Try #conservation

Sustainability is a multifaceted concept, and water conservation plays a big part in bringing that concept to life. Sustainable planning is key to helping us ready ourselves for what may come in the future. Our global population is growing, consumption is on the rise, and water is essential to human life.

According to Environment Canada, the average household uses water in the following fashion:

Toilet flushing – 30%
Showers and baths – 35%
Laundry – 20%
Kitchen and drinking – 10%
Cleaning – 5%

In Manitoba, it is a luxury when we turn on our taps, clean, fresh water fills our glasses (with the exception of course of some brown water issues we had earlier this year). It is a luxury that we have organizations, governments, and leaders who are protecting our bodies of water, and it is a luxury that we live in Canada and have access to a seemingly limitless water supply.

“The objective of Manitoba’s water conservation policies is to conserve and manage the lakes, rivers, groundwater and wetlands of Manitoba so as to protect the ability of the environment to sustain life and provide environmental and economic benefits, along with other values to existing and future generations.” – Government of Manitoba

Water is not a limitless resource. Our throw-away society makes it easy to neglect the impact throwing away has – because it’s become a norm. It’s both a wasteful, and selfish way to live – something Canadians are not known for.

Protecting our environment, and our water supply is essential.
To find out more about wetlands, water use efficiency, and how the Province is working to improve our water, check out the Water Information page.

Go learn something!

-Enjoy the ride.

Try drinking more water

-Try adding ice, cucumbers or fresh berries to your water to change things up.-

Feeling more tired than usual? Random muscle cramps? Can’t focus? Always cold?

You might be dehydrated.

You need to take in as many fluids as you lose throughout the day. The eight-glass rule isn’t a solid rule, it’s more of a guideline.

Livestrong.com says “The belief that you need eight glasses of water every day probably originated with a report by the National Academy of Sciences during the 1940s, suggests an article in the September 2005 Harvard Medical School “HealthBeat.” The report recommended 1 mL of water for every calorie burned. If you burn 2,000 calories daily, you need 2 L of water every day or eight 8-oz. glasses. Your water could come from food, other beverages and your own metabolism.”

Think about how much activity you do in a day. Exercising, walking and going up and down flights stairs are all busy tasks. But sitting, focusing, concentrating and studying also use up the energy the fluids in your body help produce as well.

Take a moment to think about whether you’re thirsty or not.

Are you? Then you’ve already been depriving your body too long. It’s asking you to take notice.

The Mayo Clinic says “Dehydration occurs when there isn’t enough water to replace what’s lost throughout the day. Your system literally dries out.”

The clinic identifies the following as the most common mild symptoms of dehydration.

• Dry, sticky mouth
• Sleepiness or tiredness
• Thirst
• Decreased urine output
• Few or no tears when crying
• Dry skin
• Headache
• Dizziness or lightheadedness

You may have severe dehydration if you experience these symptoms:

• Extreme thirst
• Irritability or confusion
• Very dry mouth and skin
• Lack of sweating
• Little or no urination
• Sunken eyes
• Low blood pressure
• Rapid heartbeat
• Rapid breathing
• No tears when crying

I know I don’t drink 8 glasses everyday, and I find myself increasingly thirsty towards the end of the evening.

I found a list of tips for drinking more water. Here are my top 5:

*At home always keep a glass of water handy while watching TV, doing laundry, making dinner or surfing the net.

*Have a big glass of water at every transitional point of the day: When you first get up, before you leave the house, when you sit down to work, when you go to lunch…

*Room temperature water is better if you’re dehydrated. Your body absorbs it more quickly.

*You can also try keeping water cold. I think it tastes better and your body will burn some calories bringing it to body temperature.

*Track it. Give yourself a reward for teaching yourself to drink more water every day!

How do you drink your water? Do you add a lemon? Do you drink from a nifty reusable bottle? How do you stay motivated?
Let’s chat.

-Enjoy the ride.