3 thoughtful ways to conserve water | Lana Mazahreh

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Marssi Draw

In March 2017,

2017 年三月，

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

開普敦的市長正式宣佈 開普敦的地方性災難：

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

當地可用的水只剩下 不到四個月的存量。

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

居民被限制每人每天 只能使用一百公升的水。

But what does that really mean?

但那真正的意思是什麼？

With 100 liters of water per day,

若你每天有一百公升的水，

you can take a five-minute shower,

你可以做一次五分鐘的沖澡、

wash your face twice

洗臉兩次，

and probably flush the toilet about five times.

可能可以沖馬桶大約五次。

You still didn't brush your teeth,

你還沒有刷牙、

you didn't do laundry,

你還沒有洗衣服，

and you definitely didn't water your plants.

你肯定也還沒有給植物澆水。

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

不幸的是，五次沖完馬桶之後 你都沒有洗手。

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

你甚至還沒有喝一口水。

The mayor described this as that it means

市長的形容方式是：這意味著

a new relationship with water.

要和水建立新的關係。

Today, seven months later,

現今，七個月後，

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

關於我的第二個家， 我可以與各位分享兩件事。

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

第一：開普頓還沒有把水用盡。

But as of September 3rd,

但截至九月三日為止，

the hundred-liter limit dropped to 87 liters.

一百公升的限制被減到八十七公升。

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

市長把該市的新常態 定義為永久的乾旱。

Second:

第二：

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

發生在開普頓的事， 也即將襲擊世界上許多

and countries in the world.

其他城市及國家。

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

根據聯合國糧食及農業組織，

excluding countries that we don't have data for,

除了我們沒有資料的國家之外，

less than five percent of the world's population

不到 5% 的世界人口

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

住在目前可用水量 比二十年前還多的國家中。

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

所有其他人居住的國家， 現今的可用水量都比較少。

And nearly one out of three are living in a country

接近三分之一的人所居住的國家

that is facing a water crisis.

正在面臨用水危機。

I grew up in Jordan,

我在約旦長大，

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

該國的水資源很缺乏，從 1973 年 開始就在經歷絕對的水資源短缺。

And still, in 2017,

2017 年，全世界

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

仍然只有十個國家的 可用水比約旦還少。

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

處理缺水問題可說是 深植在我的靈魂中。

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

到了我會寫自己名字的年紀，

I also learned that I need to conserve water.

我就已經學到我要懂得省水了。

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

我父母會經常提醒我和我的手足，

在刷牙的時候要把水龍頭關好，

when we brushed our teeth.

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

我們以前在玩耍時， 是把氣球裝滿麵粉而不是水。

It's just as much fun, though.

不過，那也一樣好玩。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And a few years ago,

幾年前，

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

我和我朋友鼓起勇氣做冰桶挑戰時，

we did that with sand.

我們是用沙子來做。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

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

你們可能會認為那很簡單，

sand is not ice cold.

沙子又不是冰冷的。

I promise you, sand goes everywhere,

我向你們保證， 沙子會鑽進任何地方，

and it took ages to get rid of it.

要花好長的時間才能清理掉。

But what perhaps I didn't realize

但當我小時候在玩麵粉氣球時，

as I played with flour balloons as a child,

以及我長大後把沙子

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

從頭上倒下去時，可能並不了解，

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

對我以及其他住在乾旱國家的人而言

and to others who live in dry countries

似乎是第二天性的一些技巧，

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

可能可以協助我們所有人處理 這個正在快速擴展到全球的危機。

I wish to share three lessons today,

今天，我想要分享三課，

three lessons from water-poor countries

從水資源缺乏國家學到的三課，

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

以及它們如何存活， 甚至在水資源危機之下還能繁榮。

Lesson one:

第一課：

tell people how much water they really have.

告訴人們他們真正有多少水資源。

In order to solve a problem,

為了解決問題，

we need to acknowledge that we have one.

我們得要先承認我們有問題。

And when it comes to water,

當談到水資源時，

people can easily turn a blind eye,

人們很容易就視若無睹，

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

假裝既然現在還有水從水龍頭出來，

everything will be fine forever.

一切就會永遠沒問題。

But some smart, drought-affected countries

但，一些受到乾旱影響的聰明國家

have adopted simple, innovative measures

已經採用了簡單、創新的手段，

to make sure their citizens, their communities and their companies

來確保它們的公民、 它們的社區、它們的公司

know just how dry their countries are.

都知道它們的國家有多乾旱。

When I was in Cape Town earlier this year,

今年早些時候，我在開普頓，

I saw this electronic billboard on the freeway,

我在高速公路上看到電子告示板，

indicating how much water the city had left.

