Reduce your Use: 7 Ideas on Saving Water

Water is a vital resource.  About 2-3 percent of the world’s water is fresh, and only about a third of 1 percent of this fresh water is immediately available for human use. Simply put, this is a resource that we cannot live without, but it is also one that we have very little of on hand.

That’s why we all need to take steps to reducing our use and conserving our fresh water supplies. Here are seven ideas on saving water – try implementing them into your daily life to do this (as well as save a few bucks on the utility bill).

The Japanese Shower

Largely due to the system of Japanese bathing, the equivalent of a “Japanese shower” in America is this: first, wet yourself with the water. Next, turn off the water and lather yourself with soap and shampoo. Rinse with water. Repeat with conditioner.

The idea here is to only use water when it’s actually necessary. This may even take your water run time down from 7-10 minutes to 2-3. That’s less than half as much water you’re using!

If this isn’t for you, try to simply get on a system of fast showers. Try to time yourself (I do so by listening to music that’s playing outside the bathroom – I try to finish before one song is over!). This achieves somewhat the same ends with a slightly different means

Wash with the Sponge, not the Water

When you’re washing dishes, don’t let the water run. I will usually just make a soapy stack of dishes and then do one big rinse for them all. This actually lets the soap do its job, rather than just washing away.

The same goes for brushing your teeth. I simply wet the toothbrush, turn off the water, brush, and then rinse quickly at the end. Running the water the whole time is really just a waste – there is no practical reason for it!

Time the Sprinklers

If you have a lawn, you know that you use tons of water. I would first suggest switching to an alternative, but if you’re dead set on the Kentucky Blue, then try to strategically time your watering. First, water at night or when it’s cool – this helps minimize evaporation and gives the water a chance to sink into the soil.

Next, time the process of water. You’ll probably need to find out the right amount for your specific type of grass, but whatever it is, avoid watering too much.

Full Loads

About to do laundry? Wait a bit longer. Whenever you start a load, try to make sure it’s as full as possible. Now, you don’t want to overload the machine, but the more you can get in at once the better. This does have some negative side effects (like less clean clothes) but it’s really not that bad.

Alternatively, you can wear your clothes for longer amounts of time, only washing them when they are truly dirty!

Fix the Faucet

Leaks are the bane of freshwater’s existence. Identify the leaks in your home (inside and outside) and call the plumber. Most of the time, you could fix them yourself, but if that isn’t the case and the plumber is out sick, use a bucket to catch the drip water. You can use this for plants and your lawn!

Toilet Smarts

Not only can you save a lot of water by being toilet savvy, but you can also save a lot of water. First, drop some food dye into the back of your toilet. If it makes its way into the bowl, you have a leak that may be dripping away 1,000s of gallons a month – call back that plumber!

Another option is to place something in your toilet tank – maybe a plastic bottle filled with sand. This reduce the amount of water used for each flush, which will accumulate into major savings in no time!

Eat Less Meat

Finally, you can make a major difference by eating less meat. Tons of water is devoted to the growth of feed for cattle as well as the cattle themselves. By reducing the demand for that meat, you’re reducing the need for that water use!