Water is our most prized possession... though that's not how we always think of it. Of ALL the water on this big, blue planet, only 0.1% of it is freshwater. Meaning; only 0.1% of all water is drinkable!

 

With that being said, it is high time we start making some changes around here. Even countries like Jordan and Zimbabwe have been making strides to reduce their nation's Water Footprint. They've actually started importing wheat and rice products from USA (the USA has greater water productivity than Jordan or Zimbabwe). That way, the USA does all the work and Jordan/Zimbabwe don't have to waste their precious water on producing it, rather they can put that water into other areas like irrigation for their delicious fruits and veggies.

 

Conservation Agriculture (CA) has become a bigger trend among farmers, mostly because they get better corps out of it! So, CA is the process of letting your crops sit rather than ploughing them between each harvest. By doing this farmers let all the dead stuff rot and decompose which makes it's journey back to the soil. Now, suddenly the soil is rich with nutrients but also, this thick pile of 'stuff' acts as sunscreen for the soil. The 'stuff' doesn't let the sun evaporate all the soil's water which means farmers get to save some money by not using so much water!

 

On a more local note, a huge contributer to over watering can be found in your backyard. That sprinkler you leave on for hours on end... well, grass doesn't need NEARLY that much water to grow and thus, you're really just wasting money and water. 

 

Best way to know if you've watered to much? 

 

Take an empty tuna can (or container that is about 1 inch deep) and place it outside on the grass in an area sure to get sprinkled on. Head back inside and in about 15 min. run outside and check if the can is full. If it is, Tà Dà, that's all the water your grass needs for the day! In fact, healthy grass should be watered 3 times a week for about 10-15 min. and that's it. 

 

Trust me, your grass will thank you.