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Go green by using less water

Go green by using less water

General

There are simple ways to save water every day at home. It’s easy to forget the water is still running while you are rummaging in the fridge or looking for the toothpaste. It’s also nice to take long showers while you sing your favorite tunes. Without spending one cent, you can save gallons of water every day.

Here’s how:

The first good habit is to turn off the faucet. Turn it off after you rinse your toothbrush and before you apply the toothpaste. Leave it off until you are finished and need to rinse and spit.Turn off the tap when you are washing dishes. Many people still wash a few dishes by hand and leave the rinse water running the whole time. Fill one sink for washing and the other for rinsing. Similarly, wash fruits and veggies in a sink or basin. This water can be reused to water plants.After getting wet in the shower, turn off the tap. Now you can sing all you want and take your time soaping up.
When you’re all sung out, turn the water on and rinse. Shortening your shower time by just one or two minutes can save 150 gallons per month.Instead of hosing down your driveway or patio, try sweeping. A hose uses about 50 gallons of water every five minutes.There are also ways to use appliances to save water. Dishwashers and washing machines should only be used when they are at full capacity. This alone can save up to 1,000 gallons every month.
The water from lawn or garden sprinklers can sometimes be seen flowing down the gutter. Adjust your sprinkler heads so they only cover the required area. Even better, only use sprinklers for large areas and hand water any small patches. Drip irrigation is best for trees and shrubs, plus it saves water.
Less water is needed if you water your plants in the early morning or late afternoon because there is less chance for evaporation.Your garbage disposal uses a lot of water. It’s okay to use it occasionally, but not every time you peel an orange.

Toilets can leak and when they do it isn’t always obvious. Put a few drops of food coloring into the tank. Later, if you can see it in the bowl without flushing, you have a leak that can use up to 1,000 gallons per month.

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If you are thinking about installing a fountain in your garden, consider a cascading or trickling-style fountain because they lose less water to evaporation that fountains that spray the water into the air.

If you have a swimming pool, you can save a lot of water by covering it so the water doesn’t evaporate.

Now you know how to save a lot of water without spending a dime. If you want to spend a bit more you can get inexpensive low-flow shower heads, upgrade to the latest energy efficient appliances and insulate your pipes. The hot water comes faster so there is less waiting time while the water is running. You’ll be saving water and money in no time!