With water literally on tap for most of us, it’s easy to forget that it’s in short supply.
The awful truth is, 2.4 billion people live in water-stressed countries.
That’s why the slogan for World Food Day 2023 is: “Water is life, water is food. Leave no one behind”.
Held on the 16th October this year, the day is a chance to talk about the importance of water and the issues causing its scarcity, like population growth and climate change.
Of course, food waste is a huge factor in water waste too.
Think about it like this… When you throw away an apple, you’re not just wasting the apple, but you’re also wasting the resources that went into growing it.
It takes roughly 100 litres of water to grow just one apple, and with 1 million tonnes of food being thrown away each year in the UAE alone, that adds up to a whole lot of wasted water.
By shopping with HeroGo you’re already going a long way to help save food (and therefore, water), but there’s always more we can do.
Try using a few of these easy tips while you’re cooking our tasty groceries to go one step further in doing your bit for the planet and for others.
1. Clean food in the sink
A running tap uses around 6 litres of water per minute. Instead, fill your sink with enough water to cover your fruit and veggies, then go ahead and give them a scrub.
2. Reuse water
Once you’ve washed your produce - even after you’ve boiled veggies or cleaned the dishes - give the used water to your plants rather than pouring it down the drain.
3. Defrost food in the fridge
If you defrost food by running it under the tap, you could save a whole lot of water just by microwaving it or letting it sit in the fridge overnight instead.
4. Use one-pan recipes
Not only are they easy to cook, but they save on the washing up too - fewer dishes to clean equals less water used. Try recipes like our veggie curry, zero waste stir fry, or no-waste chilli.
5. Use smaller pots when boiling
Smaller pots need less water to fill them, so whether you’re boiling eggs, veggies or pasta, pick the smallest pot and just add enough water to cover your food.
6. Use a dishwasher
Dishwashers have a bit of a bad rep - people often see them as being pretty wasteful. But nowadays, many have energy-efficient settings that can significantly cut water usage. A study by Which? showed that hand washing dishes uses around 9 litres of water where a dishwasher uses just 2.2 litres.
7. Only put it on when it’s full
On that note, only run the dishwasher when it’s full. No matter how many pots and pans are inside, it’ll still use the same amount of water, so make sure it’s filled to get the most out of every drop.