Archive for December 4, 2014

Getting water smart, metal by metal

In an arid country like Australia, we need to make sure we do our best to conserve water and we’ve come up with a way that will help industry do just that.

It involves life cycle analysis, and it can calculate the amount of water used – both directly and indirectly – in the production of metals.

water_1To give you an idea, we calculated that it takes 1600 litres of water to make the 19 kilograms of copper in an average medium-sized car. Add up the water required to make all of the other metals found in your car and you’re practically driving around a swimming pool! Read more

Don’t waste water! Your guide to cutting your water use – and your bills

Did you know the average person in the UK uses 150 litres of water a day? This takes into account cooking, cleaning, washing and flushing. By making small lifestyle changes you can reduce water waste. The key to water efficiency is reducing waste, not restricting use. Here are some simple ways to be more water-efficient.

waterGleaming gnashers – Turn off the tap while brushing teeth. A running tap can waste over six litres per minute. If everyone in England and Wales did this, we could save 180 mega litres a day – enough to supply nearly 500,000 homes. Read more