Our agri-food system, the life of the flora and fauna on our planet, as well as our own survival, depend on water. It is such a precious natural resource yet is all too often taken for granted and therefore wasted.
According to the World Resources Institute, by 2040, water stress - i.e. the ratio between the use of water and its supply - will be at a highly critical level in Italy (level 4 out of 5). It is a worrying scenario, which makes us reflect on the need to optimise our use of this priceless resource.
To raise awareness among international institutions and the public about the importance of reducing water waste and to get people to be more responsible, in 1992 the United Nations established World Water Day, which is celebrated every year on 22 March. Companies, institutions, but also individual citizens can make a difference in their everyday lives and reduce their consumption of the so-called “blue gold”. Let’s discover a few tricks together to limit our use of water in the kitchen.
Wash fruit and vegetables in a bowl. Raise your hand if you usually wash fruit and vegetables under running water. Unfortunately, many of us share this bad habit. All you need to do is fill a bowl with clean water, immerse the vegetables for a few minutes and wash them by gently rubbing the surface with your hands, to make sure you remove any dirt.
Don’t defrost food under running water. If you fancy a slice of meat for dinner but have stored it in the freezer, remember to defrost it in the fridge slightly before you want to cook it. The habit of defrosting meals under running water comes at great cost to the environment and should be stopped.
Steam cook vegetables. Steam cooking lets you cook several dishes at the same time, therefore reducing the consumption of water usually used for boiling vegetables. Go for a steamer with moveable compartments, so you optimise space and preserve the flavour of foods.
Reuse vegetable cooking water. If you prefer boiling to steaming when preparing food, we recommend keeping the water you used to cook vegetables and using it to make broths, soups and risottos. This little trick will protect the environment and ensure your recipes are even tastier.
Image by Nathan Dumlao from Unsplash
