3 Ways to Save Water & Money (Page 2)

1. A shower of savings

Enjoying a water conservation shower is a simple way to save water in your everyday life.

What you’ll need:

A bucket and a washcloth.
(Don’t worry I’m not going to tell you take a sponge bath.)

1. Procure a bucket. You may be able to get one for free from a painter, carpenter or a restaurant. Pretty much anywhere or anyone that uses large quantities of product is bound to have a free bucket lying around. The key is finding a bucket that fits under your faucet. If you can’t get one for free, you can always buy a bucket from your local department or hardware store.

2. As you run the water to heat up your shower, simply place the bucket under the faucet and catch the excess (you’ll be surprised by how much you get.)

3. You can leave the bucket there to catch extra water during your shower. After your shower, you can use the water to:

-Water plants
-Mop the floor
-Clean the bathroom
-Pour into top-loading washing machines to cut down on the amount of water used.
-Flush the toilet
-Whatever you can think of!

To further make your shower a water-saving success, only turn on the water when you need to.

-Turn it on to get wet.
-Turn it off to soap up.
-Back on to rinse off and you’re done!

If you don’t think this method is worth it, simply plug up the bathtub drain and let the water collect as you use your normal method of showering. By the end of the shower, you’ll be standing in 25-50 gallons of proof. Depending on the flow of your shower-head the average ten-minute shower uses between twenty five to fifty gallons of water (2.5-5 gallons per minute)!

As far as baths go, here are the facts: The average bathtub holds over 40 gallons of water, so in one bath you could use the amount of fresh water that some families get for 8 days!

Here’s a bonus tip to make your shower even more water-friendly:

The washcloth method!

This method saves on water and laundry.

1. After you finish showering, grab a dry washcloth and use it to dry your body. You’ll be shocked at how much of the water comes off. If you’re soaking wet, you can always cup your hand and scoop the excess water off first and wring out your hair as well.
2. After you’re finished with the washcloth, you can wrap a full size or hand towel around your clean body for comfort, or simply air-dry the rest of the way.

This way, instead of having to wash a bulky towel every day or every couple of days, you simply have small washcloths!

NB: Even if you use a full-sized towel for your final dry, these can simply be aired on the line outside (or somewhere inside) and re-used again and again.

Next: A great water-saving method for dishes (especially when you’ve got guests in the house!)

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Tanja Z.

12:31AM PDT on May 14, 2012

thanks for information

May 14
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Annemarie W.

2:40PM PDT on May 7, 2012

thanks

May 7
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Sonny H.

7:41AM PDT on Apr 29, 2012

Thanks!

April 29
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Vicky P.

10:35AM PDT on Apr 25, 2012

April 25
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Sheri P.

9:38PM PDT on Apr 24, 2012

great tips, thanks!

April 24
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Jane P.

4:15PM PDT on Apr 24, 2012

Every little bit helps!

Emily S.

5:17AM PDT on Apr 23, 2012

Thank you

April 23
send a green star

Ariel P.

3:06PM PDT on Apr 22, 2012

Industrial water consumption is not addressed in this article, and probably it is industry that uses and wastes the greatest amount of water. That being said, so many people could care less. and are unwilling to change their ways. The solution is always the same: hit them where it hurts, namely by having them pay a lot more (the ones that use the most water, which means they waste the most water).