Can You Use <50 Litres of Water in a Day?

WATER CHALLENGE

Can you use less than or an equal amount of water as the average person in a developing country?

March: Find your water use “baseline”!

1. During a typical day in March keep track of the amount of time (e.g., use a stopwatch, count or estimate) water is running for:
   - brushing your teeth
   - showering
   - washing your hands
   - washing your dishes by hand
2. Find and write down the capacity of your toilet, dishwasher and clothes washer (if you don’t know, don’t worry)
3. Go to the following online water use calculator* and fill in the blanks: http://www.tampagov.net/dept_water/conservation_education/Customers/Water_use_calculator.asp (1 US gallon = 3.785 litres)
4. Send an e-mail to spanconnects@shaw.ca to share your results and observations.

* We’re using Tampa’s as the best English on-line calculator we’ve found so far. Know of a better Canadian one?

April 20: Can you use less than 50 litres?

The average person in a developing country uses 50 litres/day, some use as little as 10 litres/day. How low can you go??

1. Fill your bottle with water and apply a stick-on label. The bottle is your portable supply for the day.
2. Use the water from your bottle for all your water needs, except toilet flushing of course.
3. Mark a label on your bottle each time you refill it.
4. Determine your water use.**
5. Send an e-mail to spanconnects@shaw.ca to share your results and observations.

**If you choose to use your:

- Shower, add 9.5 or 15 litres/minute***

- Dishwasher, add 22 or 40 litres per use

- Clothes washer, add 90 or 170 litres per load

***first number is for efficient fixtures, second number is average

As for your toilet… count the number of times you flush and multiply by 6, 13 or more if it’s a really old one! Some toilets include a marking indicating volume per flush.

Find a list of links and resources, and challenge updates at www.cawst.org. Follow the “get involved” and “water challenge” links.

SPAN AGM - Mar 27, 6-8 PM, MEC

You are invited to SPAN's very first Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, March 27th from 6-8 PM at Mountain Equipment Co-op (830-10th Ave SW). No, we are not holding the meeting in a tent or by the climbing wall. They have meeting rooms behind the customer service desk. Munchies and beverages will be served.

We hope the official business will take 10 minutes or so, and then we can discuss plans for the coming months and year, and build the sustainability community.

It is important to have members attend the AGM to ensure a quorum. If you're not a member and would like to vote you can become a member on the 27th. At the AGM we will be electing the Board of Directors. Several of us will run again, but we are looking for a couple more keeners. Let me know if you are interested in joining the SPAN Board of Directors before or at the meeting.

Agenda for AGM:

• Adopt bylaws
• Approve financial statement
• Election of directors
• Present achievements for 2006
• Present work in progress
• Present plan/vision from March Board session
• Ask for feedback on direction
• Discuss April action challenges

Thank you for your continued interest and participation in SPAN. See you on the 27th.