上面顯示出該城市還剩多少水。

This is an idea they may well have borrowed from Australia

這個點子很可能是向澳洲學的，

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

當時澳洲正面臨該國 史上最嚴重的乾旱之一，

from 1997 to 2009.

發生在 1997 至 2009 年間。

Water levels in Melbourne dropped to a very low capacity

墨爾本的水位掉到非常低，

of almost 26 percent.

幾乎只剩 26%。

But the city didn't yell at people.

但該城市沒有對人民吼叫。

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

它沒有懇求人民不要用水。

They used electronic billboards to flash available levels of water

他們用電子告示板來 迅速傳遞剩水量資訊

to all citizens across the city.

給該市的所有市民。

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

他們很誠實地告訴人民 他們真正還有多少水可以用，

and letting them take responsibility for themselves.

讓人民自己負起責任。

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

到乾旱末期，這方式創造出了急迫感

as well as a sense of community.

以及社區團結感。

Nearly one out of three citizens in Melbourne had invested

墨爾本幾乎三分之一的市民都自費

in installing rainwater holding tanks for their own households.

安裝雨水蓄水池 供他們自己的家庭使用。

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

市民所採取的行動， 並不僅止於安裝蓄水池。

With help from the city,

在該市的協助之下，

they were able to do something even more impactful.

他們還能夠做出更有影響的事情。

Taking me to lesson two:

這就帶到了第二課：

empower people to save water.

讓人民能夠做到節水。

Melbourne wanted people to spend less water in their homes.

墨爾本希望人民在家中能少用點水。

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

其中一種做法，就是縮短淋浴時間。

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

然而，訪談顯示， 有些人，特別是女性，

weren't keen on saving water that way.

對於這種節水方式並不熱衷。

Some of them honestly said,

當中有些人很誠實地說：

"The shower is not just to clean up.

「淋浴並不只是清洗而已。

It's my sanctuary.

它是我的聖所。

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

它是個讓我能夠放鬆的空間， 不僅僅是清洗用。」

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

所以，該市開始 免費提供省水蓮蓬頭。

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

接著，有些人抱怨說 那些蓮蓬頭看起來很醜陋，

or didn't suit their bathrooms.

或是和他們的浴室不搭。

So what I like to call "The Showerhead Team"

所以，被我稱為 「蓮蓬頭團隊」的團隊

developed a small water-flow regulator

開發出了一種小型的水流調節器，

that can be fitted into existing showerheads.

能夠裝在既有的蓮蓬頭裡面。

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

雖然對我來說蓮蓬頭 好不好看並不重要，

I loved how the team didn't give up

但我很欣賞那個團隊沒有放棄，

and instead came up with a simple, unique solution

反而還想出了簡單、 獨特的解決方案，

to empower people to save water.

來讓人民能夠做到節水。

Within a span of four years,

在四年的期間，

more than 460,000 showerheads were replaced.

超過 46 萬個蓮蓬頭被置換掉。

When the small regulator was introduced,

當小型調節器推出的時候，

more than 100,000 orders of that were done.

有超過十萬筆的訂單。

Melbourne succeeded in reducing the water demands per capita

墨爾本成功地使 每人平均水需求量減半。

by 50 percent.

In the United Arab Emirates,

在阿拉伯聯合大公國，

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

世界上水資源第二稀少的國家，

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

官員在 2010 年設計了他們 所謂的「企業英雄工具組」。

The aim was to motivate and empower businesses

目標是要讓企業有動機和能力

to reduce water and energy consumption.

去減少水資源和能源的消耗。

The toolkit practically taught companies

該工具組能實際教導公司

how to measure their existing water-consumption levels

如何測量它們現有的水消耗量，

and consisted of tips to help them reduce those levels.

還提供一些秘訣 來協助它們降低消耗量。

And it worked.

結果此舉奏效。

Hundreds of organizations downloaded the toolkit.

數以百計的組織下載了這套工具組。

And several of them joined

當中有許多組織都加入了

what they called the "Corporate Heroes Network,"

「企業英雄網路」， 這是它們取的名稱，

where companies can voluntarily take on a challenge

在這個網路中， 公司可以自願接受挑戰，

to reduce their water-consumption levels to preset targets

來減少其水資源消耗量 到某個預設目標，

within a period of one year.

在一年內要達成。

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

完成挑戰的公司 平均省下 35% 的水。

And one company, for example,

比如，有一間公司，

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

在辦公室中盡可能 把所有的省水秘訣都用上。

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

他們換了沖馬桶的方式、 水龍頭、蓮蓬頭──

you name it.

