3 thoughtful ways to conserve water | Lana Mazahreh

翻译人员: Yuqian Zhang 校对人员:

In March 2017,

2017年3月，

the mayor of Cape Town officially declared Cape Town a local disaster,

开普敦市长正式宣布， 开普敦是旱情重灾区，

as it had less than four months left of usable water.

因为剩余可用水资源已经 不足以维系四个月的生活。

Residents were restricted to 100 liters of water per person, per day.

居民每人每天用水量 被限制在100升以内。

But what does that really mean?

这意味着什么呢？

With 100 liters of water per day,

每天只有100升水，

you can take a five-minute shower,

你可以洗5分钟的澡，

wash your face twice

洗两次脸，

and probably flush the toilet about five times.

大概可以冲五次马桶。

You still didn't brush your teeth,

但不够你刷牙，

you didn't do laundry,

你也不能洗衣服，

and you definitely didn't water your plants.

当然更不用说浇花了。

You, unfortunately, didn't wash your hands after those five toilet flushes.

并且很不幸，上完 那五次厕所你没有水洗手。

And you didn't even take a sip of water.

你甚至都没有喝一口水。

The mayor described this as that it means

这就是市长想要表达的意思，

a new relationship with water.

人与水的一种新关系。

Today, seven months later,

如今，7个月过去了，

I can share two things about my second home with you.

我想和你们分享两个 我第二个故乡的故事。

First: Cape Town hasn't run out of water just yet.

第一：开普敦现在还有水。

But as of September 3rd,

但是9月3号开始，

the hundred-liter limit dropped to 87 liters.

每天100升水的限量降到了87升。

The mayor defined the city's new normal as one of permanent drought.

市长宣布久旱会是这个城市的新常态。

Second:

第二：

what's happening in Cape Town is pretty much coming to many other cities

开普敦的遭遇同时 也在其他很多城市上演，

and countries in the world.

甚至是世界上其他国家。

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations,

根据联合国粮食署的数据，

excluding countries that we don't have data for,

除去我们没有收集到数据的国家，

less than five percent of the world's population

不到百分之五的世界人口所在的国家

is living in a country that has more water today than it did 20 years ago.

如今拥有比20年前更多的水资源。

Everyone else is living in a country that has less water today.

其余国家的水资源都减少了。

And nearly one out of three are living in a country

同时，几乎三分之一人口所在的国家

that is facing a water crisis.

面临着水资源危机。

I grew up in Jordan,

我在约旦长大，

a water-poor country that has experienced absolute water scarcity since 1973.

一个从1973年开始 就面临水资源稀缺的国家。

And still, in 2017,

即便在2017年，

only 10 countries in the world have less water than Jordan.

全世界只有10个国家 水资源少于约旦。

So dealing with a lack of water is quite ingrained in my soul.

所以应付缺水是我生活的一部分。

As soon as I was old enough to learn how to write my name,

从我会写名字开始，

I also learned that I need to conserve water.

我就意识到我要节约用水。

My parents would constantly remind my siblings and I to close the tap

我父母会不断提醒我和兄弟姐妹

在刷牙的时候关掉水龙头。

when we brushed our teeth.

We used to fill balloons with flour instead of water when we played.

玩耍时，我们灌到气球里 的是面粉而不是水。

It's just as much fun, though.

当然也很有意思。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

And a few years ago,

几年前，

when my friends and I were dared to do the Ice Bucket Challenge,

我和朋友们接受了冰桶挑战，

we did that with sand.

但用的是沙子。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

And you might think that, you know, that's easy,

你们可能会觉得那很容易，

沙子一点也不冰。

sand is not ice cold.

I promise you, sand goes everywhere,

但是沙子撒的到处都是，

and it took ages to get rid of it.

而且要花很长时间清理。

But what perhaps I didn't realize

但是或许我没注意到，

as I played with flour balloons as a child,

当我小时候玩面粉气球时，

and as I poured sand on my head as an adult,

当我长大把沙子倒在 头上时，

is that some of the techniques that seem second nature to me

这些行为似乎是我的天性，

and to others who live in dry countries

干旱地区人民共有的天性，

might help us all address what is fast becoming a global crisis.

这或许可以帮我们应对 即将到来的全球水资源危机。

I wish to share three lessons today,

我今天想和大家分享三个经验，

three lessons from water-poor countries

三个来自缺水国家的经验，

and how they survived and even thrived despite their water crisis.

以及他们是如何 在水资源危机中存活下来的。

Lesson one:

第一个经验：

tell people how much water they really have.

让人们知道他们实际拥有多少水。

In order to solve a problem,

要解决问题，

we need to acknowledge that we have one.

我们首先需要认识到 我们面临着一个问题。

And when it comes to water,

当涉及到水资源时，

people can easily turn a blind eye,

人们经常欺骗自己，

pretending that since water is coming out of the tap now,

假装只要水管中还有水，

everything will be fine forever.

