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You always hear that you should save water. But why should you? We give you some good reasons why saving water is not a bad idea
Why you should save water
Whether in everyday life, as a child or in the news – you are always told that you should save water. But why? A good reason is usually not given. We have therefore summarised some for you.
- Generally, it is actually impossible to save water, because the same amount of water is always available on earth. If the water evaporates, it returns to the earth as rain, snow or ice and is thus in a large cycle. Nevertheless, you should make sure that you use water carefully.
- First of all, saving water has a very simple advantage: you save money. For example, if you turn off the tap when soaping your hands or brushing your teeth, or even recycle water, it will show up on your bill and you will pay less.
- Furthermore, the water we consume is not pumped from the groundwater directly into our pipes. It is filtered, purified and treated before it reaches us. Pumps have to be operated with energy and also cleaned. This whole process takes time and uses energy, which is also an environmental impact as it produces emissions.
- When saving water, it is also important to save especially on hot water, as this has to be heated up separately. This consumes energy that must first be extracted and also pollutes the environment. So next time, shower a little more quickly or use less hot water.
- But be careful when saving hot water: The high temperatures kill bacteria and legionella, which can develop below 60°C. Therefore, use less warm water, but not cooler water!
Tip: How to save water indirectly
Many people are not aware of how much and which products contain water. In most cases, the water is not consumed locally, but in other countries. This is precisely why it is all the more important to draw attention to this and to be aware of these hidden quantities of water.
- In summer, for example, strawberries from Turkey or Spain can be found in every supermarket, but usually also strawberries from Germany. Turkey or Spain are very dry countries. The water that is used to irrigate the fruit is then lacking in other places there. It is therefore better to buy strawberries from Germany, as there is more water available here.
- In addition, there are certain foods that use a lot of water in their production. To produce one kilogram of beef, you need about 15,500 litres, for 1 kilogram of apples only 700 litres. So with the same amount of water, much more food can be produced and more people can be fed.
- The same principle can be applied to clothes. A new pair of jeans requires a total of about 11,000 litres of water; a pair of second-hand jeans doesn’t require that amount again. And you save money in the process!
