That sounds like a lot but only 0.02% of the total supply can be used as drinking water, and earth faces a massive water crisis over the next few decades if we don’t all do our bit.
You have the power to save water, the most important resource on earth. Here are some tips on how to combat water wastage and save energy. You can help the planet by following a few simple guidelines…
16 Tips for Saving Water around the Home
In the Home:
Older toilets tend to use unnecessary water. Generally speaking, the older a toilet, the more water it uses. Modern day systems need far less resources than they did even ten years ago. You can save water with your older toilet by placing a 500ml bottle (filled with water or sand) in your cistern. This bottle takes up space which would normally be filled by unnecessary water and each time you flush you’ll save half a litre of water.
Stop using your toilet as a bin: tissues, cigarette buts and other foreign objects are often flushed away with vast amounts of water. A simple waste paper basket in the bathroom will cut down on extra flushing. Foreign objects are also bad for water supplies. It has been estimated that one can of motor oil has the potential to contaminate over 900 000 litres of clean water.
Fix leaky toilets: your toilet may be leaking without you even knowing. The best way to test your water efficiency is to place a small amount of dye in your cistern. Monitor it for half an hour to an hour, if the water in the bowl changes colour then your toilet is leaking water. Fixing this leak can save plenty of water.
Never pour reusable water down the drain. Granted, some water will be contaminated and cannot be used reused, but a large percentage of our resources are being flushed away aimlessly.
Always adjust your shower or bath water temperatures in a ‘rounding down’ manner. Instead of adding more cold water to your flow to make the temperature more suitable, decrease the hot water. This will save both water and electricity. It’s also wise to invest in flow regulator to taps and showerheads.
Don’t to thaw meat in running water. Always thaw your frozen foods over night when possible, or in a microwave. Defrosting food with hot water not only requires a lot of running water but also a considerable amount of electricity.
Keep drinking water in the fridge to reduce the level of wasted water.
Always wash and scrub your vegetables in a sink filled with water. The scrubbing of vegetables is best done under water, but put a plug in the sink to reduce water flow.
Newer appliances are designed to be as eco-friendly as possible. Dishwashers, washing machines and tumble dryers use plenty of water or electricity, or both. In fact, they’re one of the major contributors to unnecessary domestic water wastage. Rather than doing many small loads, try to do a few big loads. If possible, try to upgrade to a newer machine.
Outside the Home:
Water your plants heavily and less frequently. It eliminates run off and leads to healthy and deep root systems. Deep root systems also make your plants more resistant to drought, thus using less water. If you water your plants lightly and frequently it leads to a lot of evaporation, run off, and shallow root systems for your plants.
Water your plants during times of lower temperatures. Try watering your plants in the afternoon, or early morning when the direct blazing sun can’t soak up all the water intended for your plants. You may also want to plant new plants in areas of shade if possible.
Waiting until there’s very little wind significantly reduces evaporation.
One should also cover the soil around your plants with mulch. Mulch is perfect for keeping in moisture, releasing nutrients, sun cover and also keeping the ever-thirsty weeds at bay.
The shorter your grass the more evaporation will take place. If you set the blades on your lawnmower up slightly, your longer lawn will retain much more water.
Stop washing your windows. Let nature take care of this most tiresome of household chores. With self-cleaning windows the light breaks down the organic dirt while rainwater washes it away, thus using considerably less water and energy. On a side note – in a recent study it was discovered that office buildings fitted with self-cleaning glass will save approximately 100,000 litres of water over the course of the building’s lifetime – that’s a lot of water! Now that’s the kind of technology I like!
Wash your car with a bucket of water. It not only uses much less water than the hose, but washing your car while it’s parked on your lawn kills two birds with one stone. And if you’re going to clean paths or driveways, use a broom and not a hose.
Keep your pool covered to avoid water evaporation. A pool cover is a fantastic way of keeping life’s most necessary ingredient safe, especially in summer.
There you have it - 16 clever ways to save water and energy around the home. Start putting them into practice today and do your part.
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