Where is all the water going?

As California begins to enter its third consecutive year of drought, the one question looming over the state is what will residents do to help?

Water is used to produce every household item and food in America.

Researchers have found that the standard trash barrel holds 32 gallons of water and a mid-sized passenger car has room for little more than 800 gallons of water.

Farmers use more than 70 percent of the water in the world and when it takes enough water to fill two mid-sized cars to produce a pound of chicken and a pound of beef how can we continue to use all of this water and be fine?

The answer is we cannot.

Water can replenish itself by rainfall, run-off and melting snow, but with the world population count at more than 6.7 billion, we are not going to be able to rely on Mother Nature to get the job done and provide water for everyone at the same time.

The only answer to this global predicament is to reduce the amount of water being wasted and to act quickly.

At least one large corporation has risen to the occasion and has begun doing its part in reducing its water footprint.

Starbucks has cleaned up its act to reduce the amount of water it wastes using dipper wells that constantly run. It plans to replace those dipper wells with eco-friendly wells this summer.

California authorities have set a goal to reduce the use of 80 gallons of water per person a day to 37 gallons.

A few ways you can begin to accomplish this is to reduce the use of water through simple steps at home.

An average of 30 gallons of water can be conserved if the water is turned off while washing dishes.

Plug up and fill the sink with water while shaving to reduce the use of running water.

Keep the sink off while lathering the soap on your hands or in your hair to save water.

Fix any leaky faucets, toilets or water pipes. Even the smallest drip can add up to loosing several gallons of water a day.

Water your plants and lawns at night, it will help keep them alive as well as avoid the wasting of water in evaporation.

Consider washing your face and brushing your teeth in the shower.

And begin shortening your time in the shower by one minute. Shorter showers means less water being used.

For more ideas about how to conserve water and how to be more eco-friendly, visit www.bewaterwise.com. The site also offers information about the second annual Spring Green Fair hosted by the Metropolitan Water District. The fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 7 in Los Angeles. The event is free, but if you plan to attend a workshop, you are asked to register.