Population growth stretches finite water supplies.
Saving water is a key component to becoming a more environmentally conscious consumer, as rapidly increasing populations and regional climate issues stress finite water resources. In the West and Southwest, for example, consumers contend with limited ground and surface water and quality issues, while in the Pacific Northwest, residents face changes in winter and spring snow levels along with increased use of hydropower for electricity. It's easy to incorporate even just a few water-saving techniques into your household routine, saving hundreds of gallons and perhaps a little money on your water bill. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Home
1. Turn off the tap when you brush your teeth or shave.
2. Take short showers instead of baths.
3. Install water-saving accessories in your bathroom, such as low-flow shower heads and low-flow or dual-flush toilets. You can also fill a plastic bottle or bag with water and some gravel or other heavy items and put it in your toilet tank. This displaces and reduces the water used per flush.
4. Repair leaks in faucets, toilets and other plumbing. According to California-based Mono Lake Committee, this can save up to 600 gallons monthly.
5. Replace older water-consuming appliances, such as the dishwasher or washing machine, with those that are more efficient. Look for appliances tagged with the Energy Star label, which are vetted to the U.S. government's standards of efficiency.
6. Scrape, rather than rinse, dishes before putting them in your dishwasher.
7. Run the dishwasher or washing machine only with full loads.
Garden
8. Make sure your sprinklers are aimed only at what needs to be watered, such as your lawn and garden, rather than the sidewalk and driveway.
9. Try soaker hoses or drip irrigation systems for your plants.
10. Look into rain garden techniques, which collect and filter rainwater and runoff that come into your garden naturally. You can then reuse this water source.
11. Consider rain barrels, which collect and store rain water that you can later use to water your garden.
12. Water during the coolest part of the day, such as the early morning.
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