Green Living Ideas
EnergyDo & Don'ts for Green LivingGreen Living GlossaryGreen Living: Combining ErrandsGreen Living with Computers: How to Save EnergyChoosing, Reusing, and Recycling Batteries
Setting up a Compost Pile"For Here"- Reduce Waste at the Coffee Shop or RestaurantBe Eco-friendly at the Grocery StoreThe Benefits of Composting and Which Materials to UseBeing Eco-Friendly with Coffee
Conserving Water Around the House
Conservation of resources is at the heart of green living, water conservation especially so. Conserving water serves green living not just by the actual saving of water resources, but also by reducing the energy spent to purify our drinking water. The following are some tips for conserving water in different areas of the house for the improvement of green living.
Conserving Water in the Kitchen
- When washing dishes by hand, follow green living and don't run the water. Instead, close the drain and fill the sink with as much water as you need.
- If you decide to use a dishwasher, try to run only full loads as partial loads still waste the full amount of water. For further green living, purchase a more energy and water efficient dishwasher which is approved by Energy Star.
- For green living, don't run the water while washing fruit or vegetables. Plug the drain and fill the sink as much as needed.
- Green living doesn't mean we can't still retain certain luxuries. Instead of running the water until it turns cold for drinking, store a pitcher of water in the fridge.
- Make sure that both sink and dishwasher do not leak. It's incredible how much water a leak can waste. Follow green living and get leaks fixed right away.
Conserving Water in the Bathroom
- Take a shorter shower or shallower bath to practice green living.
- Green living dictates that we shouldn't let the water run while brushing teeth, washing faces, or shaving. Turn the water on only when it's needed.
- Flushing the toilet can easily account for one third of a household's water usage. Be a great practitioner of green living and purchase a low-consumption (aka low flush) toilet. Or, place a plastic bottle filled with water into the toilet tank to displace (and therefore save) some water during each flush. Do not use a brick as it will eventually disintegrate and clog the sewage system.
- As with the kitchen sink and dishwasher, make sure to have leaks in the bathroom sink fixed right away.
Conserving Water in the Laundry Room
- If you are going to do hand wash and want to follow green living, don't keep the water running. Fill the sink or bathtub with water as needed.
- Make sure to do full loads of laundry. Alternatively, for better green living many washing machines let you set the load size to use only as much water as appropriate.
- When it comes time to buy a new washing machine, support green living by buying a more efficient, water-conserving, washing machine. This can reduce the water usage by as much as half. As a green living bonus, washing machines that use less water also require less laundry detergent!
Conserving Water Outside in the Yard
- Check your hose for leaks to prevent losing gallons of water.
- For better green living, don't water the grass or plants if it's going to rain. And only water plants that need watering!
- Water the plants in the morning when there will be less water lost through evaporation.
- If you only need to water a few plants, practice green living by using a watering can instead of a hose or sprinkler. You will save a lot of water.
- When using a sprinkler, make sure it's not wasting water by watering the driveway or sidewalk. Concrete grows just fine without it!
