school” me on the importance of water as a natural resource.  Nei has been a fan of going to the beach, swimming and fishing since she could walk.  Growing up in Chicago, she had the Chicago River and Lake Michigan nearby to do these things with her parents and brother. 

At school, she recently learned about the world’s freshwater resources and how they play a crucial role in feeding, powering, and sustaining all life.   Her class also learned about the limited supply of fresh water available on earth.  They thought this was important and were encouraged to tell their community.  As a class project, they prepare a list of water conservation tips to encourage and increase water conservation awareness.  When I asked Nei which on the list was most important, she said, “All of them are important, especially fixing leaky pipes because if they aren’t fixed or there is a drip, thousands of gallons can be wasted and nobody would ever know it.”

This isn’t the end. Nei is now planning to take action at home using her newfound knowledge about water conservation. 

Yvonne Gonzalez currently works at EPA in Washington, DC in the Chemicals Control Division.

Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.

No comments yet

Leave a Reply

Note: You can use basic XHTML in your comments. Your email address will never be published.

Subscribe to this comment feed via RSS