就万事大吉了。

But some smart, drought-affected countries

但是一些遭受干旱，却机智的国家

have adopted simple, innovative measures

采取了一些简单新颖的方法，

to make sure their citizens, their communities and their companies

让市民，社区和公司 认识到了他们的国家

know just how dry their countries are.

有多么的缺水。

When I was in Cape Town earlier this year,

今年早些时候，

I saw this electronic billboard on the freeway,

我在高速上看到了一个电子广告牌，

indicating how much water the city had left.

写着这个城市还剩多少水。

This is an idea they may well have borrowed from Australia

这个方法可能是向澳大利亚借鉴的，

when it faced one of the worst droughts of the country's history

从1997到2009年，澳洲一直面临着

from 1997 to 2009.

史上最严重的干旱。

Water levels in Melbourne dropped to a very low capacity

当时墨尔本的水位降到最低谷，

of almost 26 percent.

差不多只有正常水平的26%

But the city didn't yell at people.

但政府没有控诉市民，

It didn't plead with them not to use water.

没有恳请他们不要用水。

They used electronic billboards to flash available levels of water

他们通过电子广告牌 来展示剩余可用水量，

to all citizens across the city.

告诉所有市民，

They were honestly telling people how much water they really have,

他们坦诚地告诉市民剩余的水量，

and letting them take responsibility for themselves.

让他们为自己负责。

By the end of the drought, this created such a sense of urgency

在干旱结束时， 这给人们带来了一种紧迫感，

as well as a sense of community.

让人们更加团结。

Nearly one out of three citizens in Melbourne had invested

几乎三分之一的墨尔本市民

in installing rainwater holding tanks for their own households.

在家里安装了存储雨水的装置。

Actions that citizens took didn't stop at installing those tanks.

市民所采取的措施 远不止于安装了这些装置。

With help from the city,

在政府的帮助下

they were able to do something even more impactful.

他们能做一些更有意义的事情。

Taking me to lesson two:

第二个经验：

empower people to save water.

让人们节约用水。

Melbourne wanted people to spend less water in their homes.

墨尔本政府希望人们在家里减少用水。

And one way to do that is to spend less time in the shower.

其中一种方式就是缩短洗澡的时间。

However, interviews revealed that some people, women in particular,

然而调查发现， 有些人，尤其是女性，

weren't keen on saving water that way.

不愿意在这方面减少用水。

Some of them honestly said,

有些人坦言，

"The shower is not just to clean up.

“洗澡不单单是为了清洁。

It's my sanctuary.

这是我的私密空间。

It's a space I go to relax, not just clean up."

一个不仅仅提供清洁， 更是让我放松的地方。”

So the city started offering water-efficient showerheads for free.

于是政府开始免费提供节水花洒。

And then, now some people complained that the showerheads looked ugly

然而一些人抱怨那个花洒有点丑，

or didn't suit their bathrooms.

或者不适用于他们的浴室。

So what I like to call "The Showerhead Team"

好在“花洒小队”

developed a small water-flow regulator

发明了一种小型流量调节器，

that can be fitted into existing showerheads.

可以安装在现有的花洒中。

And although showerhead beauty doesn't matter much to me,

尽管我不怎么在乎花洒的外观，

I loved how the team didn't give up

但我很欣赏这个团队的坚持，

and instead came up with a simple, unique solution

并想出了一个 简单独特的解决方案

to empower people to save water.

来帮助人们节水。

Within a span of four years,

在四年的时间里，

more than 460,000 showerheads were replaced.

人们更换了46万个花洒。

When the small regulator was introduced,

当流量调节器推出之后，

more than 100,000 orders of that were done.

销量超过10万。

Melbourne succeeded in reducing the water demands per capita

墨尔本成功将人均用水量

by 50 percent.

降低了50%。

In the United Arab Emirates,

在阿联酋，

the second-most water-scarce country in the world,

世界第二大缺水国家，

officials designed what they called the "Business Heroes Toolkit" in 2010.

2010年，官方发明了 “商业英雄工具包”。

The aim was to motivate and empower businesses

为了激励企业

to reduce water and energy consumption.

减少水和能源的消耗。

The toolkit practically taught companies

这个工具包会指导公司

how to measure their existing water-consumption levels

如何测量他们现有的用水量，

and consisted of tips to help them reduce those levels.

同时提供一些减少用水的方法。

And it worked.

这个方法奏效了，

Hundreds of organizations downloaded the toolkit.

上百个组织下载了这个工具包。

And several of them joined

很多组织还参加了

what they called the "Corporate Heroes Network,"

“企业英雄网络”，

where companies can voluntarily take on a challenge

在这个平台上， 公司可以自愿参加一些挑战，

to reduce their water-consumption levels to preset targets

比如在一年之内，将其用水量

within a period of one year.

降至预设目标。

Companies which completed the challenge saved on average 35 percent of water.

完成这些挑战的公司 平均节水量达到了35%。

And one company, for example,

比如，其中一个公司

implemented as many water-saving tips as they could in their office space.

