In this post I have listed 10 easy ways to save water as one major environmental problem the world is dealing with is dwindling clean water supplies.
We are using way more water than we need without actually having the technology to responsibly source it.
On top of this, the products we use in our homes to clean ourselves, our clothes and our houses are leaching toxins into rivers and other clean water supplies, creating an even smaller pool of resources (pun intended).
Agriculture uses about 1000 tons of water just to grow one ton of produce according to The Real Truth’s magazine article- Earth’s Dwindling Water Supply. [source]This is a situation that calls for immediate action.
Not just from governments and big environmental and conservation movements (they really need to be pushed by us, the consumers, to do more though), but from the average Joe who uses this water in their homes.
Not to worry, your girl’s got your back.
It’s easy to lessen your household water consumption following these 10 simple tips.
10 Easy ways to save water
1. Wear clothes more than once
A lot of clothing items can be worn two to three times before it needs to be washed. Saving your clothes a wash really cuts down on water usage and helps to preserve their colour for longer.
Less washing means you have more time to catch up on other things too.
2. Use biodegradable hygiene products and cleaning supplies
A lot of products we use go down the drain, making their way into rivers and bodies of water where they contaminate the water with chemicals and toxins.
This makes the water unfit to be used as drinking water, lessening our clean water sources.
Using biodegradable and natural products will stop the chemical spill and give these sources some time to recover. If you make your own DIY cleaning supplies you can save some money too.
3. Fix any leaks you come across
A small leak or a dripping tap might not seem like much, but as time passes this loss of water can become quite significant.
In The Real Truth’s article, it is also found that 30% or 40% or more of the world’s water supply is unaccounted for because of water leakages in pipes, canals and illegal connections.
If you’re a handy person and you like fixing things, check for leaks often and sort them out on the spot.
If you’re not so handy, just be aware of any leaks and get a plumber or a friend to fix them as soon as they can, also saving you a potentially large sum of money on your water bill.
4. Collect rainwater/fresh snow
Catching water that might otherwise end up in sewage farms anyway is a great way to cut down on your water bill and spare energy used by water filtering companies which, in turn, helps the environment.
This water might not be great for drinking but indoor plants love it. It can be used in many ways. Plus, it’s free.
5. Water your garden at dusk
Throughout the day plants transpire and lose moisture, by watering them in the morning or early afternoon they lose more moisture because the heat will draw the water out of the plants and the ground.
If you water them at dusk or late afternoon, however, they can use this moisture efficiently for a longer time and need less water.
6. Use greywater in your garden
Water from bathrooms and washing rooms (not toilets) can be reused in your garden if you do not have edible plants, the plants don’t seem to mind the additives too much.
If you do have plants you would like to consume, use biodegradable products or dilute the grey water with tap water.
This also saves you a bit on your water bills as you are reusing the water you have already consumed.
7. Wash your car with a bucket, not a hose
Having a bucket with soapy water to wash your car uses a lot less water than running the hose the whole time.
If you can, allow the soapy water to run into the garden, that way you feed two birds with one scone. Get it?
8. If it’s yellow let it mellow, if it’s brown flush it down
This might be a little gross, especially for a large family, but toilets use a lot of water in a single flush. If you live alone and don’t really mind these things you can definitely follow this principle.
This system was implemented in public toilets by the city of Cape Town following the droughts.
However, you can try flushing only on the second trip to the bathroom, or if someone close to you wants to use the bathroom straight after you then you can omit the flushing and let them flush when they’re done.
To show you I’m not kidding about this, here is a photo I took of a public bathroom in Cape Town when they had a major crisis:
If the image is unclear, here’s what it says:
Please save water. Cape Town is experiencing a severe drought, please help us save water. Don’t flush if it’s not necessary. “If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down.” Thank you for using less water. Every drop counts.
9. Take quicker showers/ use less water in the bath
This is kind of obvious but very hard to do, especially during the winter months. But even cutting down your shower time by 5 minutes helps a lot.
Using a hotter temperature on the bath also makes it less tempting to add more water and cover our bodies up to our necks.
10. Be aware of companies that use best practices when it comes to water.
In our effort to reduce our carbon footprint and save our resources, most companies do the opposite.
To change this, we must vote with our money and show companies that we want responsibly produced products that do their best not to harm the planet.
By only buying products with best practices that use water sparingly we can change the attitude that companies have towards the planet. We have the power as consumers, we need to use it wisely.
Let me know in the comments if you found this post helpful and what tips you have to save water.
Cheers for now,
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