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Collect Rain Water for Your Plants
Our most precious Earthly resource is most definitely water. Without it, all life would pass. As our population continues to explode, the earth's ability to provide plentiful amounts of this natural resource is waning. Here's 10 easy ways you can help to reduce the strain on our water supply:
- Don't over-water your landscaping. Stronger plants and grass dig their roots deeper into the ground, allowing them to soak up the deepest water during periods of drought.
- Wash only full loads of laundry, saving both water and electricity.
- Use a hose gun when washing your car.
- Water your potted plants with rainwater. They will enjoy the natural version much better than tap, which is treated with chlorine and other chemicals. Rain barrels are available at garden centers and online, or check my selection below.
- Don't run the water while washing dishes or brushing your teeth.
- According to Ed Begley Jr's book, Living Like Ed, using your dishwasher's rinse cycle uses less water than rinsing them before placing them in the dishwasher. It's easier too! Begley's book is definitely worth a read. You can read my review at Living Like Ed: A Book Review.
- Allowing no water to simply run down your drain, unless it is washing something down like toothpaste or natural cleanser, you can collect quite a bit of the would-be runoff. Use this for plants, pet water, pet baths, car washing, and other household cleaning tasks.
- If you have a sprinkler system, be sure to check your heads periodically to assure none are broken and gushing water into your yard. Adjust their height and arc to assure best coverage. This will keep you from having to water those pesky dry spots.
- Kick the bottled water habit and switch to filtered water that you make at home. There are many options available for pitchers, faucet attachments and even dispensers.
- Invest in a BPA-free plastic or aluminum, reusable water bottle so you can take water with you every time you leave the house. No more expensive stops for bottled water at the 7-Eleven. You're prepared. My version (yes, BPA-free, to prevent breast cancer) below has a pop up straw and a belt clip for hiking. I found it at Target.
Enjoying My Rainy Days
National Water Quality Month Helps us Focus on Saving Water too
Saving Water, Detergent, and Money with your Dishwasher
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2 COMMENTS:
How about putting a couple of filled water bottles inside the toilet compartment so each time you flush you use that much less water. Give it a shot!
That's a great idea, Green Man. I'll give it a try and report back later.
Let's do the math: 32 oz. per flush X 4 flushes per day on average = 1 gallon per day or 365 per year, per person. Multiply that times the number of household members and you get your total annual water savings.
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