When we turn on the tap it feels like we have an infinite supply of water, we put the kettle on then have to re-boil it because we got distracted and forgot to make the tea. We like to have nice deep baths and we do numerous clothes washes a week. Do we give this much thought? 

We may not even be aware that over 97% of the water on the planet is seawater, too salty for us as humans! The percentage of fresh water on this planet available for our use is actually really small. 

At the Hub this month we have been focusing on sustainability, and reading around this week I’ve been interested to see the term “water security”. I have often seen the phrase ‘food security’ but haven’t come across it in relation to water before.  When you think about the statistics above, it is actually really easy to see why we might have water insecurity. Perhaps that feeling that we have unlimited access to water is making us complacent?

So, what is water insecurity, and how do we make our water more sustainable?

Water insecurity is not having reliable access to adequate quantities of acceptably clean water. This, we know, is, unfortunately, something which many countries in the world experience on a daily basis. If we are to help solve the water crises we all need to support charities that are building wells, toilets, and filtration systems where they are needed.

We all need to value water

Here in the UK, it can feel like we don’t have any problem with water. In fact, it’s easy not to give water a second thought. But we should have a responsibility to be more mindful with what we use and to help solve water insecurity elsewhere in the world. 

We have two connecting issues to work with: water consumption and energy usage related to that. The less water we use, the less we will waste and the less energy we will use too. We cannot be complacent with water if there are people living with barely any access to it. Charities such as Water Aid (www.wateraid.org/uk) are working hard to provide clean water around the world. By supporting work such as this, and making changes in our own homes, we will together address the water issues facing us globally today.

What can I do at home to help save water and energy?

The most important thing we can do at home is waste as little water as possible. By reducing our wastage, we save energy and reduce our carbon footprint. With less wastage, there would be more water available for animals and plants in the environment and we would create less pollution. Water scarcity leads to crop failures with all the knock-on effects of this such as food shortages and price rises.

Fortunately, there are a few easy things we can all do at home which make a significant difference to our water consumption and the amount of energy we use in connection with our water usage.

Friends of the Earth have some suggestions to help:

Turn off Taps – simple! Specifically, when we are brushing our teeth. Just turn off that tap when not using it!

Shower without the power – power showers can use so much water. You can swap to a water-saving shower head and reduce your water consumption by gallons. And by cutting your shower time by just one minute you can also save gallons of water a month.

Run less washes – two half loads of laundry use more energy and water than one full load. So save up that laundry until you have a full load and look to see if your washing machine has an eco wash setting to boot. Remember to use an environmentally friendly laundry detergent for maximum benefit.

Think about food waste – Growing food takes a huge amount of water and energy, don’t put all that to waste by chucking it in the bin! Try to minimise food waste by meal planning where possible, and using up leftovers. A lot of food waste can be composted (see last week’s blog!) and this helps reduce the waste impact.

Watering the garden – When the garden needs watering in the warmer weather, watering at the beginning or the end of the day, when it is cooler, means the water doesn’t evaporate like it does in the heat of the day, it can get down to the roots of the plants and do the best work. This means you don’t need to use so much water.

Water butts – collecting rainwater is brilliant because it is better for the plants than tap water and saves wasting water. Just remember to keep the water butt covered so animals and insects cannot get trapped. To give them a drink safely, leave shallow bowls of water out but put stones in so insects can crawl out.

Low flush toilets – like water-saving showerheads, if you are planning to upgrade your bathroom, choose a low flush toilet for effortless water-saving!

Use a dishwasher – a full dishwasher load is a better option than washing up by hand. And less effort!

Consider what we are eating – The amount of water and energy used in food growing and preparation varies greatly. High consumers are meat and dairy products, almond milk, and growing avocados. By buying local low-impact produce we can make a big difference.

Kettle – we all know we should only boil what we need, we just need to do it!

Steam veggies – it uses less water than boiling (and helps retain nutrients too), or if we do boil veg, we can use the water once cooled to water plants.

Check your household plumbing – in case of leaks and know where the stop valve is! In case of flood!

Check where you invest money – check the credentials of companies you invest in and make sure that they are not polluting waterways and are not causing water wastage.

It may feel like we are not doing much, as these are small changes. But if enough of us put the effort in then we will save gallons and gallons of water over a year, and on top of that, we will save energy too.

As a nation, we can address wastage in agriculture and plumbing, and work together on restoring and protecting our ecosystems. All this really needs to happen alongside helping and supporting countries that have water insecurity.

Then, collectively, we will have a more sustainable and beneficial relationship with water.

Many of us are keen to help those affected by the war in Ukraine, and it’s important that any money or material help we give does get to those who need it.

Here is a compilation of trusted national charities where you can donate, of course, this list is not exhaustive and there are many small, local groups and charities too, usually accessed via local Facebook groups.

