Introduction
Taking possible measures to protect the environment and conserve natural resources in everyday life is a valuable experience. My idea was to reduce water consumption during different routine procedures, for instance, washing or brushing teeth, thereby changing my household water use behavior. Initially, I considered that the planned actions would not bring the desired result, but I was wrong, and the outcomes of my research prove this.
Goals Chosen
My first goal was to change my wash routine, from taking a bath, which I loved, to taking a shower. I made this decision by examining the research by Chen who argued that taking a shower “would save ca. 30-60 % water compared to bathing” (101409). My second goal was to control my water intake while brushing teeth, in particular, to turn off the water and rinse my mouth with a cup. After studying relevant resources, I came to the conclusion that such a decision could be rational due to the unreasonable waste of water (Saving Water). Finally, I decided to change the faucet in the kitchen, which did not close tightly, and drops dripped into the sink periodically. I was also guided by the recommendations and statistics on how significant the loss of water could be in the case of faulty plumbing (Stop Water Waste). Previously, I had not taken such measures since this was uncommon in my family, and I set out to assess the extent of my incorrect water use behavior.
Experiment
For seven days, I measured how much water I needed to take a bath in the morning and how much water I used to take a shower in the evening. I measured the figures on my home meter, which was as accurate as possible. In addition, I performed identical procedures with brushing in the morning (without turning off the water) and in the evening (with the water turned off and a rinse cup) by utilizing the same metering method. To estimate the water loss from a faulty kitchen faucet, I began to measure the flow before going to bed. During the first four evenings, I noted the meter readings, and four days later, I changed the faucet to a new one and performed the same actions during the same time.
Experiment Results
I assumed that I would be surprised by the results of the experiment, but they impressed me greatly. I noticed that I allowed the largest water loss during bathing, and after I began to take a shower, I started to consume about a third less water. In terms of brushing, the results were less significant, but I also noticed that I used less water per day. The smallest figures were obtained when evaluating the indicators of dripping and new faucets. I did not encounter any challenges during the research since all procedures were simple, apart from the time spent on changing the faucet in the kitchen.
Lessons Learned
I believe that to get more accurate data, I should have done a longer experiment. Nevertheless, I realized that many people were not aware of their harm to natural resources due to using water unwisely. I expected that the parameters of the water flow during taking a shower would be lower than during bathing. However, the consumption indicators during brushing were not significant to make loud conclusions. The same goes for the replaced faucet, but I am sure that the main reason is a limited period. If I had had an opportunity to track consumption figures for one month, I would have noticed how irrational my consumption of household water was.
Conclusion
I intend to continue to follow the rules that I set for myself during the goal-planning phase. Reducing household water consumption is a responsibility that does not require much effort. Changing my behavior can be an effective incentive and example for my peers and loved ones, which, in turn, will contribute to saving a valuable natural resource that people often waste without any restrictive measures.
Works Cited
Chen, Ying-Chu. “System Dynamics Evaluation of Household Water Use Behavior and Associated Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Environmental Costs: A Case Study of Taipei City.” Journal of Water Process Engineering, vol. 37, 2020, p. 101409.
“Saving Water while You Brush Your Teeth.”Beavers Dentistry, 2020.
“Stop Water Waste.”Washington State Department of Health, 2020.