[social_warfare]Picture this: your morning coffee, the tap water you use to brush your teeth, your shower water, the food you prepare for breakfast—even the ice in your freezer—riddled with deadly contaminants. And that’s just the beginning.
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WHY WE NEED CLEAN WATER
(Read: NEED, not want.) It’s safe to say: clean water is important. Each and every day, we use more than we probably think—a minimum of 20 to 50 liters—for drinking, food preparation and personal hygiene. The liters we use every day must be clean to reduce health risks, dehydration, and act as a preventative medicine for our bodies.
However, clean water isn’t just for the home—it’s in our schools, offices, places you travel, medical institutions and restaurants. So what if there were no clean water available anywhere?
Some 650 million people in the world do not have access to clean drinking water. This means contaminated baby formula, bathing water, drinking water, you name it—which continues the cycle of poverty, and can be deadly.
WHAT AVEDA DOES
Every April during Earth Month, Aveda donates 100% of the purchase price of Light the Way candles to Global Greengrants Fund for clean water projects around the world. By partnering with Global Greengrants, Aveda can support funding for 1,700 of their 10,000+ ongoing projects—all thanks to you.
- In June 2014, Uganda Women’s Water Initiative received a $2,500 grant funded by the proceeds from Aveda Earth Month. It was used to teach local mothers how to construct biosand filters by layering sand, gravel and stones of various textures inside containers. When water is poured into these filters and trickles down to the bottom, 99% of the bacteria is removed.
- A $5,000 grant helped the Pohnuh Women’s Organization build a 1,500-gallon water tank, which pipes water to each household throughout the day.
- Ekatra: Society for Development Alternatives for Women used a $6,953 grant to train local artisans how to use natural dyes. This helps protect rivers, preserve traditional culture and safeguard the health of local people.
And they’re not stopping these initiatives any time soon.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
The less water used or wasted, the less clean water will become contaminated. While there are countless ways to conserve, we’ve compiled a few of our favorite swaps to save you time and money, and of course—lower your personal water waste.
Save Water, Use Dry Shampoo
If you cut just three minutes from your usual shower time, you’ll save an average of six gallons of water. Take it a step further by incorporating dry shampoo into your hair care routine, because let’s get real—do you really need to wash your hair every single day? Aveda Shampure Dry Shampoo revives hair, absorbs excess oil and leaves you feeling refreshed. How’s that for second- (and third-) day hair?
Buy Vintage
It takes 1,800 gallons of water to grow enough cotton to make one pair of jeans. Instead of making a beeline to your nearest department store for new spring denim, check out your nearest vintage or consignment store—in most cases, you’ll save a few bucks, too! (Vintage Levi’s are all the rage nowadays, anyway.)
Turn It Off
Whether it’s brushing your teeth, washing your hands, cutting your showers short—turn it off. Not just your faucets, either—be conservative with your lights and other electrical usage, too. Little by little, it makes a big difference (in your water bill, and the bigger picture).
Go Meatless on Mondays
It took 660 gallons of water to make that burger you picked up for lunch last week. A healthier, more sustainable swap couldn’t be more simple—go meatless on Mondays! Bean burritos, chick-pea salads and veggie bowls galore, it’s proof that cutting out meat one day a week doesn’t have to be boring—rather, it’s exceptionally delicious.
TAKE ACTION
It can be as simple as becoming intentional with your water usage, or as affirmative as policy change. Finding ways to incorporate sustainable living in your daily life is easy—all it takes is a little bit of thoughtful planning, and a whole lot of heart for our Mother Earth. (And all of those that live on it.)
To learn more about conserving water and how you can help, stop in Anaala Salon and Spa in Madison to see us!