在办公区部署了各种节水设施。

They replaced their toilet-flushing techniques, taps, showerheads --

他们更新了冲厕技术， 水龙头，花洒等等——

你能想到的都有。

you name it.

If it saved water, they replaced it,

只要能节水，他们就替换

eventually reducing their employees' water consumption by half.

最终员工用水量节省了一半。

Empowering individuals and companies to save water is so critical,

个人和公司是节水的主力军，

yet not sufficient.

但是还不够。

Countries need to look beyond the status quo

国家应该目光长远，

and implement country-level actions

并采取国家层面的行动

to save water.

来节约水资源。

Taking me to lesson three:

这引出了第三个经验：

look below the surface.

透过表面看本质。

Water savings can come from unexpected places.

我们可以在 很多意想不到的地方节水。

Singapore is the eighth most water-scarce country in the world.

新加坡是世界第八大缺水国家，

It depends on imported water for almost 60 percent of its water needs.

几乎60%的用水依赖进口。

It's also a very small island.

新加坡是一个很小的岛国。

As such, it needs to make use of as much space as possible

出于这些原因 它需要尽可能地

to catch rainfall.

收集并存储雨水。

So in 2008,

在2008年，

they built the Marina Barrage.

他们建造了滨海堰坝。

It's the first-ever urban water reservoir built in the middle of the city-state.

这是有史以来第一个 建在城中央的水库，

It's the largest water catchment in the country,

是新加坡最大的集水池，

almost one-sixth the size of Singapore.

几乎占了新加坡六分之一的面积。

What's so amazing about the Marina Barrage

关于滨海堰坝最神奇的一点

is that it has been built to make the maximum use of its large size

在于它最大限度利用了所有空间，

and its unexpected yet important location.

以及它意想不到的重要位置。

It brings three valuable benefits to the country:

它为新加坡带来了三个好处。

it has boosted Singapore's water supply by 10 percent;

它将新加坡的供水量提高了10%；

it protects low areas around it from floods

它使低海拔地区免受洪水危及，

because of its connection to the sea;

因为它连着海，

and, as you can see,

同时，正如你所看到的，

it acts as a beautiful lifestyle attraction,

它也是一个美丽的景点。

hosting several events,

这里举办过各式各样的活动，

from art exhibitions to music festivals,

从艺术展到音乐嘉年华，

attracting joggers, bikers, tourists all around that area.

吸引了周围居民 来慢跑，骑行和旅游。

Now, not all initiatives need to be stunning

然而，并非所有倡议都令人叹服

or even visible.

或者可见。

My first home, Jordan, realized that agriculture is consuming

我的故乡约旦 意识到农业消耗了

the majority of its fresh water.

大部分的淡水资源。

They really wanted to encourage farmers

他们很想鼓励农民

to focus on growing low water-intensive crops.

集中耕种低耗水量的作物。

To achieve that,

，为了达到这个目的

the local agriculture is increasing its focus on date palms and grapevines.

当地农业正转型增产 椰子和葡萄藤。

Those two are much more tolerant to drought conditions

因为这两种植物相较于

than many other fruits and vegetables,

其他蔬果而言更耐旱，

and at the same time,

同时，

they are considered high-value crops, both locally and internationally.

无论是在当地还是国际上， 它们都是高价值作物。

Locals in Namibia,

在纳米比亚，

one of the most arid countries in Southern Africa,

非洲南部最干旱的国家之一，

have been drinking recycled water since 1968.

从1968年起， 当地人就开始饮用再生水。

Now, you may tell me many countries recycle water.

你也许会说， 如今很多国家都回收利用水。

I would say yes.

确实如此。

But very few use it for drinking purposes,

但是少有国家将其用作饮用水，

mostly because people don't like the thought

大多是因为人们不愿意接受

of water that was in their toilets going to their taps.

自来水管里流的是冲过马桶的水。

But Namibia could not afford to think that way.

但是纳米比亚却没有资本这么想。

They looked below the surface to save water.

他们做到了实质上的节水。

They are now a great example

如今，他们是

of how, when countries purify waste water to drinking standards,

将水净化到可饮用标准的典范，

they can ease their water shortages,

他们缓解了饿水资源的紧缺。

and in Namibia's case,

纳米比亚通过这种方法

provide drinking water for more than 300,000 citizens in its capital city.

为该国首都三十多万 的市民提供了饮用水。

As more countries which used to be more water rich

越来越多国家 虽然过去拥有充沛的水资源，

are becoming water scarce,

但开始逐渐陷入缺水困境，

I say we don't need to reinvent the wheel.

我们不必重蹈覆辙。

If we just look at what water-poor countries have done,

只要我们借鉴那些缺水国家的做法，

the solutions are out there.

答案自在眼前。

Now it's really just up to all of us

现在，我们只需要

to take action.

开始采取行动。

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Applause)

（鼓掌）