| As members of the Human Race living on this planet | | | | instead of using the garbage disposal to save some |
| Earth, we each have a responsibility or even a duty | | | | more water. |
| to do our part or all that we can to help conserve | | | | - Avoid overfilling saucepans when boiling water for |
| one of the Earths most precious resources, its | | | | pasta or potatoes for example, just goes up in |
| Water! Our lives and the lives of every living thing | | | | steam! |
| depends on it. Conserving water not only saves the | | | | - When washing dishes by hand, avoid filling the basin. |
| resource itself, but saves on the energy required to | | | | Use a bowl or basin placed in the sink itself. You'll use |
| process and transport it and make sure there is | | | | less water. |
| enough to go around. In this article, I will cover some | | | | - You can use a natural detergent and then put the |
| of the general water conservation tips that can be | | | | dirty water on the garden. |
| applied throughout the home and then focus on the | | | | - If you wash the cleanest dishes first and then work |
| two main places where water seems to flow more | | | | your way to the dirty ones, the water will last longer. |
| freely, the Kitchen and Bathroom. | | | | - You can use the rinse water to flush the toilet or |
| General Conservation Tips for Around the Home | | | | put it on the garden or flowers or wash the windows |
| - Make sure you fix leaks or drips quickly. You can | | | | or car. |
| catch water leaks in a pan or bucket while you are | | | | Save water in the Bathroom |
| waiting for the plumber and use it somewhere else | | | | - Turning off the tap while you brush your teeth is |
| like on plants, washing the windows, the car or what | | | | one of the most effective ways to save water in |
| ever. | | | | the bathroom. You will lose almost 2 gallons of |
| - You can put faucet aerators on the Bathroom and | | | | perfectly good water down the drain if you brush for |
| Kitchen faucets. Water volume can be reduced by | | | | the two minutes you dentist recommends. |
| screwing the small units which add oxygen to the | | | | - Another good way to conserve water in the |
| water flow and still maintain a good water pressure. | | | | bathroom is to install water-saving shower heads. |
| - Make sure that all pipes exposed to the outside | | | | Low-flow shower heads add air to the water flow to |
| temperatures are adaquetly wrapped in good | | | | maintain the pressure. |
| insulation. You certainly don't want these pipes to | | | | - A fun way to save water would be to bath with |
| burst in cold weather. Also, you might check for | | | | your partner or you could just schedule showers and |
| pipes on exterior walls with poor insulation. A burst in | | | | baths after each other while the water is still hot in |
| this situation could cause a lot more damage than | | | | the pipes. |
| just a flood on the floor, which would also waste a | | | | - You could always take a shower instead of a bath |
| lot of water. | | | | and cut your shower time down to 5 minutes from |
| - If you live in an older home that doesn't have a | | | | 10. |
| water meter, have one installed. By paying for just | | | | - And remember to put a bucket under to tub spout |
| the water you use, you have an incentive to use | | | | while the water heats up then use the cold water to |
| less. Some water companies will reduce your rate by | | | | flush the toilet. |
| just installing a meter. | | | | - Toilet flushing uses up about 30% of the water in |
| Water Conversation Tips in the Kitchen | | | | your home. Use some sort of displacement device in |
| - When you turn on the hot water, instead of losing | | | | the toilet tank to save water. I remember early on |
| the cold water down the drain, catch the cold water | | | | placing a brick in our tank. Saves about a quart a |
| in a pot or jug or basin until it gets hot then use the | | | | flush. |
| water for rinsing the dishes, water for the pets, | | | | - Pour recycled water into the tank immediately after |
| flowers, drinking etc. | | | | flushing. |
| - Instead of waiting for water to cool down at the | | | | I'm sure you can think of many more ways to save |
| tap, keep a jug or bottle in the fridge for your cold | | | | water around your home. It's amazing how the ideas |
| water. | | | | start to come when you become immersed in the |
| - Dispose of garbage in the trash or compost pile | | | | concept of conservation. Good Luck! Until next time. |