Water and Food, Part Two

Water Part 2

Water is essential to life, and we take it for granted. Clean water is vital to our economy, it’s so important for our health, our food, and small business. Clean water is as easy as going to your faucet, thanks to a few safeguards. Finding clean water in other parts of the world is a bit more complicated. Clean water is just as important as clean air and we all should work toward conserving and protecting it.

Monitoring + Protecting 

Our country has established federal and state agencies to monitor and keep our water clean and safe to drink. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sets standards for safe drinking water along with the Centers for Disease Control and the NJ Department of Health. All of these groups work together to regulate and enforce our practices for drinking water. Another important entity is the NJ Highlands Council responsible for regulating the watersheds and groundwater in parts of Bergen, Hunterdon, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, and Warren counties. Taking care to make sure these watersheds remain uncontaminated is crucial work as they feed other water sources in other counties and states. 

Pitching In

Individuals and communities can make a difference by changing the way they use water to manage this precious resource. A simple shift in the way people live can help make a difference in the preservation of this precious asset. Adopting a green lifestyle, including using natural products, helps eliminate pollution of nearby water sources. Strive to use natural product alternatives every day, most used items such as soap, laundry detergent, and cleaning supplies. Reducing fertilizer and pesticide use and planting natural meadows instead of grass lawns also helps. Installing shower-saving shower heads and toilets also aids in the conservation of water. Trickle irrigation in your home garden or collecting rainwater to recycle and use in the garden is another way to help the cause. Reducing single-use plastics, recycling, and opting for reusable water bottles can add up and make a difference. 

Recharging Aquifers

Trees and plants filter water runoff while reducing soil erosion, so go and plant a tree, or native plant, in the name of water conservation. Reduce impervious coverage of surfaces around your home (that means minimizing black top and cement) and opt for gravel instead. This allows rainwater and snowmelt to recharge our groundwater aquifers. Farmers know the value of this and build intentional ponds to collect rainwater, acting as retention ponds, a practice they have been using for hundreds of years. 

Get Involved

Volunteering for local organizations is time well spent and makes a positive impact on creating healthy communities. This trickles into helping small businesses by sustaining neighborhoods where people desire to live, shop, and work. Participate in World Water Day on March 22 to bring awareness to the cause. Connect with the Raritan Headwaters to make an impact by aiding in stream clean-up, trail maintenance, or removal of invasive plants. Learn more about the important work of the Raritan Watershed by visiting their website. 

Doing Our Part

Bex Kitchen supports clean water initiatives in numerous ways and by the simple edict of “reduce, reuse, and recycle”. This is evident in all of the business practices from reducing food waste, using canned water instead of bottled water, and using corn and sugar-based disposable cutlery and bags. Bex also uses bamboo plates and wooden serving trays which are all recyclable. One of our favorites, which you can see the team members carrying around daily, is our Bex water bottle! Get one for yourself today!