This image says a lot. Water consumption is profligate and a pervasive issue across this country. If we think that we use 66 liters of water per day per person, then our thinking is completely skewed. A conventional toilet uses 13 L of water when you flush it. Many of us drink upwards of 2 liters of water per day. Showering, cooking and washing our dishes easily adds well over 100 L of water used per day. Add up the facts and stats and we're already well over 66 L of water. As much as Maude Barlow would disagree with the pricing and metering of water, it certainly enforces a conservation ethic which is badly needed.
Water consumption habits are egregious across urban centres in Canada. Managing water and knowing how much it costs to be delivered to our homes allows us to see the true value of it. Environment and economics are crucial here as we must recognize water as a vital and finite natural resource and as a human right, but additionally we must think about its scarcity and how pricing the resource in urban settings can allow citizens to re-think their water consumption habits.
Key message: Cheap water leads to more demand. Canadians have the highest per capita consumption of water in the world. 66 L of water per day is completely different than 439 L of water per day per person. Our perception of water consumption must change in order to conserve our water resources and maintain an adequate supply for future generations.
As Zetland preaches: Some for free. Pay for more.
ReplyDelete