Water use

[watervole]

 The average water consumption for people in the UK needs to come down as hotter summers increase the chance of drought.

"The EA said customers in England need to cut their water use by 2.5 billion litres a day by 2055 – down from an average of around 140 litres per person per day to 110 litres per day. "

I looked at our previous water bills.  In summer, we use around 150L and in winter, significantly than that, but that's the total usage for three adults and  a child who is with us for two days a week.

Which makes our individual water usage just under a third of the national average, and already within the target by a good margin.  And that includes some water for topping up the pond and watering some of the plants.

We're on a water meter and pay about £170 per year for the household.

We've become very good over the years, at not using a lot of water.

LAUNDRY

A lot of people wear an item once, and automatically chuck it in the laundry (I was completely unaware of this until a woman told me that she washed her teenage son's jeans every day)

Me?  If it isn't visibly dirty, and it doesn't smell when I sniff under the armpits, then it's back in the wardrobe, or wear for another day.

If you're selective in the fabrics you buy, you can dramatically reduce the need for laundry.

Linen is amazing.  It really doesn't pick up body smells at all - that's because it naturally wicks moisture away from the body, in a way that synthetic fabrics can't. 

I found this out while doing my English Civil War Reenactment.  The bottom layer of clothing for women is always a linen smock.  So, I made a linen smock.  I washed it once, to soften the fabric a little, then -having been told that it softened very nicely with wear, started to wear it as a nightie.  The most comfortable night garment I've ever worn.  I kept on wearing it, every night, waiting for it to get smelly.  It didn't. And the fabric now has a wonderful feel when you touch it (probably something to do with the natural oil in flax, but I don't know for sure)

Whereas if I wear something polyester based, it's often just one day's wear.

Cotton is very good as well - not quite so good as linen, but I can wear a cotton t-shirt as an under-layer and get quite a few days out of that before fails the sniff test.

What do you do to reduce your water consumption?

Comments

[watervole]

Drip irrigation is a good idea. I only wish there was a way to do that on our allotment. Until now, there's never been the need for it, but we're not used to having water shortages....

having said that, I think one major display garden near us may be using it. I'll have to look closer next time I visit.

You have really hot summers - I though you'd probably get sweatier than I do, especially as you do a lot of outdoor work.

We're reusing the water from washing the dishes on the garden. (we don't have a dishwasher)

Shame about Beechgrove.

Can you get Gardener's Question Time on the radio? (nothing like the same, but both relaxing and informative)

[ranunculus]

I can't get Gardener's Question Time at all. It is undoubtedly because there are broadcast licenses that would have to be purchased by stations on this side of the pond. There many not be enough interest to support that. I'm hoping that some day we will be able to choose and pay for the programing that we want and not all the rest. Seems like Brit Box is moving more and more to just murder mysteries. I like the occasional one, but not a steady diet of them.
I just added more drip line to one of my very long garden beds. Here is what you need to know if you ever do decide to do drip: Drip works best if the drip line does not go up or down hill. If a line does go up or down the lowest emitters will pour out lots of water while the high ones will barely ooze. It is possible to get "balancing" emitters that will help with this problem, but they can only do so much. Pay attention to the number of emitters on any one line. Too many emitters will reduce the gallons per hour delivery rate and it can mean that the emitters at the end of the line don't get the same amount of water as the ones at the beginning. The manufacturer generally lists thes things. (I know these things because I've made every mistake in the book...) Currently I have quick connect fittings on my drip lines so it is quick and easy to move the hosepipe from one to the next. I'm using quick connect equipment from an American company called Eley Hose Reels which is pretty expensive but very solidly built with a 10 year warrantee. I love their 2 way faucet splitters which are really 3 way...

[watervole]

Try the Internet Archive. I've just discovered it has all kinds of old Radio 4 programmes, including Gardener's Question Time, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, and probably far more!

Haven't yet searched for, but also try 'I'm Sorry I haven't a Clue' and 'Just a Minute' if you a fancy a bunch of very smart people playing very silly panel games.

Or 'In Our Time' for a programme that covers a different topic each week from science/arts/history and assumes it has an intelligent audience interested in hearing an in depth discussion with experts on a subject they may know little about. It stretches you, and never talks down to the audience. It's been running a very long time now.

https://archive.org/details/BBC_Radio_4_LW_20200103_150000?start=13