Indoor and Outdoor Water Saving Tips

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Indoor and Outdoor Water Saving Tips

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Approximately only 3 percent of the earth’s water is fresh, and less than 1 percent is available for human consumption. With growing populations causing a continual rise in water demands, using less water and using it wisely has never been more important. The water issue is local as well as global; by implementing a few simple practices you can significantly reduce your water consumption and help to conserve one of your most precious natural resources.

Indoor Water Saving Tips

Replace older toilets with high efficiency ones.
Have showers instead of baths.
Install showerheads that use no more than 2.5 gallons of water per minute.
When you shower, first wet your body, then turn off the water as you apply soap. Then turn on the water to rinse the soap off again.
Turn off the tap when you brush your teeth, use water only to rinse and gargle.
Wash your fruits and vegetables in a bowl of water rather than under a running tap.
Fix leaky faucets in your kitchen and bathroom.
Run your clothes washer and dishwasher only when they are full.

Photo by shaferlens. watersaving showerhead

Showerhead

Outdoor Water Saving Tips

When you water your yard, use more water to go deeper each time so that you do not have to water the yard as often.
Use drip irrigation in your backyard if possible.
Select plants that adapt to a Mediterranean climate.
Apply mulch to gardens to maintain moisture in the soil.
Adjust your sprinklers so only your lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk, or street.
Water your lawn and garden in the morning or evening when temperatures are cooler to minimize evaporation.

Posted on Apr 30, 2009

Tags:

irrigation, Landscaping, showerheads, water, Water Conservation, watering

About the Author

GLI Editors

Green Living Ideas provides ideas, tips, and information to help you improve the environmental sustainability of every aspect of your life: home energy, green building and remodeling, cars, food, waste recycling—and everything in between. GLI's editorial voice is driven by founder Sean Daily and Editor-In-Chief Adam Shake, and written by an amazing staff of author and interns.

3 Responses to “Indoor and Outdoor Water Saving Tips”

Alicia

Twitter: @chuie418
May 04, 2009

another outdoor tip – if you live in places that have more rainfall, you can collect your rain with a container by the gutters and using it to water plants.

check out this site for other sustainable living ideas:

http://www.greenwala.com
BeWaterWise Rep

Twitter: @Twitter Name (optional)
May 06, 2009

Great tips! Very helpful. To add to your list, here are some more water saving tips for the outdoor and indoor: http://www.bewaterwise.com/tips01.html These tips also tell you how many gallons of water one can save every day by following them.
Water shortage is definitely a serious issue. We all have to make a conscious effort to fight it. Thanks for making this post and spreading awareness!
joshua nichols

Twitter: @planetzen
May 28, 2009

Not too long from now, we will value water as precious as gold. Try to water before 9 A.M. and after 6 P.M.
I always turn the water off when I take a shower, why soap up if it just gets rinsed off? Navy Shower’s save ton’s of water.
I have done this since I was a kid.