Saving Water at Work
World Water Day is coming up later this month on March 22, so we’re talking about saving water at work this month!
3 Reasons Why Saving Water is a Key Environmental Issue
- It’s important to prevent future water shortages, which are a real possibility here in the UK!
- It’s ranked #46 on the Drawdown list of 100 solutions to reverse global warming, as it cuts emissions from heating and transporting water. (Did you know hot water is responsible for a quarter of residential energy use worldwide?)!
- It’s also listed in the Good Life Goals, meaning it’s one of the most effective and accessible actions all of us can take to achieve SDG #6: Clean Water and Sanitation.
The UK’s hidden water habits…
Polling by Hubbub discovered that 76% of UK households are not concerned about the amount of water they use and only a third feel they could use less water if needed. But secrets lurk behind bathroom doors…
While it’s recommended that we spend 4 minutes in the shower, we discovered that people spend an average of 9 minutes in the shower. Londoners have the most indulgent showers, taking on average 11 minutes, whilst those in the North East are speediest, at just 7 minutes.
The good news is that the main cause of excessive water use is a lack of awareness, rather than a lack of willingness to change or do things differently. So what can we do?
5 Simple ways to save water throughout the day
Shower
Shorten your shower.Aim for 4 minutes per day. That’s enough time for a run through Rihanna’s “Umbrella”.
Teeth
Turn the tap off. Shutting the tap off when cleaning your teeth will save 6 litres per minute. That’s something to smile about.
Toilet
Use the dual flush. We don’t want to spell this out for you, but the little button is for the liquid, and the large button is for everything else.
Clothes
Wait until you have a full load before doing the laundry.Two half loads use more water and energy than one full, so don’t be fooled.
Dishes
Use a bowl.Washing up with a bowl or filling the basin uses 60% less water than leaving the tap running.
Get your colleagues on board
Start a conversation
Our #TapChat campaign, in partnership with Affinity Water, aimed to uncover hidden water habits, both at home and at work. We found that “myth-busters” and “fun facts” were an effective way to get people to “confess” about their own behaviours and habits. We also found it impactful to have people consider the value of water and what life would be like if it was in short supply (you can’t have tea without the hot water!)
Continue the conversation
There is a need for ongoing communications and support to ensure lasting change. We’ve found that nudges and reminders work well over time to encourage changes in behaviour. This includes stickers in the loo at the tap reminding people to turn off the tap.
Offer simple, tangible solutions
Any call to action has to be simple and solutions need to fit into people’s everyday lives. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. People have to be given a range of solutions, and will adopt those that suit their lifestyle. We created the #TapChat quiz to help people identify what type of water user they were, with water-saving tips tailored to each type of user.
Present the business case
Saving water has a big impact on facilities budgets. Water bills can range from up to £1,000 for small businesses to £8,000 for medium-sized businesses per year. Find out what that saving from improved water efficiency, let’s say a 5% reduction in water use per person, could mean for your organisation.
Remove barriers to change
All water companies offer their clients free water-saving devices (such as shower timers). Making people aware of this service, and even having them ready to pick up at the office, will increase the likelihood people make an effort to reduce water use, at home and the office.
Reach out to your sustainability, facilities and internal comms teams to get the ball rolling!
Sustainability Team
They have the mandate and expertise to support environmentally-friendly projects.
Facilities Team
They might be interested in an opportunity to cut costs!
Internal Comms Team
They’ll have access to the channels to reach everyone at your organisation, as well as design skills to create brand-aligned comms.
Good luck, and get in touch if you’d like to find out how Hubbub can support your business!
Follow our monthly blog series #HubbubAtWork for practical tips to create greener, more sustainable practices in the workplace.
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Originally published at https://www.linkedin.com on March 4, 2019.
