9 ways to save water at home
Here are some climate friendly tips from UNICEF and Austrian Development Agency on how to save one of the most precious resources on Earth
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Collect running water from your shower while you wait for it to get hot
Over 10% of the water drawn from showering is wasted waiting for hot water to arrive. Collecting this excess of water in a bucket is a creative way to reduce this waste. The fetched water can be used for watering the plants, washing the car or floor, flushing the toilet, or filling the dog's water bowl.
If you don't feel like using the bucket, but don't like the idea of wasting water and are tired of waiting for the hot water, consider installing a hot water recirculating system.
See more facts and tips to help you save water
Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth
Turning off the water while brushing your teeth for 2 minutes, twice a day, can save you up to 8 gallons of water per day. That’s almost 3,000 gallons a year! Check out some tips about turning off your faucet.
Include a microfiber bag in your laundry routine to avoid contaminating your water
Synthetic textiles, such as fleece jackets, send tiny plastic fibers into wastewater after washing. These bits eventually make their way into rivers, lakes, and oceans where they pose health threats to marine life, plants, and animals. A microfiber bag captures shedding fibers as clothes are tossed and spun, preventing the fibers from escaping. Learn why fighting microfiber solution is important
Wash your clothes with cold water
Do not bother using hot water to wash your laundry, cold water gets the job done!
Opting for cold water not only saves your clothes but also benefits your wallet and the planet too. About 90% of the energy used by the washer machine goes towards heating the water. Switching to cold water washes instead of warm or hot could save you USD$60 a year. Learn more about the benefits of cold water
Take showers instead of baths
Generally, short showers use less water than baths. However, a 5-minute shower with a power shower head actually uses more water than a bath. Try switching to an average or low-flow showerhead to minimize water waste. You won’t feel the difference, but the environment will! In any case, take short showers. Answers To The Shower vs. Bath Debate
Use your leftover pasta water to feed your plants and enrich your hair
Pasta water is an environmentally rich liquid! There are many ways to put your leftover pasta water to good use around your home. Pasta water is high in mineral content and helps your plants grow faster. Make sure it is only lightly salted, as to not dehydrate your plants' soil. Use it also to make pizza dough and other breads, to soak beans and cook vegetables, to wash your dirty dishes and to give your hair a new and healthy shine! 20 ways to use your leftover pasta water
Fill a bowl with your extra running water to wash your produce
No need to leave the tap running while washing your fruits and veggies!
A running tap pumps out between six and twelve liters of water every minute. The sink or a washing-up bowl with just enough water is an effective way to loosen any dirt from your produce. Then use what's left to water the garden.
As an additional tip! Vinegar is a natural way to get rid of harmful fertilizers from fruits and vegetables. More tips to save water at home
Only fill the kettle to the amount of water needed
Rather than filling the kettle fully with each use, measure the amount of water needed before filling the kettle. This way, you can save time, energy/gas and waste less water. If you still have leftover water, use it to water your plants. Overfilling the Kettle Wastes Energy and Money!
If you smoke, always throw cigarette butts in trash – never on the ground
Cigarette butts are the worst contaminant of oceans and the most littered item in the world! When cigarette butts are thrown on the floor, they will most likely be washed into storm drains and end up in the sea. The toxic exposure poisons fish and contaminates water. Cigarette filters are made of plastic fibers and leach toxic chemicals into the air. They are photodegradable, meaning that they will break down in the presence of UV radiation from the sun, but they are not biodegradable. This ultimately means that while the filter may eventually break down into tiny pieces, those pieces still persist in the environment and oceans. If you do smoke, always carry a portable ashtray and NEVER throw the butt to the ground.
Let's go green and save water, energy, paper, use less plastic and improve air quality.
