9 creative ways to save water.
02.10.10
Our water usage has fallen by the wayside in the news since we had no droughts last year. I, however, like to be proactive rather than reactive. I also know that just because we avoided droughts in this country for a year or two it is not a sign that the water crisis has been averted.
So I thought, as spring and summer are coming, which means less condensation, it was a great time to talk again about water conservation.
Here are 9 ways to save or reuse water.
1. Turn off the water when you are brushing your teeth (it saves 5 gallons of water per brushing), when you wash your hands (and count to 15), or when scrubbing pots & pans in the sink. Teach your children to do the same.
2. Keep a bucket in your bathroom and as your shower water warms up fill the bucket and use it later to water plants, mop the floor, or help wash your car bike, patio etc.
3. Keep a container ( I use a milk jug) under your sink and fill it with the water left from boiling pasta and eggs, then water your plants with it. (You can also add your leftover coffee to this giving your plants a great boost of nutrients which encourages blooming.)
4. Buy or make a rain catcher to collect rainwater to use for watering plants, washing your car, bike, boat, house exterior, etc.
5. Put a half gallon container, or a brick in your toilet tank to cut down on water stored in your tank.
6. Replace your toilets and shower heads with low flow when they need replacing.
7. Plant drought resistant plants and indigenous plants so they require less watering during the spring & summer.
8. Wash only full loads of clothes and dishes. It is also better to use your washing machine & dishwasher rather than washing by hand. It uses much less water.
9. Fix leaks. The average home loses 9.5 gallons of water per day from leaks, most of which are from toilet tanks. Did you know that a leaking faucet leaks about 10 gallons of water per day! (Check for leaks by turning off all of your faucets, and appliances. If your water meter continues to run you have a leak. Add food coloring to your toilet, if it appears in the toilet bowl you have a leak.)
Can you think of other creative ways to save water? Leave us a comment and let us know what your family does.
Tags: environment, water usage
What a great article
We conserve water by taking shorter and less frequent showers. I realize that this is taboo in our culture, but it is a great what to save water and resources (including time
. However, in the summer we shower more frequently (due to increased body odor), but we try to keep our showers under 5 minutes.
A leaky washing machine is also a problem. Since washers use up a lot of water every time you are using it, it is imperative that you regularly maintain it. If you see leaks, immediately check the source of leak and fix it. Do not tighten water valves too much as the water pressure can build up and this will cause damage to its rubber seal. When a rubber seal is damaged, it will lead to a leaky washer problem.