Change can be difficult to enact, and when it comes to people’s day-to-day habits, it takes more than just the facts to get people to think about the larger implications of the decisions they make. When it comes to leading a more environmentally friendly way of life, awareness is slowly but gradually increasing. As severe weather patterns occur and scientific evidence shows how our behavior is affecting the environment, more people understand that changes need to be made for the good of all.
What individuals, corporations and governments are all learning is that being eco-conscious is not only a win for the environment by reducing our dependency on natural resources and eliminating waste, but it’s also a great way to save money by reducing energy costs.
Easy ways to Save H2O
The effort to scale back on the consumption of natural resources has water conservation as one of its essential facets, so let’s look at some easy but effective ways to conserve water.
- Filtered, not Bottled:
- Efficient Household Fixtures and Appliances:
- Common-sense Water Habits:
The production of water bottles has been the source of great controversy, as the amount of energy that’s used to create them is enormous and far too many of them don’t get recycled. These problems can be eliminated by filtering your tap water at home. You can provide yourself with clean drinking water by investing in a water purification system and in reusable bottles.
If you think simple changes can’t be effective, you should get acquainted with some of the facts regarding home water use. An eco-friendly showerhead can save over a dozen gallons of water during a single shower. Low-flow toilets also consume up to a couple of gallons with each use, in comparison to regular ones that require three to five gallons. Also, you may think washing dishes in the sink will help you cut back on water usage. In fact, an energy-friendly dishwater requires only a third of the water you’d consume when dish-washing by hand.
Being mindful of your personal water usage can play a big part in saving yourself money and conserving water. The Use It Wisely water campaign reports that keeping your showers under five minutes will save you 1,000 gallons of water a month. Also, installing water-saving aerators is an excellent and inexpensive way to help cut down on water usage. Fixing any leaks around sinks or toilets can also greatly reduce your water consumption and prevent a small problem from escalating.
Increasing change on the way
In the past, the conservation and environmental movements had an uphill battle, yet an increasing number of people are aware of water shortages around the world and within the U.S. Water conservation is one of the many environmental issues facing the world, and the more people who get involved and take action, the better it will be for current populations and for future generations.
So when putting these tips in action, don’t minimize your actions or consider them to be unimportant. What may seem to be a small daily habit, such as keeping the water turned off when you’re brushing your teeth, not only has a tremendous impact over the course of a few weeks, but if millions of people do the same thing, it’s a massive way of using a resource wisely and economically so that everyone benefits.