California is entering its fifth year in a drought, making water conservation a constant focal point. There are hundreds of ways we can effectively conserve water, but some are more obvious than others. When trying to think outside the box, it can help to have some tips. Making your home more water efficient is getting easier every day, so take these ideas and run with them.
- Consider installing a dual flush toilet. You may have seen these at more and more public restrooms in recent years. They have two flush options, one for solid and one for liquid waste. This means they use the appropriate amount of water automatically.
- Turn off the water while brushing your teeth. Leaving it running can waste up to 4 gallons a minute! This means that turning off the faucet when brushing teeth can save roughly 200 gallons of water for a family of 4.
- While you’re waiting for hot water, use the cold water that’s warming up to water plants, fill pet drinking bowls and more. Using this running water ensures it doesn’t go to waste.
- For hanging plants, put ice cubes on top of the soil. While it melts, your plants will get nice, cool water without any overflowing or overwatering.
- Allow leaf litter to accumulate on the soil in your yard. This keeps the soil cooler and prevents evaporation. You can do this easily by leaving the lower limbs and branches on trees and shrubs intact.
- Learn how to prune your plants properly. This will actually make them use water more efficiently, so you and your garden can save water!
With these easy tips you’re armed and ready to start moving into a more efficient way of life. Water conservation is important all over the globe, not just in areas plagued by heavy drought. The more we conserve water everywhere, the more we will have for the many years to come.