Can we solve the water crisis if we stop eating pasta?
Reflections on the impact of individual actions
The instructions on the packaging say 1L of water to a 100g of pasta. But imagine if you could only use 2L of water to cook per day — would you continue eating it?
PS: some references in here are reserved to Mulan fans only.
Trying to find someone else to blame
Who is the guilty one when it comes to our water crisis? The Romans and their aqueducts? The cute dogs drinking water outside restaurants? The person who invented high-pressure cleaners?
I could continue with an extensive non-sense list of people who are responsible for the water crisis but what I believe is that we have a shared responsibility on this. So, before I move on with my diary, let's see a few things about global water use and stress.
Everything is connected
The amount of water we use daily is higher than the one we can individually measure. As the graph below clearly shows, someone’s water requirement varies depending on what he or she chooses to eat.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations,
Not only is necessary for us to change how we shower, wash, clean and even cook, but also what we eat and what we throw away. Food waste is also wasting water and the other resources that went into producing it.
Now think about this: your shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothpaste, detergent, cleaning products, laundry detergent, toilet paper, your pee and your crap — where are they all going to end up? What about the chemicals, plastics and other pollutants that are liberated into the water when you wash your synthetic clothes? And the pesticides to grow the food you are eating?
The water crisis is not only about quantity but also about quality, as clearly explained in this report by the World Bank. And we can do something about it by changing the products we buy. Just follow the label rule: if you can't understand it, is it really safe to use?
Day 9: Is it too late now to say sorry?
I was feeling bad after the washing machine day so why not start washing things by hand? It was when all went red: my "new" skirt that I had bought in a second-hand store started to release all its dye in the water and on my hands. After the panic of not knowing what to do, it came the panic of not knowing the safety of getting in contact with that chemical.
On top of that, I had to flush by pressing the button at home (panic face 3). Since my showers were getting quicker, I didn't have enough water to do it with the bucket.
Day 10: Unexpected outcomes
I haven’t been using facial cream for the past days because it was over but it seems I won't have to buy a new one. Although I don't get enough water to flush from quick showers, my skin and hair are more hydrated with less hot water on them.
Day 11: "A single grain of rice can tip the scale."
I will just appreciate this day where I met my goal and tell you something obvious but efficient: place a glass close to your bathroom sink to brush your teeth. You will know the amount you used + stop letting the water go to waste between your fingers.
Day 12: And I am feeling good.
My ears are more sensitive to water running from the tap. It bothers me that the tap and the shower allow us to use so much water in just a few seconds.
Anyway, I found a better restroom at university today because the flushing system uses less water. It made me feel better.
Going back to the start, my final reflection (for now) on individual actions is that one man or one woman may be the difference between victory and defeat.
