For so mebody building a new house or expanding an old one, here are ten things that need special focus and people are doing that already. Get a good roof designed and one means the outside of the roof. Solar photovoltaic panels, solar water heater, greywater treatment system and a garden on the terrace are a must have.
Rainwater harvesting is a must. Collect rainwater from a small, separate, especially clean roof only for drinking and cooking purpose. Store the rest in a sump after filtering. The excess can recharge the groundwater. Do not let a drop of rainwater leave the site. This will help prevent urban flooding as well as protect city roads.
Dig a well. If you have an old one on site, get it cleaned, remove silt. Let the excess rainwater from the sump into the well. In many places, the well will start to yield water and in any case by recharging rainwater into it you are doing good for the aquifers of the city. Use water-efficient devices. The new washing machine you buy must be both water and energy efficient. The taps and showers must be low flow ones. The WC should use no more than 5 litres for the big flush and 2 litres for the small flush. The tap in the kitchen sink or wherever the dishes are done should have more air than water.
Rethink the soaps, shampoos, detergents and cleaners in your house.
The ecological ones are plant based, do not contain phosphates and do not cause your city lakes to foam and froth yet leave you and your dishes and your clothes clean.
Dump every plastic bottle. Switch to glass or stainless steel. Plastics are wreaking havoc on the body and the environment.
Leave plenty of open spaces around and nurture the soil. Soil is what allows biodiversity and helps grow food for us which is nutritious. Make sure you give earthworms a place in your life. Grow your own vegetables and do make space for some flowers.
Make your home a zero-waste one. Minimise the use of disposables. Reduce, reuse, recycle and rethink every purchase you make.
Adopt a park, a lake, the road in front of your home, anything beyond the private and personal. Become part of a community and do your bit to make the neighbourhood a better place.
Our rivers and our fo rests are going because our cities are growing. The simple is the profound. Make the world you occupy a slightly better place than what it was. That would be water wisdom.
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