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Stephanie Schmidt, MSU Student

Guest Blog: Water Usage


Colorado River Delta

My name is Stephanie, I am a Biology Major and a water studies minor. I am fascinated how everything in life connects through water. I think it is important to consider our relationship with this precious resource and the sustainability of our future supply. Sustainability is a holistic practice, meaning it views the properties of a system as a whole through their interconnectedness. There is a connection with saving water and reducing trash, just like reusing products and being environmentally friendly. The Auraria Sustainable Campus Program (ASCP) has enacted many water conservation practices on our campus. We have over 35 filtered water bottle filling stations throughout the campus. As students, it is important for us to be well hydrated to stay focused in class and on our schoolwork. If you have filled your water bottle at one of these stations then you know that the water tastes good and it is convenient to fill up your reusable water bottle. This helps us save money while we invest in a sustainable practice, rather than spending money on single use water bottles. There is a greater global impact for this simple choice, it reduces pollution to our environment and reduces the demand for the privatization of water. I have examined my personal water use to come up with a few simple behavior changes we can make to conserve water. This includes turning off the water while brushing teeth, washing hands, soaping up in the shower, or shaving. The average faucet puts out 2.5 gallons a minute. I use a bucket to collect water from the shower while it is warming up, then I use that to water my houseplants. Pro tip: let that water sit for 24 hours for the chlorine to dissipate before using on plants. In addition, running full loads in the dishwasher and clothes washing machine. I know it may seem like we have plenty of water living in the green area but the Colorado River no longer flows to the ocean. If you want to learn more about water use try this link to find out your water footprint https://www.watercalculator.org/.


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