任何你想得到的。

If it saved water, they replaced it,

如果能省水，他們就置換，

eventually reducing their employees' water consumption by half.

最終，員工的水資源消耗量減半。

Empowering individuals and companies to save water is so critical,

讓個人和公司有辦法 能夠省水，是很重要的，

yet not sufficient.

但光這樣還不夠。

Countries need to look beyond the status quo

國家得要把視野放到超越現況之外，

and implement country-level actions

採取國家等級的行動，

to save water.

來節省水。

Taking me to lesson three:

於是要談到第三課：

look below the surface.

看到表面底下。

Water savings can come from unexpected places.

省水能夠出現在意想不到的地方。

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

新加坡是世界上水資源 第八稀少的國家。

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

該國的水需求中， 近六成要仰賴進口水來滿足。

It's also a very small island.

它也是個很小的島國。

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

確切來說，他們需要 盡可能使用最大的空間

to catch rainfall.

來收集雨水。

So in 2008,

所以，2008 年，

they built the Marina Barrage.

他們建造了濱海堤壩。

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

這是史上第一個 建立在城邦中的都市水壩。

It's the largest water catchment in the country,

它是新加坡最大的集水設施，

almost one-sixth the size of Singapore.

尺寸大約是新加坡的六分之一。

What's so amazing about the Marina Barrage

濱海堤壩之所以很了不起，

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

是因為它的大尺寸被運用到極至，

且它的所在地雖然是意想不到的， 卻相當重要。

and its unexpected yet important location.

It brings three valuable benefits to the country:

它為國家帶來了三項珍貴的益處：

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

它讓新加坡的水供應量提升了一成；

it protects low areas around it from floods

它能保護周圍的低窪區域 不受洪水災害，

because of its connection to the sea;

因為它和海洋是連結在一起的；

and, as you can see,

還有，如你們所見，

it acts as a beautiful lifestyle attraction,

它也是個很漂亮有特色的勝地，

hosting several events,

這裡舉辦過幾個大活動，

from art exhibitions to music festivals,

從藝術展覽到音樂節都有，

attracting joggers, bikers, tourists all around that area.

吸引那一帶的慢跑者、 自行車騎士、觀光客。

Now, not all initiatives need to be stunning

並非所有計畫都必須很驚人

or even visible.

或看得見。

My first home, Jordan, realized that agriculture is consuming

我的第一個家園，約旦， 了解到該國大部分的淡水

the majority of its fresh water.

都被消耗在農業上。

They really wanted to encourage farmers

他們非常想要鼓勵農夫

to focus on growing low water-intensive crops.

多種植比較不需要水的作物。

To achieve that,

為了這個目的，

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

地方農業更把重點放在 椰棗與葡萄藤上。

Those two are much more tolerant to drought conditions

比起許多其他蔬菜水果， 這兩種作物更能

than many other fruits and vegetables,

承受乾旱的環境條件，

and at the same time,

而且它們同時

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

被視為是高價值作物， 不論在當地或國際上皆是。

Locals in Namibia,

納米比亞是南非

one of the most arid countries in Southern Africa,

最乾燥的國家之一，

have been drinking recycled water since 1968.

當地人從 1968 年就開始喝回收水。

Now, you may tell me many countries recycle water.

你們可能會說， 很多國家都會回收水。

I would say yes.

我會說，是的。

But very few use it for drinking purposes,

但很少國家是回收來當飲用水的，

mostly because people don't like the thought

主因是人民不喜歡

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

水龍頭的水來自廁所的這個想法。

But Namibia could not afford to think that way.

納米比亞沒有本錢想這麼多。

They looked below the surface to save water.

他們能看到表面底下， 而去節省水資源。

They are now a great example

他們現在是個很好的典範，

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

展示國家要如何把廢水 淨化到可以喝的標準，

they can ease their water shortages,

這麼做能夠緩和水資源短缺的問題，

and in Namibia's case,

在納米比亞的例子中，

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

這方法能夠提供飲用水 給首都至少三十萬個居民。

As more countries which used to be more water rich

隨著越來越多過去富含水資源的國家

are becoming water scarce,

開始面對水資源缺乏，

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

我認為我們不需浪費時間 和精力去重新發明。

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

如果我們就看看 水資源貧乏國家有什麼做法，

the solutions are out there.

解決方案就在那裡。

Now it's really just up to all of us

要不要採取行動，

就由我們所有人自己決定了。

to take action.

Thank you.

謝謝你們。

(Applause)

（掌聲）