Since it's Earth Day, I thought I'd share four of the primary ways that we save water, beyond the Energy Star appliances. It seems like something really basic to me, but the fact that everywhere I go there are still old fashioned, water-wasting fixtures, it seems there needs to be yet another reminder:
IT'S NOT HARD. IT'S NOT EXPENSIVE. AND IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE...BOTH FOR THE PLANET *AND* FOR YOUR WALLET.
The Kitchen Faucet. Yep, a sexy one like this - including the soap dispenser can run you around a hundred bucks. WaterSense faucets save 30% or more compared to standard ones.
The Shower Head. WaterSense shower heads save at least 20% water over standard showerheads. The cost to upgrade? Our rain-style one was just $32. Unscrew old one, screw in new one. Bam.
The Bathroom Faucet. "Replacing old, inefficient faucets and aerators with WaterSense labeled models can save the average family 700 gallons of water per year" says the EPA. Simple sexy lines like this one, for under $50? Oh hell yeah.
The Toilet. Since becoming a homeowner for the first time nearly two decades ago, I've made sure that a dual flush toilet was standard. Back then they were rarer and costlier. Now? $99 at Home Depot. 1.1 gallons per flush compared to the standard 1.8? I'll take it. This is the big one, as the toilet uses THE most amount of water in the house. Fresh, clean drinking water every household is using in the USA -just to flush down waste. In a water crisis.
PS - Want some Extra Credit? Do what we did back at the farm and take your toilet off grid by installing a waterless composting toilet like the Nature's Head.
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