Community Engagement

Going Green at 70 Blog Posts tips to save water

Email Nancy MacRae, author of "Going Green at 70" at 

(August 1st, 2023)

Hi Green Beans,

It’s time to talk about water.

Water is something we take for granted. My favourite line from a movie is when Diane Keaton in “Baby Boom” explains to her plumber – when she turns on the tap she wants water, she doesn’t want to know where it comes from. I was a little bit like that character when I first moved back to New Glasgow. I didn’t worry much about the power I was using nor the water. I wasn’t too concerned about the plastic or if cans really did have BPA in the liners. I also didn’t wonder if my shower curtain contained PVC. And I certainly never thought about all the products going in or on my person! But all that changed. Now I am more diligent, which brings me to water.

According to The World Counts:

Unless water use is drastically reduced, severe water shortage will affect the entire planet by 2040. "There will be no water by 2040 if we keep doing what we're doing today". - Professor Benjamin Sovacool, Aarhus University, Denmark.

I’ll be 90 by then – I know, I have always been a very optimistic person! And if I’m right I need to know that I’m doing my bit to not waste the water.

So why are we in this mess:

  • Climate change is causing droughts.
  • We’re using tons of it to produce electricity.
  • Again, according to The World Counts - it takes 24,000 liters of water to produce just one kilo of chocolate and more than 15,000 liters of water to produce one kilo of beef.
  • Never mind the amount of water used to create clothing.

I am happy to say, I bought my first rain barrel last summer. This year I may add another one and connect the two. What do I do with my rain water:

  • Obviously, I water all my indoor and outdoor plants.
  • Using the hose, I will wash my car.
  • I will be able to rinse down lawn furniture and the deck.
  • There is always a bowl in my sink to rinse bottles or cans before re-cycling them.
  • You can do a quick rinse before loading the dishwasher.
    • I use the dishwasher once a week and although you need to do a wee rinse, you do not need to use tap water.
    • In the winter when I don’t have the rain barrel, I save the water from boiled vegetables and use that to do a quick rinse of dishes.

I haven’t figured out how to rig it up as a shower but stay tuned!

Other things I try to do:

  • Don’t just run water. I don’t turn on the tap until I am ready to rinse after brushing my teeth or washing my hands or face.
  • I have quicker showers than I used to.
  • I don’t boil a full kettle to make one cup of tea.

This quote kind of sums it up for me:

"I have one life and one chance to make it count for something … My faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference." - Jimmy Carter

It’s very rewarding when you find your passion; something that makes you happy when you wake in the morning. I found mine! Plus, it sure makes retirement…. joyful!

Until next time, stay green….