Why we need to rethink our water consumption

"The sustainable use of water, and this also applies to all other natural resources, is not a problem that we as a society can only throw at the departments of science, politics or economics to solve. This is one of the core questions of an emerging global culture that affects every human being and will determine our survival." Mauser 2007:20

water scarcity and water wastage

All indications are that the global drinking water situation is getting worse. 2.2 billion people worldwide do not have regular access to clean water and around 785 million people do not even have a basic supply of drinking water. The problem of water scarcity is exacerbated by the unequal regional distribution of water: most industrialized countries are located in water-rich regions of the world, while the average water availability in African countries, for example, is below the critical limit.

The largest water consumption occurs in agriculture. This is where 70 percent of the world's drinking water supplies are consumed. This is often due to outdated irrigation technology or one that is not adapted to the conditions. The choice of seed is also made more on the basis of economic considerations and not on the basis of climatic conditions. The result is high but avoidable water losses.

Bottled water - a marketing ploy

Where there is too little of in many countries, the population in Germany is provided with plenty: water is not scarce in this country. We shower with water, we cook with water, we drink water without thinking about how much of it we have left the next day.

With regard to water consumption in the Federal Republic, one cannot help but look at the vast quantities of plastic bottles in the supermarkets. Tap water is usually just as healthy as bottled water - in some cases it is even better to drink tap water. Numerous studies have shown that plastic is not exactly healthy.

The question arises: why are so many people still willing to spend money on bottled water, when they actually get tap water delivered to their own homes for a thousand times cheaper? Critics call bottled water one of the best marketing ploys of our time. In fact, at least they suspect that the term "table water" hides an extremely overpriced, carbonated tap water..

Therefore, an ecologically and economically intelligent approach is needed, a transformation of water consumption.

A tip: tap - an association that drives the transformation of water consumption

The ​CO₂ footprint of Germans could be reduced enormously by switching to drinking water from the tap. The association a tip: tap eV advocates drinking tap water in order to save plastic waste, CO₂ and money. Samuel Höller, founder and board member of the association a tip: tap eV, talks to us about how to become a tap water activist, about the water transition and what the association is doing.

At the first virtual Entrepreneurship Summit - from October 9th to 11th, 2020 - Samuel Höller, among others, in the impulse group " Against Plastic Litter in Water " will address the water transition and how we can curb our plastic waste. This year's guiding principle "The Great Transformation" is reflected in all of our program items. Together we must find new, practical solutions to our growing economic challenges. Be an inspiration and be inspired!

Get your ticket now and become part of the movement!

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Quellen: agrarheute.com / reset.org / unicef.de / utopia.de / wwf.de