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Most people want to help keep the Earth healthy for as long as possible, no one purposely wastes water or tries to create more waste than they need to. However, there are some things we do on a daily basis that waste lots of water without us even realizing it. Changing small things in your everyday routine can save hundreds of gallons of water annually – this will in turn save you money!
A lot of these tricks will come down to deciding between conveniences or saving water – it’s up to you which is most important and the decision won’t be the same every day. If you have time you may make the water saving, energy efficient choice, if you don’t have the time or energy you may take the easier route. That’s O.K. what is important is that you try little things every day that can make a big difference if everyone in the world were doing the same thing.
The first thing you can do that will save gallons of water every day is not running your dishwasher, or if you do make sure it is completely full so you are not using all of that water on half of a load. Washing your dishes in the sink may seem like a daunting tasks when you are tired from making dinner, but some people find the habit therapeutic and you will cut down on your water usage immensely. If you are shopping for a new dishwasher try to purchase one that is energy and water efficient.
If you are washing the dishes, or brushing your teeth for that matter, a great way to save water is to not run the tap the entire time you are busy at the sink. This wastes so much unnecessary water, as you are not even touching it, it is just being poured directly down the drain. You should only be using the water to rinse, same when you are washing dishes. If you can try purchasing a biodegradable soap or toothpaste, this eliminates harmful petroleum levels in the air.
Another instance in your daily ritual where you might be wasting a lot of water is when you are shaving. Men should not be letting the water run while they are shaving, instead fill the sink up halfway and use the still water to rinse your blade. Women can eliminate water waste by turning off the shower while they lather and shave their legs. Letting the shampoo or conditioner sit in your hair while the water is off and you are shaving has positive benefits for your hair as well your water usage! Make sure you are taking showers as well. Though it was a common misbelief that showers waste 3x more water than a bath, this is actually absolutely false. Unless you are taking 30 minute showers, in which case you should stop doing that too!
In the bathroom make sure you have a garbage can in the corner, this will deter people from using the toilet as a garbage can. Hair, tissues, bugs are things typically thrown in the toilet but this is not good for the water system and can end up clogging the water line. This can also lead to leaky toilets. Leaky toilets and faucets can waste up to 200 gallons of water per day. If you notice a leak in your home or business make sure it gets fixed right away.
One last thing you can improve on in your day-to-day life in order to stop wasting water is to wash your car yourself. You don’t need more than one bucket of water to wash the car, and the hose for one final rinse. If you can; buy biodegradable soap and wash your car on the lawn. This way you are feeding the grass and cleaning your car all at the same time. Industrial car washes or gas station car washes waste thousands of gallons of water a year, not to mention soaps that harm the environment. It is best to avoid these services when and if you can.
It is important for all of us to take steps in ensuring we are not creating more waste than absolutely necessary. If we all do our part every day in saving the water we can we may be creating a more hopeful future for our planet and our children.
