All across the country, kids of all ages are heading back to school. Some have even already started!

If you haven’t already implemented some water-saving techniques in your home during the summer, back to school time is a great opportunity to ‘start fresh.’

Most kids have a routine they develop when they go to school. It usually includes things like getting dressed, having breakfast, brushing their teeth, etc. So, why not introduce some water-saving options into your child’s morning routine?

It’ll help them to start the school year off right, and can develop conscious habits that will last a lifetime.

Use the following tips to make saving water and reducing their footprint part of your child’s daily routine.

 

Set a Timer for Their Showers

 

One of the best ways to get your child to take a shorter shower is to turn it into a game! Set a timer for them (or have them do it themselves). You can either see if they can continuously beat their time, or challenge them to complete their shower in a certain amount of time, like 10 minutes.

 

Check Your Plumbing

 

 

Back to school time is a great time to make sure all the plumbing in your house is working properly and efficiently. If you have multiple people vying for the bathroom at once each morning, every day, you’ll want to make sure there aren’t any leaks, running toilets, etc. Not only will that add up on your water bill quickly, but it’s a huge waste that can be avoided with a little maintenance!

 

Be Conscious of Your Laundry

 

 

Between school uniforms, casual clothes, sports gear, and more, it can seem like your washing machine works on overdrive when school gets started. It’s important to be mindful of your laundry and how you’re doing it. With a few simple changes, you can save a lot of water.

First, don’t wash what doesn’t need to be washed. Towels are a great example. Instead of throwing a towel that was used once into the washer, hang it up to dry. It’ll be as good as new the next day and your child can use it again. You can get several uses out of one towel if it’s dried properly.

While it’s not a good idea to overcrowd a washing machine, try not to wash just a few items at a time. Instead, wait until you have a full load to wash everyone’s clothes. This will help to prevent filling up the washer drum again and again just for a few articles.

 

Encourage Healthy Eating

 

 

When you’re packing your child’s school lunch, think about what you’re including. Did you know that most processed, pre-packaged foods take a lot more water and energy to produce? Send your little student off with whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and lean meats. It’s an environmentally-conscious choice, and will also teach them the benefits of healthy eating habits.

We hope you can start working these back to school tips into your daily routine, and your child’s routine. It doesn’t take much extra effort to start the school year off with water conservation in mind.

Once these tips start becoming a part of your regular routine, you’ll see just how easy they are to work into your life.