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Have you ever stopped to make a link between the kitchen tap or your process water and greenhouse gas emissions?
Urban water systems contribute to climate change as a result of: (a) consumption of energy derived from carbon based fuels, (b) biochemical processes which directly generate fugitive greenhouse gases, and (c) consumption of goods and services that involved energy consumption or the biochemical generation of fugitive greenhouse gases at some upstream point. (Flower, et al, 2007 (69KB))
Then there's hot water... yes there's more energy used to heat the water at your worksite. How much, depends on the type and size of water heater.
The Victorian EPA uses an emission factor of 2.34 kg CO2-e per litre of water (based on a 2007 RMIT Centre for Design study of the urban water supply system in Melbourne), while the study referenced above from Monash University suggests a factor of 3.09 kg CO2-e per litre of water when end use activities are taken into consideration.
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Ensure dishwashers, whether in the office kitchen or a restaurant kitchen, are only used with a full load - they use the same amount of water whether full or almost empty of dishes.
Laundering of bed linen and towels is a significant water use associated with accommodation services. Offer guests in hotels, motels, etc., the option of not having daily laundering - and make sure service staff honour the selected option.
If you are a guest, take the option of only having your linen laundered at the end of your stay when staying more than one night.
Analyse water use in operational processes, (manufacturing, textile and food processing, clean-up processes in construction, etc.), and look for opportunities to reduce consumption or re-use water.
Waste hot water from industrial cooling processes can be used as a heating source for another process / workspace, which in turn cools the water. This means you could circulate this water in a loop instead of requiring a constant source of cold water and reduce the energy needed for heating other areas.
Investigate options to use non-potable water (water that is not treated to drinking quality) for processes that don't need the water (or the resulting product) to be consumed.
A large commercial roof may be perfect for rainwater collection, solar hot water, or both.
It's important that we counteract the impact of the greenhouse emissions we create by undertaking an activity to absorb an equivalent amount of greenhouse gas from the atmosphere. Greenfleet plants permanent, biodiverse, native forests to offset greenhouse gas emissions on behalf of businesses and individuals.
Greenfleet's online Tree Totaller can't calculate the emissions generated by water consumption, but when you calculate the emissions generated by your business' car fleet, air travel and on-site energy consumption, you can estimate your water-related emissions and add an "Optional extra offset" when you submit the form.
Or contact one of our business offset managers for assistance.
www.waterrating.gov.au - the "star" rating system for water consuming products
www.energyrating.gov.au - the "star" rating system for energy consuming products
www.savewater.com.au - information and case studies about water conservation