Water is a basic human right. We need water to grow food and replenish our body. Why then does the California water crisis have only few worried? Like all natural resources, water is no exception to the “tragedy of the commons.” Survival is a basic human instinct, prompting us to maximize our personal consumption of resources like water, food, and land.
In the United States, the average person consumes 100 gallons of water per day, equivalent to a medium sized jacuzzi. We certainly aren’t drinking all of this water or solely using it to grow food in our backyard. More than half of the water used is for landscaping and construction.
There is no other industry that pollutes water more than construction, ranging from quiete suburban homes to high rise commercial buildings. Countless oil, debris, chemicals, and paints, enter the water supply and contaminate aquifers. Thus, for a building to be sustainable it must incorporate water conservation methods throughout the entire life-cycle of a building. Water conservation methods used in green buildings include; harvesting rainwater for toilet flushing, washing machines, and gardening; installing low-flush toilets, aerators, and shower heads; and using air-to-water systems. Landscaping can also contribute to improvements in water conservancy. The principles of xeriscape provide for a low-maintenance yard through drought-resistant lawns, plants, and installing drip irrigation or rain-barrel catchment systems.
There are significant ways in which society can preserve water, from environmental protection policies to green building techniques. If we don’t act now, eventually we will deplete our surface and groundwater to the point beyond nature’s ability to replenish itself. Remember, “nature has no reset buttons,” meaning we cannot afford to waste water, the most basic resource we need to survive
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