Groxie

We’ve all gotten those little inserts with our utility bills about conserving water, but they only seem to show up during a drought. But why just conserve when there’s an emergency? With just a little conscious thought, each of us could save thousands of gallons of water per year. I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorites tips and techniques to get you started as the summer heats up.

Faucets

• Turn off faucet while brushing teeth or washing hands.
• Instead of letting water run until it is cold to drink, keep some in the fridge.

Shower

• Take shorter showers—you can get a cheap little timer if you need some help.
• Turn off shower while shaving or soaping up.
• Install a low—flow showerhead.
• Collect water as it warms up to use for plants.

Doing the dishes

• If you do dishes by hand, don’t just leave the water running as you wash them. Fill one sink with soapy water, and rinse them in another.
• Make sure dishwasher is completely full but not blocking the water spout.
• If you compost, you can avoid running your garbage disposal as frequently.

Toilet

• Check your toilet for leaks.
• If you are able, install a low—flow toilet. Otherwise, you can put a big bottle filled with water in the toilet tank to displace water, and it will use less water per flush.
• If it’s yellow let it mellow.

Laundry

• Try to do larger loads of laundry instead of many small ones.
• Make sure you select the right load size so you don’t use more water than needed.
• Wear clothes more than once, and use a shorter cycle if your clothes aren’t too dirty.

Outdoors

• Collect rainwater and use it to water your plants, lawn, or garden.
• Water in the morning when evaporation rates are lower.
• Be sure to weed your garden and lawn; you don’t want the weeds sucking up all the water.
• Planting native plants is always a good idea, and they are naturally better designed to live on the amount of rain in your region.

Other misc.

• We’ve been eating a lot of seasonal greens lately, but they need to be cleaned in a sinkful of water. Instead of draining the water I’ve been using the extras to water our houseplants, or I throw it outside on the grass.
• I just came across this tip at Water—Use it Wisely that I had never heard before: “If you accidentally drop ice cubes when filling your glass from the freezer, don’t throw them in the sink. Drop them in a house plant instead.” I am constantly dropping ice, but I usually put it in the cats water bowl.
• Don’t wash your car. If you must wash yout car, park it on the grass and use very little soap. That way the water isn’t completely wasted!