DIY Water Conservation - What are You Waiting For?
February 01, 2014
So we may all be well aware that the idea of sustainability is a popular one; for some, it may be a way to stamp that “green” star on their list of do-goods for the year and hang it on the refrigerator to let the world know, for others, it has become a way of life for reasons much deeper than self-gratification. Hey, whatever your style, we appreciate water conservation no matter how big or how small, but for those that want to take their water saving ways to a new level, we have come up with a few fun “Do-It-Yourself” ideas to try out.
Admittedly, a lot of us have had that moment where something in the house is broken and the brilliant idea of jerry-rigging another household item to fix it pops into our head. Four hours later, the house is flooded and not only one household appliance is broken, now three are. The MacGyver in us is slightly disappointed and our pride has taken a slight blow, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel! We just need some guidance, right?!
One of the easiest ways to conserve water in your own living space is to harvest rainwater by making a rain barrel. Using a water reservoir (in this case, a recycled plastic food barrel) will keep your garden well watered in the summer months when water is scarce. With just a few simple steps found in this incredible tutorial, you can build your very own reservoir, place it in a convenient location, and start saving water to use at your disclosure. You would be surprised how much water you can harvest with just one day of rain.
Another quick and easy way of conserving water is by taking a look at how much water is used every time the toilet is flushed in your house. Rather than shelling out a good amount of money for a new, low-flow toilet, Earth Easy suggests adding about two inches of sand or pebbles into two water bottles to weigh them down, then filling the bottles with water, replacing the lid, and placing them into your toilet tank. This prevents the tank from filling completely with water and may be able to save about ten gallons of water or more per day!
Much of the household water in the United States is wasted without people even realizing it. For a typical daily shower, the few minutes waiting for water to heat up may allow several gallons to flow right down the drain. A helpful tip from DIY GUY is to prevent that waste by insulating your hot water supply pipes with foam rubber insulation. The dense rubber will keep the water that is trapped in the pipes hotter for a longer amount of time, therefore reducing the water wasted in the time that you are usually waiting for the shower to warm up. This also doubles as a money-saving technique on your energy bill!
Another quick shower tip is simply getting a bucket and placing it on the shower floor during your shower to collect any excess water. This additional water can then be used for gardening purposes.
With a host of useful Do-It-Yourself ideas, you can restore your inner pride, as well as be an advocate for daily water and energy conservation. There are millions of people around the world that wake up very morning without immediate access to water, and by utilizing all of the tips and ideas provided, you can start using the world’s resources in a smarter, more effective way. Trust us, being a part of a sustainable culture is empowering, so give it a try!
Image courtesy of Toa55 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net