Cutting Your Water Use In Half
Many predict that in the not too distant future, we will be fighting over water, not oil. The problem is that the Earth isn’t generating the clean, drinkable water that it used to. The good news is that if we can use less and learn to protect our rivers, lakes and oceans, we may drink to see another day! So how can we really get a grip on our own personal situation?
There are many small changes that you can make today. Would you consider trying to cut down your home water consumption by half? Since the average American uses 151 gallons of water per day, and the French get by on just 71 gallons (Brits even less), it makes sense to give it a go. Here are some tips to get you started: Consider purchasing an Eco Drop. This is a British invention, which measures how much water you use when you shower. The little man icon displays how much water is pouring out and when you’ve used the recommended amount (which is pretty fair), a buzzer goes off for 5 seconds. Since I get carried away with all manner of scrubs and exfoliators in the shower, it makes sense to have, however annoying it is, that little man telling me when enough is enough. A shower used 2.5 to 4 gallons per minute for a conventional shower head. It might also be a good idea to get a low-flow shower head too. They are inexpensive an can cut down your water consumption by half.
The toilet uses 3.5 to 6 gallons per flush. That’s a lot of water. Consider:
a) A low-flow toilet
b) A dual flush toilet (where you press a different flush button for #1′s and #2′s)
c) Placing an old liter water bottle filled with small rocks into the toilet tank
A bath uses up to a whopping 60 gallons a day. That’s almost your entire water quota (if you’re going for 75 gallons). I am trying to give up the tub altogether, although I have to admit, it’s my biggest eco-sin.
Your Dishwasher uses 4 gallons per load if it’s Energy Star rated (6 if not). ONLY run when its choc full.
Watering your lawn can be the biggest waster of the lot. When running your hose, you are using 5 to 10 gallons per minute. Ugh – so when I’m only watering the planters on my patio, I can easily use up to 50 gallons on a hot day.
It makes sense to either rip out your lawn and landscape an edible front yard or have some eco-friendly artificial grass installed – a worthwhile investment. I love New Grass.
I’m all for the edible front yard. Even if you don’t want to rip up your entire front yard, you could build two or three raised beds and grow quite a few veggies. I’m currently teaching a Garden-To-Table class to the 6th Graders at a Charter School in Los Angeles. We have just built raised beds and last week we planted baby salad leaves and Arugula. When asking the kids, who doesn’t like lettuce, a few (many boys), raised their hands. That’s my Gorgeously Green Challenge this month: to persuade these foot-shuffling/eye-rolling dudes that baby salad leaves, drizzled with fruity olive oil and balsamic is heavenly.
Either way, even if its pouring with rain in your neck of the woods, consider the bigger picture and treat clean water as a limited and extremely precious resource.
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12 Comments
Here is the link! http://www.ecokettle.com/showerdrop/
I’m surprised you don’t talk about the number one water waster out there: the meat and dairy industry… cut out on meat, dairy, processed and packaged food and there you go you are saving tones of water.
On other good one is to pee in the shower :)
Thanks for the awareness around water use. I must say though that I can not imagine anything worse than fake grass. I don’t care how “real” it seems. If you’re looking to have less green space and a more naturalized area you could do a planting with native plants, native to what area you are in. Water them the first year to support new growth, then they are on their own. Native plants should be able to tolerate the conditions and whatever amount of rain should fall there is. You can also harvest water in rain barrels and use to water gardens in dry times.
Alej – as I was reading this article, all I could think is what you are saying. We could reduce our personal water consumption to almost nil and it would not make but a small difference. If we reduce animal agriculture (by eliminating or reducing our consumption) then we can reduce that industry’s water use and that would make a HUGE difference!
Lynda- Thanks for sharing the tips on native plants and harvesting water!
There are many ways we can make a difference. Hopefully everyone will find a way to conserve water that appeals to them on a personal level. Some may do it through their food choices while others modify other daily habits. It’s all good stuff! Let’s share more tips. Sophie did us a great favor just by starting this conversation:)
I’m only finding the eco showerdrop at British stores online. Are there any US outlets?
I read once that if a vegan ran his shower 24/7 for 365 days he would still be saving water compared to a meat eater…
My grandmother whom I am always qouting swears the next war will be over water. I have trouble with this one. I am not a water waster but i am buy far conserving.. I confess.. My husband is hard pressed to belive the problem since we live surrounded by water.. but here are my challenges. Get everyone to turn the water off when brushing teeth, washing dishes, before you step into the shower. I am not mentioning baths here because we are big sinners on the baths and since I bought a house based on a bath tub and a garden I have a lot of perverbial backyard to clean up. But I will this is the last frontier Scotty. Thanks for the info. Here are some interesting tips when my washer and dryer died a few months ago I went to the mission laundry and realized there was no need to wash daily.. what was I washing..? SO once a week is good. Save rain water for plants and dog baths.. this is great in a warm climate. It is fabulous if you have a few wooden wine barrells in your yard.. it helps cut down on the watering the yard problem. Big waster swimming pools and hot tubs.. although they are nice. Good luck to everyone. And I pray to keep getting better and better. Many Blessings. Callie
Love your info–
Maria from Kushi–Hi how are you doibng–
xx
I don’t think that a small ring could reduce some water, but the EU think that…. :-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BcT_GSUua0&feature=channel_page
I have been measuring the water I use when I take my daily bath by scooping it up in 4-gallon kitty litter buckets (and then watering the front lawn with it). I found I can comfortably wash every inch of my body and be and feel clean with only 8 or 9 gallons of water per day. I don’t understand how someone can use like 70 gallons of water taking a bath. What do you all do.. make your entire body buoyant or sink yourself like the Titanic or own unnecessarily huge bathtubs? According to some stats I just googled, taking a shower uses MORE water than taking my type of bath. I am 6’2″ and my tub is kind of small (I cannot lay out completely stretched out from head to toe in my tub.. I have to pretzel my legs).
Baths are more rejuvenating to my sore body and I feel I am getting better therapeutic value out of each calorie of heat from the heated water if I soak it into my muscles than if I just showered in it and it flowed down the drain. Granted dead skin particles and dirt aren’t washed down the drain and remain with me as long as I am in the tub, but they can be washed off before leaving the tub with a quick 20 second rinse from the shower.
My recommendation is that if you share my preference for using a bathtub, you make sure the house you buy has a small tub and you only fill it with enough water so that water covers half the height of your legs (knee caps above the water line). Enjoy the heated water on your body as you clean and relax. Then do a quick 20 second shower rinse on your way out and you’ll use less water than the average American who uses the shower and be just as clean!
Could you provide a link for the eco drop? All I found was a shower mat that rises up and irritates your feet-my husband would not be happy with that one! Thanks
November 12, 2009