Here are four alarming facts about water that make the case for going on a serious water diet: 

  1. By 2025, half of the world’s population won’t have adequate access to clean water. A sobering statistic, yet many Americans remain detached from the water crisis that’s unfolding around us. Today, the US has the largest water footprint in the world, as evidenced by our love of sprinklers, pools, and carwashes. In fact, the average American uses 150-plus gallons of water a day, sucking dry the life-sustaining resource we’ll need as climate change continues.  Do your part: In most households, the toilet is the single-biggest user of water, using an average of five gallons per flush. Choose a new toilet with the EPA’s WaterSense label for a water-efficient commode. If you don’t have a low-flow toilet, fill a water bottle with several inches of sand, and place it in the tank to reduce the water used per flush. And never toss garbage, tampons, or condoms in the toilet—trash can force your toilet to waste up to seven gallons of water per flush. 
  2. Las Vegas could be a ghost town by 2016. The mighty Hoover Dam is what powers up the glitzy entertainment capital of the world. The problem? The Hoover Dam’s water levels have been dropping 10 feet a year due to the unsustainable water pressure on Lake Mead, the body of water that supplies the dam. When the dam reaches 1050 feet, it will stop generating electricity—a drop of 36 feet that’s expected to occur within four years. “It’s not a question of if, it’s a question of when,” Pat Mulroy, general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, says in Last Call at the Oasis.  Do your part: Smart landscaping is key. Replace a water-hungry lawn with plants native to your area—they’re much better at storing water and require little maintenance. For local plant ideas, check the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center’s database for ideas. If you do need your lawn, only water it when absolutely necessary and when temperatures are cooler to minimize evaporation.
  3. It takes about 1,800 gallons of water to create one pound of beef. Eating lower on the food chain has been linked to living longer. It’s also a much more water-friendly practice since it takes more than three times the amount of water to produce beef than chicken or pork.  Do your part: Meatless Mondays are a great way to kick off a plan to cut down on the amount of meat you consume (get started with these five great vegetarian recipes). When you do choose animal proteins, look for ones that use less water, like eggs or meat from pasture-raised chickens. 
  4. It’s raining corn chemicals. Science fiction couldn’t make this stuff up. Atrazine and glyphosate, two of the most common weed-killing chemicals in America, are so heavily used that they’re now being detected in rain and tap water. While pesticide lobbyists maintain that these chemicals are safe, independent research has shown otherwise: Even in tiny doses, atrazine can throw off hormone function. A University of California-Berkley research found that some male frogs exposed to low levels of atrazine actually turned into females. Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, has been linked to infertility.  Do your part: Check LocalHarvest.org and search for organic farmers in your area. For each dollar you shift to local organic food sources, you’ll be keeping toxic chemicals out of your community’s air and water.  More from Prevention: 7 Weird Things You Can Recycle