subject: 3 Quick and Simple Tips to Conserve Water Instantly [print this page] 3 Quick and Simple Tips to Conserve Water Instantly
These are my top 3 tips for quickly reducing your water usage. By following these simple tips, you will notice a decrease in your water bill, and you will be thinking outside of the box.
Avoid bottled water.
Here's a simple one for you...the only exception being if you live somewhere where you have limited access to potable water. Even still, challenge yourself to not buy it. More and more studies will tell you that the water these companies sell you is equivalent to, and often sub-par to what comes out of your tap! Further, get in the habit of carrying a reusable bottle (a metal one preferred) with you and fill it up when you need to. The bottled water industry is such a waste of resources and it's only a matter of time until it's completely put to rest.
If you need further explanation on this one or are just plain curious, watch Annie Leonard's short video entitled "Story of Bottled Water". It goes into detail about how the bottled water industry came to fruition and how it's on its way out.
Brush your teeth with the faucet off.
Do you remember your parents telling you this? My mother set me straight at a young age to only turn on the water to rinse off your brush after you've already brushed your teeth. Such a simple way to stop flushing your money down the drain.
Too easy? Another quick one is to minimize the use of your clothes dryer. Hang up your clothes and let them air dry. In the wintertime, this will add some humidity to the house, in the summer...try hanging them outside. I like to hang my clothes off my balcony with my goofiest looking stuff closest to the street for people to laugh at.
Consider Alternatives for Maintaining Your Garden.
Watering the lawn is a serious endeavor responsible for a hefty amount of water if you're not careful. Any methods for collecting some water that would otherwise go unused are worth applying if you can. Challenge yourself to trying one new activity per week and notice if it was really that much harder to do.
My favorite example, that I know may not apply to everyone involves the dehumidifier. My basement gets really damp if I'm not careful and I need to run a dehumidifier once a week. It just so happens a number of my houseplants only need to be watered that often...so when I empty my dehumifier, the water goes right to my houseplants. Simple! This one may seem a bit weirder, but it works. I like to keep a small bowl in my bathroom for collecting water. When I take a shower, my water is slow to get remotely warm (time to look into a tank-less water heater!). While it warms up, I collect the water and drink it before I go to bed. Again, very easy to do and it makes a difference.
It's easy to take our water usage for granted. Watch your costs drop as you take on a few simple culture changes listed in this article. If you have kids, get them to follow along and see what they think. Simple culture change is what it takes to make effective changes to your eco footprint...watch these tips become everyday habits.
Remember:
Avoid bottled water.
Brush your teeth with the faucet off!
Find new water sources for maintaining the garden.
