When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Go Green

Conserving Water

Whoever said we can't make a difference, never tried to. Spread the word about what we can do and we can all conserve water for the future ahead. 

 We often forget how important water is in our day-to-day lives, and how we would not be able to survive without it. Although many efforts to conserve water have slowly started to be put into use in our lifestyles, we often don't understand the vitality water is for our future and how much water is used in everyday productions and tasks around the house. To manufacture one car, almost 40,000 gallons of water are necessary, which is fifty times the car's actual weight. In the typical Thanksgiving dinner, 30,000 gallons of water are used. Although it may seem that we only use this amount of water in our day-to-day lives infrequently, this is not the case. In truth, the average American family uses 200 gallons of water each day. To make a difference, implement the following guidelines into your own lifestyle, but don't stop there. Try to share these tips with as many people as possible-your families, your friends, your colleagues, etc. Spreading the word spreads the conservation with these simple tips:

AROUND THE HOUSE:

 

  • Shorten your shower by one to two minutes per day. This small effort will save five gallons per day.
  • Fix faucets/pipes that are leaking.
  • Make sure sink knobs are fully tightened after running tap water.
  • Don't start the dishwasher until it's full of dishes. Same with the washing machine-wait until it's full of clothes before running it.
  • Check your plumbing regularly.
  • Keep a pitcher of water with ice in your fridge instead of letting tap water run until it's cold everyday.
  • When rinsing fruits and veggies, use a small bowl or container instead of running tap water.
  • Turn off the water when brushing your teeth/shaving.
  • Instead of taking a bath, take a shower.
  • Defrost food by putting it in the fridge or leaving it on the counter instead of running tap water over it.
  • Use your towel two to three nights in a row before replacing.
  • Install a low-flow toilet. If you can't replace your toilet, try to reduce your flushes per day.
  • Use a compost heap instead of overusing your garbage disposal. 

 

1.) Fill a pitcher of water with ice instead of running tap water everyday until it gets cold.

2.) When rinsing fruits and vegetables, fill a small container or bowl with water and rinse them in that, instead of running tap water on them.

3.) Reuse this leftover water for watering your garden.

4.) Don’t start the dishwasher until it’s full of dishes. Same with the washing machine-wait until it’s full of clothes.

5.) Turn off the water while brushing your teeth/shaving.

6.) Water your lawn and garden in the morning-this will decrease evaporation levels.

7.) Instead of taking a bath, take a shower.

8.) Defrost food in the fridge or on the counter instead of by running water over it.

9.) Use a car wash that recycles water. There are also car washes that don’t use water at all, but use products invented in the U.S. during a long drought to accomplish the same job.

10.) Use your towel two to three nights in a row before replacing.

11.) Fix faucets/pipes that are leaking, and report water hydrants that are open. Make sure that the knobs of the sink are fully tightened after running tap water.

12.) Shorten your shower by one to minutes. This small effort will conserve five gallons of water a day. 

IN THE YARD/GARDEN:


  • After rinsing your fruits and veggies,don't dump the water saved in your bowl down the drain. Instead, use it to water your plants and your lawn.
  • Keep your garden/other hoses turned off at the faucet, not just the nozzle.
  • Water your lawn and garden in the morning or in the evening-when the temperature is the coolest. This will minimize water evaporation.
  • Lawns only need one inch of water per week. This means we don't need to water it daily.
  • Collect rainwater in a bucket.
  • Never water when it is windy.
  • Re-use water as much as possible. Cleaning water and pond water is often safe to use on the lawn and garden.
  • Consider a water-saving drip irrigation system if you don't already have one. 

IN THE COMMUNITY:

 

  • Teach your community about the importance of conserving water and how they can contribute to this effort.
  • Minimize leaks.
  • Report open hydrants.
  • Go to a car wash that recycles water. Even better, see if you can find a waterless car washes. These car washes use products that were invented in the U.S. during a long drought instead of the traditional water.

 

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