Learning to Go Green


5 Easy Ways to Save Water

By BRIAN CLARK HOWARD
Filed Under: Green Living
With water bills rising and many water tables going down, it makes eco-sense and dollar cents to conserve. Here are five painless ways to get started.

5 Easy Ways to Save Water

    5 Perfectly Painless Water Savers
    With water bills rising and many water tables going down, it makes eco-sense and dollar cents to conserve. Here are five painless ways to get started.

    Reprinted with Permission of Hearst Communications, Inc. Originally Published: 5 Perfectly Painless Water $avers

    1. Install a Low-Flow Showerhead

    Save water and money, and still have ample water pressure, with a low-flow showerhead, which can slash bathing-water consumption 50 to 70 percent. The devices are simple to install and start at around $8. Many styles and features are available, including flow-adjusting dials and a pause button.

    Reprinted with Permission of Hearst Communications, Inc. Originally Published: 5 Perfectly Painless Water $avers

    2. Turn Off the Tap While You Brush

    Don't let your water dollars -- and one of nature's most precious resources -- run down the drain. Just turn off the water while you brush your teeth. The average bathroom faucet flows at a rate of two gallons a minute, according to the EPA's WaterSense initiative. That means you'll save up to 8 gallons of water a day per person.



    Reprinted with Permission of Hearst Communications, Inc. Originally Published: 5 Perfectly Painless Water $avers

    Gabi Lungu

    3. Water Your Yard in the Morning
    The best time to water outdoors is in the morning, both to reduce water waste and to promote healthy flora. Morning air is cooler, so less water is lost to evaporation than during the middle of the day. If you water in the evening, you run the risk of promoting fungi and bacterial diseases.

    Reprinted with Permission of Hearst Communications, Inc. Originally Published: 5 Perfectly Painless Water $avers

    4. Use a Pro Car Wash
    It may surprise you, but commercial car washes use water more efficiently, typically using 45 gallons of water per car. Home washers typically use between 80 and 140 gallons. Commercial car washes must also drain their wastewater into sewers, versus simply running it across your driveway into the land.



    Reprinted with Permission of Hearst Communications, Inc. Originally Published: 5 Perfectly Painless Water $avers

    Istock

    5. Fix That Leak
    Don't ignore that dripping faucet or leaky pipe joint. One faulty faucet wastes 3 gallons of water per day, reports the U.S. Geological Survey. So get a pipe wrench and tighten those seals, replace old and worn hardware, and call your neighborhood plumber if you need help. Every drop really does add up.



    Reprinted with Permission of Hearst Communications, Inc. Originally Published: 5 Perfectly Painless Water $avers

    Istock




Interested in going green? Learn more on green homes at AOL Real Estate. Plus, find hybrid cars, hybrid SUVs and clean diesels on AOL Autos.

Recent Comments

1 - 10 of 115
115 comments

Vinylxpress 09:28:32 AM May 13 2009

Dont be fooled by the idea that if you conserve water you will save money..just th eopposite..Here in Atlanta do to the drought they constantly preached for conservation and when people did conserve the water companies said they had to rais ethe rates because sales were down.. Conservation is all a scam to simply charge more..

Ljohn805 01:21:35 AM May 13 2009

roto-rooter plumbers in los angeles county came to my home and gave me a no obligation plumbing inspection and made my home green by installing remarkable water and energy saving devices from a tankless water heater to a gray water tank for the yard. i saw big money savings from the get-go. technician #14-163 was great and was an obvious professional. id refer them to everyone! good luck all!

Slickshome1 12:27:21 AM May 13 2009

I have been doing all these things to conserve and reserve years before now. I would like to hear something that I havent done or at least heard about. This is a minor thing but what about rincing the coffee filters and letting them dry and use them many times? I use the potty several times a night (just pee) of course but do not flush untill I get up the next morning. No it does not smell.That is unless you have a bladder or kidney infection and you kill two birds with one stone. Save water and you know something is wrong and to get it treated.

GWHITE67 11:44:03 PM May 12 2009

turn the faucet off while shaving too. set sprinklers to water ??3 times a week instead of daily, This is not a popular topic for some but I feel we should be paying more for all limited resources that are depleting rapidly. Gas prices go up, everyone thinks more about it, same can work for water.

PM0501 10:38:52 PM May 12 2009

Golly! Aynbody that's never seen these tips has been in a coma since 1970! Low Flow Showerheads..... I will not advertise the brands here but, there are a few that do save water and do give you an efficirnt rince. FYI... the wand type heads are more efficient for rinsing.

Tnrjim 09:01:31 PM May 12 2009

I live upstream... I'll start flushing twice for those Kaliphornians...

Greenbabybeck 08:42:38 PM May 12 2009

My ex husband works for a water treatment facility! It's true.....every so often, they pump the "crap" out of the basins where it is stored at the facility, and they load it into semi tank trucks, take it out to a field, and hook the tank up to a tractor, and plow it into the field. Only plants that don't grow idown n the soil, such as corn, etc. get the fertilizer. Plants that have fruit that may touch the soild are not treated.Yumyum. Now how ya like your cream style corn??

Thepetermedic 09:08:21 PM May 08 2009

would like to know where they saw it for 8$ mine cost 28 so let us know the details lol

NKriesel 08:01:06 PM May 08 2009

I installed a low flow shower head and I recently drilled a hole in the flow restrictor so I could wash off the soap or shampoo. Low flow shower heads suck becasue the water just "dribbles" out..

Raysylvon 06:41:36 PM May 08 2009

Many waste treatment plants can be used to convert human waste to safe fertilizer

1 - 10 of 115
115 comments

Add your own Comments

A Little Love for the Earth, Please

purple bedroomNasa

Small changes can have big results. Really! Learn how you can jumpstart an eco-conscious lifestyle or how you can kick it up a notch if you've already got the basics down pat.