Earth Overshoot Day 2023: How our daily water use can MoveTheDate

Earth Overshoot Day marks the date when humanity’s demand for natural resources surpasses what the earth can regenerate in one year. This means we are living on credit for five whole months and depleting the earth further and further. This alarming fact calls for urgent action to reduce our ecological footprint and preserve the planet for future generations.

And that does not have to be difficult or expensive at all: Simple changes in our everyday behavior and the use of new, innovative technologies could push back the date of Earth Overshoot Day. If households, for example, opted for high-efficiency appliances without using them too often, it could be moved by 6 days .

Many people are not aware of the fact that their own home offers great potential for savings, for example when using water.

GROHE, one of the leading global brands for complete bathroom solutions and kitchen fittings, has made it a mission to develop water-saving solutions that empower everyone to contribute to water and energy conservation efforts.

In the area of washbasin faucets, for example, GROHE SilkMove ES technology helps to save energy. When operating conventional faucets with the lever in the standard middle position, mixed hot and cold water flows every time – even when only briefly rinsing a toothbrush or washing hands. This unnecessary energy consumption is prevented by the SilkMove ES (Energy Saving) cartridge, which ensures that only cold water runs if the faucet lever remains in the default centre position. Only once the lever is turned to the left, does warm water flow.

To reduce water consumption, GROHE faucets with EcoJoy technology are equipped with a flow-limiting mousseur. So instead of ten liters per minute, only just over five liters per minute are consumed. At the same time, an aerator enriches the water with air, letting the water jet remain pleasantly powerful. This saves water without sacrificing performance or comfort.

GROHE EcoJoy technology can also save water and thus energy in the shower area. The water flow is reduced by a flow limiter. However, thanks to smaller nozzles, this is not noticeable in the water flow – it remains as strong as usual. The GROHE Vitalio Start 100 hand shower, for example, has a water consumption rate of only 5,5 liters per minute and was recently named “test winner” and “environmental tip” by German consumer organization and foundation “Stiftung Warentest”.

Shower thermostats also help to save water and energy, as they maintain the chosen water temperature for the duration of the shower, so there is no need to spend time re-adjusting. Many models, like the Grohtherm 1000, also include the GROHE EcoButton: The full water flow is only achieved by pressing this button. So, quite unknowingly, up to 50 percent water can be saved.

The latest innovation is GROHE Everstream, the brand’s first water-recycling shower technology that circulates hygienically treated water in order to create the showering experience users expect but consuming as little fresh water as possible – and using far less energy. The shower system uses as little as a quarter of the water and a third of the energy typically required by traditional showers, translating into a cost saving of up to 65% a year for a four-person household, and up to 70% fewer CO2 emissions, depending on individual showering habits. The water recycling shower will be launched in 2024.

Earth Overshoot Day reminds us of the urgent need to re-think how we live and consume. This reality will continue to nudge GROHE to play a pioneering role in the development of sustainable solutions that change how resources are used in kitchens and bathrooms. With this commitment to water and energy conservation and dedication to technological innovation, the brand aims to continue paving the way to #MoveTheDate.