With an ever-growing world population, there is more strain every day on natural resources. Yet there are some simple things that absolutely anybody can do to reduce their own and their family’s impact on the planet.
Water is our most precious resource, and comprises more than 50 percent of the human body, yet in many parts of the world, it is a constant battle to survive. Meanwhile in the western world, we have a tendency to see water as a free, inexhaustible resource.
Average water usage per person has risen consistently over the past 80 years, and today stands at 150 litres per day. But the following tips could see this reduced by about a third.
Reduced flush toilets
Every flush of a traditional toilet uses around seven litres of water, while modern dual flush toilets from Better Bathrooms use less than half this amount. In an average family home, this means a remarkable 80 litres of water could be saved every day, just by upgrading your toilets.
Fix those leaks
A leaking tap wastes around 15 litres of water per day – that amounts to 5,500 litres every year. Spending a few coins on a replacement washer will not just save all that water, it will also save you at least £18 over the course of a year.
Brushing teeth
It might seem like a minor step, but it can make a real difference. If you leave the tap running while you brush your teeth, it wastes about six litres per minute. That’s around 15 litres of water you could save every time you brush your teeth, just by switching the tap off while you brush.
Keep a jug of water in the fridge
Every time we pour a glass of water, we usually let the tap run for a few seconds till it runs cold. Keep a jug of water chilling in the fridge and this will no longer be necessary, saving more than 10 litres every day.
Install a water butt
A hosepipe uses 1,000 litres of water per hour. Use a water butt to collect rainfall, that you can then use to water the garden and clean the car.
Use full loads
A modern washing machine uses around 50 litres of water per cycle, while a dishwasher uses around 25 litres. Make sure both are full before you switch on, to reduce the number of wash loads.
Washing hands
Just putting the plug in when you wash your hands can save around three litres per hand wash. It might not sound much until you consider just how many times you wash your hands every day.
Take a shorter shower
It is difficult to project the exact savings, as a shower can use anything from five to 50 litres of water every minute. But the end result is the undeniable – reducing shower time by even two minutes can make a big difference.
If it’s yellow…..
Finally, we have to mention the great debate that has taken America by storm. The phrase “if it’s yellow, let it mellow” has polarised households across the States. Absolutely disgusting or the height of environmental good sense? We will leave that for you to decide.