
I bet you have heard it many times - save water... save the
planet... But do we really do it? Well, this time I am determined. I
will change my habits to save the planet (hardly), but to reduce my
water footprint and most of all to give a good example to my kid. Who
knows, he may save the planet one day. While doing my research, I found
the "evergreen" rules for water conservation, but also came across some
great ideas and tricks on how to conserve water easily. See what I have
found and how we can save money by going green. If you have other water
saving tips, be welcome to share them here.
How to Conserve Water (Beginners' Level)
Here
are those tips and tricks on how to conserve water that are easy to
implement. Neither money, nor time investment, nor special preparations
are needed. It's just you and your conscious.
- Take shorter showers.
I should confess I used to be a ten-minute-shower-person. I love long
and hot showers. They are so relaxing especially after busy or cold
days. But let's face it - more than 21% of the household water use comes
from the shower. Not to count the fact that water may run unused till
we wait for a good to us temperature. Nevertheless, I know I can reduce
the minutes under the shower and start relaxing, let's say in a more
efficient way.
- Turn off the faucet when you brush your teeth. That's how you can conserve about 2 gallons of water per brushing.
- Skip a shave. If you still have to shave every
day, just don't rinse your razor under a running tap, but fill your
basin with little warm water.
- Do not wash your hair every day. I think this is
not only a good how to conserve water tip, it's a good hair maintenance
advice too. If you still feel the need to wash your hair every day, why
don't you try a different hair cut or style.
- Run your dishwasher only when it's full. I used to
wash my dishes by hand just because I thought I'd use less water. If you
are like me, don't fool yourself. A dishwasher will save you about 10
gallons of water per washing and will use less soap too.
- Fully load your washing machine. It will save you
about 3 gallons of water for each wash. A front-loading washing machine
is more efficient than a top-loading one.
- Don't let the tap dripping. Fix leaky sinks and running toilets quickly.
- "If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down."
Have you heard this before? This was one of the fresh how to conserve
water tips for me. If you don't feel OK with this, why don't you try
implement it during the night? At least you will not wake everybody up
when you flush the water.
- Use the small flush if you have a dual flush toilet. It is sufficient for just about anything, and when it isn't, doing two small flushes is actually better than one big one.
How to Conserve Water (Intermediate Level)
How
to conserve water has never been easier, but these water saving tips
may require some financial investment. If you are as determined to go
green and save money as I am, then they deserve at least your attention.
- Toilet lid sink.
Frankly, this was a real finding for me on how to conserve water in the
most practical way. When you wash your hands, water is saved in the
tank and is used to flush the toilet next time. It not only saves water,
but space too. Note that you can buy only the tank.
- Install a low-flow shower head and reduce your shower water use by 20 to 60%.
- Instant Off Water Saver.This is another "precious"
how to conserve water trick. Practically, Instant Off controls the
water. When you push the rod, water starts. Once the rod is released,
water stops. This little water saving device is perfect for bathrooms,
kitchens, garage sinks and RVs.
- Use waterless car wash. So, instead of using 500
gallons of water to wash your car by yourself or 32 gallons at the
commercial car wash stations, go for the waterless way and you'll get
your car shining like new. Learn more and see products offered at Eco
Touch and Freedom.
- Collect rainwater from your roof's downspout in a
rain barrel to irrigate your garden. In Colorado, there is a law that
bans rainwater capture...., but anywhere else, this water saving tip may
be quite valuable and save lots of gallons of clean water from being
spent in watering the garden.
- How to Conserve Water (Masters' Level)
- Water recycling - greywater and wastewater reuse
systems. This how to conserve water idea is of high difficulty and may
require big financial investment. Greywater systems take the water from
your shower and kitchen (never from the toilet) and redirect it to
watering the garden. Learn more at http://greywateraction.org.
Now,
knowing how to conserve water, you just need to start doing it. Water
and money are both scarce resources. Let's save them thinking of our
kids' future.
Nadia Ruseva is a mom, who in the search of some tips to raise
her child healthy, found a whole new world of inspiration and ideas
about how to be healthy and beautiful inside and out... about how to
make a difference.