Top 7 Ways To Reduce Your Water Consumption

Are you interested in reducing your water consumption around the house? It doesn’t have to be as hard as you might think to conserve water, and while you’re at it, save energy. Here are seven of the top ways to reduce your water consumption:
1. Achieve Efficient Dish Washing
See if your dish detergent maker recommends not pre-rinsing – many don’t require it these days, and it can save a lot of water to skip this step if possible. If you’re washing dishes by hand, you can also save water by turning the faucet off while washing dishes in a sink filled with soapy water, then gathering them together in a rack to rinse all at once.
2. Cut Your Showers in Half
Reducing the amount of time everyone spends in the shower can save thousands of gallons of water per year. Just four minutes in the shower can use between 20 and 40 gallons of water, depending on the showerhead! If cutting your shower down to four minutes sounds like too much to handle right now, just try turning off the shower while you lather up, work conditioner through your hair and perform other tasks. While you’re at it, turn off the water after you wet your toothbrush and rinse your razor in a sink full of water rather than leaving it running, too.
3. Get New Pipe Insulation
One of the simplest and easiest ways to reduce your water consumption is to insulate (or re-insulate) your water pipes with an affordable, pre-fit foam insulation product.
4. Maximize Clothes Washing
If you want to make the most of your dish and clothes washing, even if you can’t afford to install all of the latest energy and water efficient appliances, you can start today by waiting to run the washer until there is a completely full load. Avoid the permanent press cycle in the clothes washer, as well.
5. Reduce Use of Garbage Disposal
Every time you use a garbage disposal, you have to use water to dispose of your food waste properly, and if you have a septic tank, it can cause additional problems. By reducing use of the garbage disposal and possibly by starting a compost pile, you can greatly reduce your water and energy consumption in the kitchen.
6. Install High Efficiency Showerheads
When it comes to energy efficient products, showerheads are among the most affordable and easiest to install. This simple little piece of equipment can save many gallons of water with every shower, but to make the most of your low flow showerhead, also make sure everyone is taking the shortest shower possible. By reducing unnecessary use of hot water while showering, it’s possible to save 10, 20, 30 or even 40 gallons of water with every shower. 
7. Invest in High Efficiency Aerators
Make sure to outfit every faucet in the home with low flow aerators. From kitchen aerators to bath aerators, it’s important to keep water flow at an appropriate level in these rooms, or anywhere else in the home where there’s a faucet. This method is affordable and easy, and makes a big difference.
Jasmine is a DIY guru and loves to protect the environment. She enjoys advising people on ways they can make a difference with simple, easy-to-do fixes around the house. She hopes these tips help her readers make small changes for a big impact.

The Three Best Ways To Protect The Planet

The planet we live on is changing and as a result of our actions its lifespan is reducing dramatically. There are so many different companies out there nowadays that then profess to offer ways to reduce the damage we are causing but in truth these methods are often born out of fantasy and are extremely difficult to implement.
Moving forward, naturally a focus on renewable forms of energy will be extremely beneficial and have an extremely positive effect but these methods have to be much more affordable and relative to the environment they are contained within.
As I have mentioned before, we live in the internet age and there is an abundance of research data available online that can help us understand and engage with the problem at hand. Protecting the environment should be high on the agenda for our governments as it is the simplest and most effective way to put in place mass changes on a vast scale, quickly and efficiently.

Renewable Energy

This is pretty much the best way to protect the planet in the long term. There are so many companies out there that have the technology we need but it is simply a question of cost. It cannot be disputed that renewable energy is both expensive and difficult to install.
The fact that it is a form of energy that is reliant on the weather makes it almost impossible to universally apply but in certain countries renewable forms of energy can be a brilliant way to generate efficient and cost effective energy.
The non-renewable forms of energy are going to run out one day, that is something that cannot be disputed and therefore governments must be looking towards renewable forms of energy to create the basis for an energy efficient future.
Instead of investing time and money in wars that are wholly unnecessary, why not invest in the future of the planet that has given us this wonderfully unique and rare opportunity.

 

Utilities

This is another simple yet effective way to protect the planet and save yourself a lot of money personally too. We all waste so much energy in our homes and that in turn costs us a lot more money each week on our bills. It is a vicious cycle but I do agree it is something that is extremely tough to quantify.
Energy is so abundant nowadays and people can be forgiven for being a little frivolous but with just a little education, we can nationally save a hell of a lot of cash. There are companies out there such as Agua Flux that sell great accessories designed to save you water in your house for example and must be looked into.

 

Recycle

This is the simplest and the most widely used method of protection and conservation but again it isn’t that efficient nor effective. Naturally, recycling is better than not recycling but I think there are a lot better and more effective methods or protection. Spend a little time researching and start taking care of this fragile planet we all share.

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•  License: Creative Commons image source 

Marcus Jackson is a writer with a love for the environment. He writes articles with the sole intention of raising awareness about the damage we cause on a day to day basis and ways to protect the planet.