MacCo Energy : Going down the permanent drain… unless we can stop it!

Every year, the amount of water that the global agricultural sector takes out of the ground is over 160 cubic meters more than natural replenishment rates. And that's just one sector. As water all around the world is used very inefficiently, there's recent surge in efforts to water conserve. Some at the global and corporate level, and some at the individual level.

The growing water conservation movement can be broken down into three main goals:

• Sustainability
The planet has a finite amount of water. In order to ensure that we'll have enough to support our burgeoning global population, the amount of ground water used for agricultural purposes is going to have to be drastically reduced, and fast.

• Energy Conservation
Pumping water out of the ground actually results in huge energy losses. It can take up to an excessive percentage of total electricity used in a given area. For instance, California uses as much as 15 percent of its total energy on water management alone.

• Habitat Conservation
Working to maintain fresh water supplies in forests and other natural habitats help ensures that the conservation of surrounding flora and fauna.

The negative effects of water waste, such as climate change and other environmental concerns, have inspired a host of new technologies and trends focused on attempts to conserve water and use it more efficiently. Here's a brief rundown of some of the latest:

• Wave Farms
The first wave farm went live in Portugal in 2008. Using massive tubes that stretch into the ocean, this technology harnesses the power of waves through a specialized hydraulic technology.

• Rainwater Harvesting
This concept has been around for centuries, but has recently been enjoying a surge in popularity. While the water caught may not always be suitable for drinking, it can be used in many other ways. Rainwater is better for plants than tap water, it can often be used for things like washing dishes.

• Dual-Flush Water Conservation Toilets
These typically have two different buttons: one for solid waste and one for liquid waste. The liquid waste button releases half as much water as the solid. One of these toilets can save a family of four an average of 10,000 gallons of water a year.

• Drip Irrigation
While drip irrigation happens to be the most expensive type of irrigation used in agriculture, it's also experiencing a resurgence due to its water saving abilities. The technique involves using tubing to deliver water straight to the root system of a plant, as opposed to simply spreading water over the ground. The result is a minimal loss of water.

• Steam Auto Detailing

The world's first steam cleaning auto detailing company opened in the United States in 2006. They utilize a proprietary system to steam-clean vehicles with an average of one pint of water per car. This is obviously a drastic reduction in the normal amount of water needed to achieve the same goal, such as a standard car wash or simply washing a vehicle in your driveway.