| There Are a Number of Ways to Save Water,
and They All Start with You.
- When washing dishes by hand, do not let the water run while rinsing.
Fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water.
- Run your washing machine and dishwasher only when they are full. You can save
1000 gallons a month.
- Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Compost instead, and save gallons every time.
- Plant during the spring or fall when the watering requirements are lower.
- Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap for cold drinks,
so that every drop goes down you, not the drain.
- Collect the water you use for rinsing produce and re-use it to water houseplants.
- Time your shower to keep it under 5 minutes. You'll save up to 1000 gallons a month.
- When you clean your fish tank, use the water you've drained on your plants. The water
is rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, providing you with a free and effective fertilizer.
- Plug the bathtub before turning the water on, then adjust the temperature as the tub fills up.
- Do not use running water to thaw food.
- Designate one glass for your drinking water each day. This will cut down on the number
of times you run your dishwasher.
- Grab a wrench and fix that leaky faucet. It is simple and inexpensive, and can save 140
gallons a week.
- When doing laundry, match the water level to the size of the load.
- Soak your pots and pans instead of letting the water run while you scrape them clean.
- Use a commercial car wash that recycles water.
- Turn off the water while you brush your teeth and save 4 gallons a minue. That's 200
gallons a week for a family of four.
- Encourage your school system and local government to help develop and promote a
conservation ethic among children and adults.
- Do one thing each day that will save water. Even if savings are small, every drop counts.
- Encourage your friends and neighbors to be part of a water-conscious community.
- Wash clothes only when you have a full load and save up to 600 gallons a month.
- Be sure to water plants only when necessary. More plants die from over-watering than
from underwatering.
- Cook food in as little water as possible. This will also retain more of the nutrients.
- Turn the water off while you shampoo and condition your hair. You can save more than
50 gallons a week.
- Choose new water-saving appliances, like washing machines that save up to 20 gallons
per load.
- Select the proper size pans for cooking. Large pans require more cooking water than may
be necessary.
- If you accidentally drop ice cubes when filling your glass form the freezer, do not throw
them in the sink. Drop them in a house plant instead.
- While staying in a hotel or even at home, consider reusing your towels.
- When you have ice left in your cup from a take-out restaurant, do not throw it in the trash;
dump it on a plant.
- Keep a bucket in the shower to catch water as it warms up or runs. Use this water to
flush toilets or water plants.
Water-Saving Tips from www.wateruseitwisely.com
Joint the efforts of the United Nations to help conserve, preserve and ensure the world's limited water supply. See www.un.org/waterforlifedecade or www.unwater.org.
Click here for a Water for Life Decade fact sheet.
What is your Ecological Footprint? Take the quiz at http://www.earthday.net
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