At a hotel, there was a sign next to the toilet that said:
Dear guest,
We can conserve our water resources by avoiding unnecessary toilet flushing.
You, too,
Be a drop of water
For our future
We can conserve our water resources by avoiding unnecessary toilet flushing.
You, too,
Be a drop of water
For our future
Why is this nonsense?
First of all, how exactly do they expect people to flush the toilet less often? Leave urine sitting there so it can stink and create stains and buildup on the bowl?
Secondly, this kind of water conservation can actually make things worse for the environment. I once watched a TV program where sewer system workers explained that people nowadays use less water, which means there is less flow in the sewer pipes. As a result, blockages occur more frequently, waste is carried away less effectively, and maintenance costs increase. In the end, this drives up water prices for consumers. So there is no real financial benefit either.
Workers at wastewater treatment plants have made similar complaints. Because people use less water, treatment facilities receive more concentrated and polluted wastewater. It is harder to process, produces stronger odors, and can cause unpleasant smells to spread for miles around the treatment plants.
There is no real environmental benefit here. It's just the appearance of caring about the environment rather than actually helping it.