40 Gallon Challenge

Alright guys, time to get real.  We’re in a drought. 

Gee thanks, Annaliese, I had no idea, I’ve only been hearing about it on the news for, like, ever.  

Well, I know, me too, but it’s serious.  Check out this Interactive Map of the U.S.Drought by NPR.  It’s a time-scale map of how much of the country has been or is in a drought over the past year. 

It’s hard to believe.  Some of the drought in the past few years has been influenced by the climate in the States.  What I wonder, is how much of our water shortage could be controlled by each of us conserving water in our own homes?  Maybe a few gallons, say, ten or so?  

That’s what I thought at first.  But after helping run a Project WET program called “The Long Haul,” I gained a better understanding of just how much water we use per day.  The average American family of four can use 400 gallons a day. A DAY.  That’s about 9.5 standard bathtubs full of water.  Those in other countries that walk to their water every day use about 5 gallons a day, so let’s say around 20 gallons for a family of four.  That means we use about 20 times more water per day here than those without plumbing.

So, what’s with all these numbers being thrown at you?  I know it’s a lot to take in, but bear with me, because the point is here.

Use less water.

Join me in the nationwide 40 Gallon Challenge this month.  Take a pledge to save water using tips listed online.  You’ll see lots of information on the website, but I’ll break it down for you here:

Nationwide, people are filling out online pledge cards that have conservation recommendations for households.  This pledge system is designed for two reasons: 1) to conserve the community’s water supply, and 2) so you can see a difference in your water-bill.  Most water bills are tiered by the 1000 gallons.  If you do the math, the 40 gallon challenge pledge to save 40 gallons a day, for 30 days, is 1200 gallons, which could knock you down a tier on your bill.  So, if you see that you’re already doing some of these conservation tips, don’t pledge to “do them,” because you’re already saving yourself some money, and you won’t be able to accurately track your pre and post-40gallon challenge savings.

I’m not trying to say: hey, don’t waste water, think about all those people in the world who don’t have any…but just consider that they can get by on 20 times less water than the average American.  Consider that we share our water with our farmers, with the industrial plants, with the vegetation, with the animals, and with each other.  Things could get tense around here if we run out, which is the understatement of the year, so just consider what you can do to help keep our blue planet blue.

I challenge you to take the 40 gallon challenge, and I want you to let me know when you do.

Annaliese Ashley-Intern