To raise awareness amongst the children of how much water they use each day.
Age group: Any
How long it will take: 30 minutes +
What materials you will need: Pencils and paper, Copies of the 'Water Use' worksheet
The aim of the activity: To raise awareness amongst the children of how much water they use each day. The processing and distribution of our water supply uses very large amounts of energy. Saving water is also a way to save energy.
What to do:
Introduce the group to the way in which water processing uses energy and draw the link that saving water helps to save energy and so combat climate change.
Hand out copies of the 'Water Use' worksheet. Get the group to make an estimate of how much water each of the tasks on the sheet takes.
Ask everyone to fill in the things they have/will use water for today. Help everyone to work out how much water they use every day.
Younger groups might like to draw a picture showing all the things they use water for each day.
Calculate how much water you use each day
In the chart below, fill in how many times you (or someone in your household) does each of the activities. Multiply it by the number of litres of water used each time and add up the total.
|
Activity |
How many times a day |
x |
Water used each time |
Total water used |
|
Brush you teeth |
x |
|||
|
Shower |
x |
|||
|
Bath |
x |
|||
|
Flush toilet |
x |
|||
|
Have a drink of water/tea/coffee |
x |
|||
|
Wash up pots by hand |
x |
|||
|
Use dishwasher |
x |
|||
|
Use washing machine |
x |
|||
|
Wash car |
x |
|||
|
Water lawn |
x |
|||
|
Total |
||||
The average person in the UK uses 334 litres of water per day. Is your total anywhere near this?
In Africa the average domestic use per person per day is 47 litres and in Asia it is 85 litres per day. In contrast in the United States people use 578 litres per day each.
Useful information on saving water can be found at: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Environmentandgreenerliving/Energyandwatersaving/DG_064370