Visit Waterfootprint.org to figure out your own impact, and take a look at this list of simple things you can do (and might already be doing) to conserve water in your home.
Quick and easy ways to conserve and care for water at home:
1) time one of your normal showers, then cut the time by one or two minutes until you get down to a reasonable time that still allows you to "get everything done"
2) install low-flow shower heads
3) install low-flow toilets (a bit more expensive, but some cities have subsidy programs to help you "green" up your home)
4) turn off the faucet when not directly using the water (i.e when washing dishes, brushing your teeth)
5) wash your car at a car wash that is known for disposing of the water in an appropriate way (besides, the timer will encourage you to get the job done more quickly, and the water doesn't run unless you are using the hose/brush)
6) when camping, don't use soap for washing dishes or bathing near a river or lake
7) don't put toxic liquids, medications, or paint down the sink or toilet (take them to the appropriate recycling stations in your town instead)
8) use rain-barrels to collect water for your garden (or use less water than you normally do - sprinkler systems can be a huge waste of water, so make sure if you do have one that the water is actually going where it's supposed to and that it's on a timer)
9) only run the dishwasher/washer when you have a full load
10) use compost or mulch in your garden...it keeps down weeds that compete for water and retains moisture so you won't need to water as often
There are hundreds of other ways to conserve. Take a tour of the internet by just putting in "water conservation tips" or "ways to conserve water". There are things one can do that are much more life-changing - giving up meat (which ended up being the majority of my water footprint), giving up coffee, giving up cotton clothing (which I am not willing to do, especially for synthetic materials). I personally am not interested in these changes. I am, however, willing to make wiser choices involving these subjects: smaller portions of local meat raised by small farms, and shade-grown coffee, for example.
Live Earth - Save Water
1 comment:
I will also add that we even replace most baths with showers for our little one now. That cuts back on nightly water use. At first, he didn't like it, but he got used to it. When he was really little, we just put him the shower with us. Even better.
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