Conservation Nation: Use Less Water

Did you know that Americans use 127 percent more water than they did in 1950? Or that about 95 percent of the water we use goes down our drains? Given the severe drought conditions occurring in parts of the United States right now, it seems prudent to dive in and share some helpful water saving tips with you.

Although we appear to have plenty of rain in the United States, our water resources are under pressure. Quite simply we are consuming too much. Water also requires huge amounts of energy, both to treat it and pump it to our houses, so our thirst for water is damaging our planet in more ways than one.

The good news is that there are many simple things we can do at home and at work to reduce our consumption of water. Here are 10 of the 100 smart water-saving tips from Water: Use Less, Save More:

1. If you are making a hot drink, fill the kettle with only as much water as you need. You will save energy as well as water.

2. Garbage disposals use a considerable amount of water. Start composting and put vegetable scraps in your compost bin.

3. Use a bowl to wash vegetables or to wash and rinse plates.

4. Don’t keep the tap running when cleaning your teeth.

5. While waiting for shower water to run hot, collect the cold water and use it on your plants.

6. Have a five-minute shower instead of a bath and save 30 gallons of water.

7. Attach a hose to your washing machine outlet pipe. Collect the used water when the machine is discharging and use it to water the garden.

8. Use a rain barrel to collect the rainwater from your roof rather than using treated drinking water on your garden. (Read all about using rain barrels here.)

9. Make sure everyone in your home knows where the main water valve is and how to work it. Use it to turn the water off if you have a leak.

10. Keep the telephone number of a plumber handy for emergencies.

Adapted from Water: Use Less, Save More by Jon Clift and Amanda Cuthbert (Chelsea Green, 2007).

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

Robert B.

5:48AM PST on Mar 2, 2012

Robert H., It's all connected. Water usage in an area that has plenty still affects other areas. there are underground streams, rivers and water tables. These can affect areas miles away. And as the article says, energy has to be used to treat and pump water. Everything has a ripple effect. One small leak can waste hundreds of gallons of water, multiply that by several thousand homes and it turns into a river of wasted water and energy (which can cause pollution). This ripples through the system and can have an affect hundreds if not thousands of miles away.

send a green star

Robert H.

3:05PM PST on Mar 1, 2012

I am confused. How does conserving water in my water plentiful area help those who suffer drought conditions. I really can't mail it to them. Now the conserve energy issue is an interesting one. If I take shorter showers, don't use my garbage disposal, etc. how does that impact on the million of gallons of water used by or polluted by corporations. In fact where I live the cost of dealing with water is high due to the exploitation and pollution of our water source by agri-business.... not my showers. So maybe we need to take a closer look at this issue and put the blame where it need be.

Rudolf A.

7:28AM PST on Feb 19, 2012

Janet T. has got it absolutely right. Planning consent should depend upon environmentally friendly measures built into the design.

New G.

1:38PM PST on Feb 3, 2012

Thank you.

Sarkku V.

10:51AM PST on Feb 2, 2012

Good advise. Let's just cut the water use!!!

Dawid P.

4:41AM PDT on Aug 9, 2011

it's very good:). Problem is that wealthy people don't usually bother with saving water or electricity..

Supriya P.

11:02PM PDT on Jul 15, 2011

Really nice tips... thanks

Roxana C.

10:14AM PDT on Jul 12, 2011

Thanks for the tips.

janet T.

2:06PM PDT on Jul 6, 2011

If humans were really smart we would incorporate these tactics into our houses when building them. That way using water saving tactics would be second nature and right at hand. Children would grow up using these methods.

Deanna F.

12:57AM PDT on May 15, 2011

It used to be easy to collect the condensation from my air conditioner. Then I would use it to make my coffee. It got boiled before it hit the coffee grounds.