Water is a precious, finite resource that so many of us take for granted. When lots of towns and communities don’t have access to clean water and so many areas of the world experience intense droughts. It’s so easy to turn on the tap and let the water run or even forget about it! Not to mention those long showers we all (myself included) love to take.
But as with all-natural resources, though it may seem unlimited, it isn’t. Just as quickly as it can appear from the tap, it can also vanish. Saving water is a mindful habit that more of us need to partake in. And there are so many ways to save water!
Ways to Save Water at Home:
1. Take shorter showers or take a bath
We all ould have guessed that taking shorter showers would save water. But a bath might even be better than a shower. Most bathtubs hold about 25 gallons of water whereas showers use 2.5 gallons per minute. at just 10 minutes, your shower has already used 25 gallons. So unless you’re good at taking 10 minute or less showers, a bath might be the better option to saving water.
2. Use your dishwasher over handwashing
if you’re lucky enough to have a dishwasher, don’t take it for granted. It actually uses less water than filling up a sink for dishes. Even better, only run your dishwasher when it’s completely full and for hand washers out there: simply don’t fill your sink all the way and don’t leave the water running while rinsing!
3. Turn off the tap
How many of us have normalized leaving the tap running while brushing our teeth? Too many, that’s for sure! Simply shutting it off every time you brush, will save a lot of water.
4. Don’t flush for number 1
TMI? Sorry, but saving the planet isn’t always pretty! I drink a lot of water and a LOT of coffee. Therefore I pee a lot. If I flushed every single time I peed, I would be wasting so many gallons of water throughout the day! Toilets use about 1.6 gallons of water per flush. So if it’s just pee, let it sit for a bit before you flush.
5. Collect water
While you’re waiting for your tap water to heat up or cool down, don’t just let it run down the drain. Put a cup or a bucket underneath and catch all that water. This can be used for soaking laundry, watering your plants or can be filtered for drinking water!
Related reading:
How to reduce energy in your home
How to make your home more eco friendly
I always say that it doesn’t take much to live a more mindful, sustainable life. All it takes is a conscious effort. Most of these things like leaving the tap running or taking long showers and even flushing every time we use the bathroom have been engrained in us. It’s muscle memory. And unless we’re aware of the damage it can cause, we won’t really do anything to change it.
But being aware is so powerful because we can actively change and strive to do better. We won’t be perfect at saving water. Every now and then I take too long of a shower. “Messing up” doesn’t negate all the positive changes we’re making.
I hope this post can help you learn how to save water at home. Please don’t forget to share this post and follow me on Instagram for daily low waste living inspiration!
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