A Few Interesting Facts About Water and What YOU Can Do to Save More of it
Did you know that the average person (in the US) uses 105.7 gallons of water a day? Did you also know that your bathroom is the room where the most water is wasted? If you want to reduce water use in your household, target your bathroom first.
Here are six simple ways to conserve water in your bathroom:
- Fix leaks
- Turn off the water when brushing your teeth
- Take shorter showers
- Upgrade your toilet
- Replace your shower head
- Replace your faucet
What else can you do to save water? In addition to your toilet, replace your dishwasher and washing machine. These are the top three water-consuming appliances in your home. Look for a “water sense” labeled toilet. This means that the toilet will use 1.28 gallons of water per flush in lieu of the 1.6 gallons per flush a “standard” toilet uses. Both dishwashers and washing machines with the ENERGY STAR labels are guaranteed to use 30% less water than “standard” models.
What are the top five ways to conserve water outside of your house?
- Water your lawn in the early morning or late evening, using low-flow irrigation to water the roots of the plants, minimizing evaporation
- Check for water leaks
- Collect/use rain water to irrigate your plants (including indoors)
- Plant native/adaptive plants and low-mow grass
- Install a timer to avoid over-watering the plants
A little more about Green Landscaping…
Did you know that by not watering your lawn you are actually helping your grass grow stronger while also eliminating CO2 emissions? If you like the look of a lush green lawn and yet also prefer little maintenance, then you may want to consider low-mow grass. Low-mow grass has a deeper root system than traditional grass, requiring little to no irrigation, and only needs to be mowed once, maybe twice per summer. In addition to saving water by avoiding irrigation, you’ll also cut down on the time you spend mowing, thereby reducing the amount of CO2 emissions your mower generates. It’s a win / win situation!
Remember, small changes can equal big savings.
Image courtesy of Google Images.
