World Water Day was established to highlight the importance of freshwater and raise awareness of the need for responsible water management and use. The initiative was created by the United Nations in response to the ongoing worldwide water crisis that is growing in relevance.

We are facing a global problem that already affects some countries where water shortages impact on people’s everyday lives; 2.2 billion people do not enjoy the luxury of access to safe drinking water. These are times in which hygiene is an essential necessity, where something as simple as washing your hands is prescribed as a means to deal with situations of global crisis, but some people are unable to follow these preventive and hygienic measures.

Water is a vital and necessary resource that we must not waste or take for granted; we are intimately connected to water, every living being needs water to survive, so we have a duty as humans to conserve and safeguard it and guarantee that it is available for all living things – people, animals and plants.

As growers, we are keenly aware of just how important water is for our marijuana plants, either too much or too little is bad for their growth. Therefore, we must take great care to ensure we use this precious commodity wisely and contribute to the sustainability of life on earth through small gestures that can have a big impact.

Some of the measures we can implement to promote the sustainable use of water in our day-to-day lives and cultivations are:

• Reuse water: collect and save any cold water from the shower that comes out before the hot water or better still collect and use rainwater.
• Rationalise irrigation: there are various different responsible watering systems available, for example drip irrigation, which guarantee you do not waste any water and your plants always have the right amount.
• Water your plants in the early morning or late evening: following either of these schedules reduces how much water evaporates due to higher midday temperatures.
• Use pots made from geo-textiles or porexpan: plant pots made from these materials, as opposed to plastic, help reduce water consumption. This is because the irrigation water spreads out evenly throughout the substrate, as these materials do not heat up as much as plastic pots.
• The use of hydroponic systems: these irrigation systems work with a closed water circuit and a tank to store any excess after watering, thus minimising water wastage.

There are many other steps worth considering to help diminish your water consumption, both in your daily activities and your cannabis cultivations. You can make a start by putting one or two of them into practice and therefore contribute to the battle to conserve our freshwater through more sustainable and efficient use. If we all make a small gesture, together we can achieve something amazing!

Sweet Seeds S.L is not responsible for the misuse of the information contained in this article. Cultivation of cannabis may constitute a criminal offence or administrative misdemeanour; please refer to the legislation on cannabis in your place of residence. Sweet Seeds S.L. does not intend in any case to incite non-legal practices.