Drought – What it Means for All of Us!

When I consider the big picture surrounding drought, my first thought is ‘I have never been totally without water, so how can that be?’

I have always assumed water as a given. Even while living in Iran we hauled our drinking water from the Embassy; the water that supported the homes on the plateau came from an aquifer. Yes, it was very sparsely populated and with natural desert everywhere except inside our compound. But water was accessible, even there.

Living in the Northwest with the “Magic Skagit” river, I often think about our wildlife population, our salmon, and careful, thoughtful stewardship.  Learning to appreciate and to take into consideration what this looks like, and how to value water as it relates to livelihood, economics, and our environment, has taken time for me to process into action. This is an ongoing – even daily – process for me and a balancing act concerning what my stewardship needs to be for my household use, my landscape use and observing community use.

 WHAT IS MY TRUE AWARENESS? Thankfully, it keeps growing and changing!

Climate changes, demands for agriculture, household demands, industry and so much more create opportunities for us all to share in healthy stewardship.

I would like to touch on (and nudge awareness on!) how to conserve water in your home – knowing how it has become an extremely precious natural resource.  Minor adjustments in our daily habits can have huge impacts on our environment, as well as the continued escalation of utility costs.

 

Below is a list of where to begin; please share with me other ideas that you have!

BATHROOM

• Turn the tap off when brushing teeth.
• Use captured tap water in sink for cleaning razor.
• 5-minute showers have the opportunity to save over baths.
• Consider bringing a bucket into shower for excess water reuse.
• Consider water sense toilets.

LAUNDRY

• Wash full loads.
• Consider a washer that conserves water.

KITCHEN

• Use a dishwasher rather than handwashing.
• Newer dishwasher options need no rinsing before loading.
• Use basins to hand wash dishes, not running water.

GARDEN & OUTDOORS

• Check for leaks in fixtures.
• Harvest rainwater – so many methods available!
• Be mindful of over-watering plants.

EDUCATE

• Educate on smart water use by consistently being a good role model.
• Engage in more conversations on what stewardship means to us individually and as a community.

Simply practicing basic methods, and adding in common sense, are huge gains for our environment and our homes.

Let’s ease our drought conditions with care in stewardship, and with the objective of a healthy legacy.

I welcome meeting with you for a conversation and sharing session …
Let’s begin today!

Learn More About Wellness Focused Healthy Homes: lindasanford.com
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