Ways to purify the water we use
Ten steps which aid the decrease of the runoff and the water pollution
Not only the agriculture producers and the factories are to be blamed for the damage done to the environment. The households all over the world conduct to the water pollution. When there are rains, different solvents, fertilizers used in the gardens as well as pet waste are washed away and find their way to rivers and lakes whose liquid content we use for drinking, swimming, sailing or fishing. Sometimes inadequately storing dangerous materials, we unknowingly do a lot of harm to nature. Fortunately, the problem is far from insoluble. We, the people can take steps to alleviate the present situation.
In the yard of the house or the apartment building you live in
- Try to reduce the impermeable areas around your dwelling. If there is not a lot of concrete around, then the amount of runoff will be in insignificant and respectively harmless amounts. Not only will this be environmentally friendly but our surroundings will be more beautiful. For instance, flowers and other plants combined with brick or paving stones walkways look way better than the gray concrete. Try redirecting the drainpipes and gutters so that they are away from the building and close to the vegetation areas.
- The better choice for you will be some natural plants. They are better suited to drought, furthermore, they are cheaper to take care of and are the ideal habitat for various types of butterflies and birds. If you use natural fertilizers such as manure or compost or peat, the growth of the plant will be accelerated and the soil will be enriched too. Composting is easy, there are numerous guides on how to make it without a lot of efforts and, and it is also good for the environment.
- Make sure your garden is not over-irrigated. The watering should not be overdone and needs to be within the reasonable limits because nowadays more than twenty billion litres are squandered just for a day while there are people who have nothing to drink. You have to be sensible enough to know and, if not, you need to educate yourself on how much your plants need. Sprinklers are not so efficient as the different slow-watering ways such as drip irrigation systems or the soaker hoses. Using the latter, you will prevent waste which is more than beneficial for nature. Finally, if you perform watering early in the morning or after sunset, the amount of evaporation will be greatly reduced.
At home
- There are multiple opportunities for a proper waste disposal. Recycle when possible, the pet waste needs to be disposed of away from drains. Make sure to never flush rubbish which is not degradable. Such negligent attitude damages the processes related to the sewage treatment and will result in the appearance of the waste on the beaches for example.
- The hazardous products used in almost every household also need careful disposal. Paints, insecticides and any hazardous products have to be kept away from the sinks and the toilet. Some of the products we use to make our houses better-looking places are made of dangerous substances. Cresol, ammonia, petroleum distillates, sodium hypochlorite or formaldehyde are some of them and they all may turn out to be harmful contaminants. The signal in the respective bodies if you witness the improper disposal of such products. Another thing which needs care is the proper disposal of pharmaceutical products because if they are flushed, they may be present in the drinking water. The best way is instead of being thrown away, the medicines or personal care products left to be returned if there are such ”take- back” establishments.
- Nowadays there are a lot of non-toxic products. Although most of the times they are more expensive, the price is negligible when you realise that they are better for both the people and the entire environment.
The Car Maintenance
After the regular motor oil change- recycle what is left and not going to be used. Before pouring it on the ground or the gutter, think about the fact that only slightly above a litre of it is able to contaminate more than a million litres of water that you may drink. If there is no place to dispose of the motor oil around, you can ask about any in the store if there are recycling options. For the sake of your own safety and the one of the environment maintain your motor vehicle so as to avoid leaking of dangerous fluids such as oil, antifreeze or coolant.- Do not waste when washing your car. It is not going to be cheaper nor more professional. The car-wash establishments will take care and the waste will go into the special sewer system in which it is appropriately treated before being discharged. Furthermore, if you still insist on washing your car yourself- you can make use of the various waterless car care products available on the market everywhere.
In The Community
- The effort to keep the environment safe and clean need to be joint and involve all members of the society. That is why along with being conscientious yourself, identify and try to prevent others from damaging our surroundings. There are governmental environmental agencies and you are able to easily connect with them if necessary.
- We are all part of nature, if we preserve it, we make it better for us and the ones who are to come after us. That is why we need to be aware of the water problems at least in the place where we live. As citizens, we have the right to demand controlling activities and protection of the aquatic life. We pay taxes and there are officials responsible for keeping the towns and cities free from pollution but this should not prevent us from taking part in volunteer campaigns aimed at cleaning up rivers, lakes, springs and other aquatic areas.