Water shortage is most likely going to be the next big crisis facing our planet. But with much conservation focus on global warming, not enough people are aware yet of this impending problem. There are numerous ways to reduce water consumption in your daily life. Even the small things save water over time. Here are a few tips.
TAKE SHORTER SHOWERS. Some people spend too much time in the shower, when really, five to ten minutes should be enough. Try to speed up your shower routine to cut down on the amount of water you use. Just cutting a minute or two out of your daily shower routine will save gallons of water.
STOP TO SOAP UP. At some point in most people’s shower routine, they step out from underneath the water to lather up. The shower continues to flow, senselessly wasting water. My friends have a little cottage near a lake and have only a small well to supply their water. So they installed a new shower head that has a valve built into it. When you press the valve the nozzle stops water from flowing. Then you can lather up, and when you’re ready, you release the valve and the water flows again. It’s essentially the same as turning the shower off for the few minutes you lather up, only you don’t have to wait for the water to get warm again. Over the long term, this saves a great deal of water.
TURN IT OFF WHEN YOU BRUSH. Many people leave the water running while they brush their teeth. This is another senseless waste of water. Wet, your toothbrush, then turn the water off while you brush. This seemingly tiny act can save a lot of water per year.
STOP WATERING YOUR LAWN. Sure, everyone likes to have a nice green lawn. But lawn-watering is one of the biggest wastes of water. I can understand needing to water a little when the grass is literally turning brown and dying, or when some new sod is laid down, but many watering systems are set to automatically water every day. While riding my bike to work last summer I noticed this car dealership watered in front of their display room every single day. Even if it was literally raining, or had rained the night before, they watered. It was frustrating. If anything, they were drowning that grass in water, and wasting a precious resource at the same time. No one needs a perfect lawn at the expense of our planet, so stop watering unless you absolutely have to.
CATCH AND USE THE RAIN. Rain is a great source of water to use for plants or washing the car or things like that. Get yourself some large barrels to catch the rain. Position them under a gutter if you can. Then use that water for general purposes around the house. It’s a great little way to save water here and there.
