Water Usage Journal

"Only A Fraction"

Mixed media on linen

22" x30"

 In November, I started a Water Usage Journal Project.   I kept track of all the water I used during the month of November: how many flushes, drinks, cooking, washing..etc.However, as the title says, my daily water usage is only a fraction of the water consumption story. I was very surprised to learn that only 10% of fresh water is used by households. Turns out, our food consumes the most fresh water. Agricultural production requires vast amounts of water and the production of beef is the heaviest user of water.  A vegetarian diet is much easier on the  planety water resources.  Here is a quote from a reliable source

Worldwide, agriculture accounts for 70% of all water consumption, compared to 20% for industry and 10% for domestic use. In industrialized nations, however, industries consume more than half of the water available for human use. Belgium, for example, uses 80% of the water available for industry.

This water is syphoned off from rivers, lakes and under ground aquifers. What is even more disturbing is that only 20%-30% of this water is not being replaced. As a result, fresh water will be come even more scarce as time goes by.   A discussion about this issue was recently published in the New York Times written by  Julene Bair

"Only A Fraction" Detail

I really like this book format and will probably push the distressed look of the linen background even more that I have. I'm still trying to work out how to best mount it on a board so it can be framed easily and securely.After learning that household water use only accounted for 10% of fresh water usage, I almost abandoned the project. But then  I decided to include my journal entry on the day I discovered this disturbing information. The art process and the learning process collide in realistic fashion. 

Sketchbook idea for "Only a Fraction

Watercolor and ink

12" x 12"

This sketch helped me define a way to combing art and clean water issues. I want to work with this idea about how humans impinge on clean water.  I hope to have more information about a new project in the New Year....but for now it's only a twinkle in my eye.