The Ukrainian Embassy has set up a fund named ‘With Ukraine’ where people can donate via PayPal or bank transfer. They will spend donations on humanitarian assistance for civilians, and medical and military supplies for the army in Ukraine. https://www.withukraine.org/

Also, the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain is raising money for medicine, food, and other essentials. https://augb.co.uk/

And here are some major charitable organisations you can donate to:

1. The British Red Cross are helping the Ukrainian Red Cross provide food, medicine, clothing and shelter along with first aid training.
2. The UNHCR refugee agency are funding emergency shelters, repairs to homes, emergency cash assistance, psychological support and warm clothing. https://www.unrefugees.org.uk/
3. Unicef United Kingdom is collecting for families who need clean water and food, and helping to provide welfare for children. https://www.unicef.org.uk/
4. Save The Children is helping those crossing borders and providing cash assistance, food and other support. https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/
5. The Disasters Emergency Committee is a group of 15 aid charities which is supervising this appeal. The government will double all donations to this appeal up to a total of £20m. https://www.dec.org.uk/ Click on the pic below for more info about each of the individual charities.

And of course, although Ukraine is at the top of our headlines at the moment we mustn’t forget about all the refugees from other conflicts around the world. The DEC is also raising money for the situation in Afghanistan and other conflicts if you want to give to them as well.

With the focus on sustainability this month at the Harmonious Hub, I wanted to look more in-depth at composting.  I think it is perhaps overlooked or underestimated, but it is actually a really important way to live sustainably, help the natural cycles of the earth and create good environments for plants and insects. It also makes wasted food more meaningful than just dumping it in the bin. Plus, when you get going with your composting you’ll almost never have to lug those big plastic bags of compost back from the garden centre again!

We might think it’s fine to put our food waste in the bin because it biodegrades, right? Well, not quite. The food waste that is sent to landfill is usually mixed and compressed with other waste and so it doesn’t get enough air to decompose properly. The result of this is that methane is produced instead, a greenhouse gas that causes global warming.

Composting at home is a good way to help live a sustainable lifestyle.  Not only does it keep rotting food out of our bins, it produces a beautiful ‘black gold’ soil conditioner, helping you grow great veg and plants – a truly circular process. You’ll be doing your garden a huge favour by returning nutrient-rich food to it and helping it keep its pH balance.

How do I get started?

First, buy a compost bin or find an area you can make a compost heap. It should be in a sunny spot not too near your house.

I’ve been composting at home a couple of years now. Where we live doesn’t have a food waste collection so I felt bad putting food waste into the bin. I also have an allotment a short walk away but decided to compost at home just for the ease of only having to transport the food waste to the bottom of my garden. I have cats so I’ve never had a problem with rats or mice being attracted to the compost heap, but if you just avoid composting dairy, meat, and cooked food and also regularly visit and turn your compost heap this greatly reduces the likelihood of rodent visitors.

 I bought a special bin from my council website, just a basic one with a removable lid like a dustbin and a flap at the bottom to extract the compost. If you get into composting there are all kinds of fancy composters available to buy, but it’s perfectly possible to make great compost on a small budget. Many people up at the allotment have a simple cornered off section as a compost heap, if it’s a decent size you can do ‘hot composting’ which means there is enough bulk to allow warming. This means that weeds and seeds are heated to the point they cannot germinate again – very useful if you are putting the compost back on your garden.

Make sure the ground under the compost bin is soil, and dig it over with a fork first. This helps the worms and other insects find their way in. If you know anyone with a compost heap and they are able to give you a little of their compost to start you off that’s a big bonus.

What can I compost?

Learn from my mistake the first time I composted – you can’t just chuck anything in!
There are a few rules to follow to make the best compost, and this is getting a balance between ‘browns’ and ‘greens’.

Greens are nitrogen-rich materials such as veg and fruit waste, grass clippings (ideally dried out a little first), old plants, coffee grounds, tea bags, and so on. You can put weeds in if you are sure they are annual (ie. not the sort that comes back year after year). It’s the greens that make the initial heat to get the composting going.

Browns are carbon-rich materials such as fallen leaves, cardboard (make sure there’s no packing tape stuck to it and tear cardboard boxes down to smaller pieces), eggshells, paper towels, wood ash, woody prunings, and straw.

The right mix is 50% greens to 50% browns

Remember that compost needs air, otherwise, we risk creating the methane that is produced in landfills, so keep your pile aerated.

So much of our everyday waste can be composted! You can keep a check on your heap and make sure it isn’t getting too wet or dry (if too wet, add more browns, if too dry, add more greens or water), and turn it over regularly with a garden fork. Before long your compost heap will be teaming with life; worms, fruitfly larva, slugs, and so on – all happily munching away and turning your waste into something much more useful. It’s a whole ecosystem!

How long does it take?

I found that my compost took about a year in total, although if you put the effort in you can reduce that time considerably. By adding smaller pieces that break down faster, turning the pile more often, and keeping the compost in a warmer spot you will speed up the process. If you are adding fresh material regularly (like me) then don’t mix it in with the already partially rotted material at the bottom, this will slow the whole process down. I found that after about 9 months I could use the bottom layer of my compost but had to wait longer for the rest. You will know it’s ready when it looks and smells like rich, dark earth, with a crumbly texture.

There is a huge sense of satisfaction using your own compost to grow your own veg and plants, and it’s something almost anyone can do. Even if you do not have a garden you can buy indoor composting systems, they are small, compact, and although expensive, you may feel the benefits offset the cost.

This morning I opened my compost bin lid to put some old plants in and it was wonderful to see it teeming with life, the gorgeous dark compost being created by a process that creates benefit for hundreds of insects, my garden, and the world around me.

If you are interested, why not start now? This time next year you will be reaping the benefits.

Check out www.gardenorganic.org.uk/compost  and www.lesswaste.org.uk/compost/home-composting for more info.