08/07/2021
Parents: Here's a helpful list of ways to conserve water and promote water quality: (with thanks to Lori and Bobbi at Inclusive Sustainability):
We suggest choosing one or two of these that you don’t do yet and giving them a try, then building from there. More of us working on this will bring more impact on our current and future water supply. As we often say, I will make a difference, but we will make THE difference.
1. When brushing your teeth or shaving, turn off the tap. Doing this while brushing your teeth can conserve on average 3-4 gallons of water per person per day.
2. Give your clothes the “smell test” and only wash them when they really need it. Each load of laundry uses 30 or more gallons of water, so cutting back on how much we wash will conserve our water supply.
3. When washing your clothes, use an environmentally friendly detergent. These detergents do less damage to the water system. For even greater effect, use one of the newer environmentally friendly detergent sheets that allow for limited packaging and no use of plastic and a laundry ball that collects particles and holds them from being released into the environment, such as the Cora Ball.
4. Use chemicals for cleaning and other reasons sparingly, and always dispose of them carefully. This includes paint, oil, medications, and ammonia.
5. Instead of harsh chemicals, use natural pesticides and herbicides on your lawn and garden. These are becoming more readily available at home stores, garden stores, and department stores.
6. Buy organic produce and other food items when you can. These will support organic farmers and encourage less use of pesticides and other chemicals in farming.
7. Instead of pre-rinsing dishes before putting them into the dishwasher, place them in it dirty and let the machine do its work. If you must pre-rinse, try saving water from washing your hands or rain water to do your pre-rinsing. (Thank you to Adrienne, Lori’s daughter, for this idea.)
8. Use only the amount of natural fertilizer your garden needs. Extra nutrients may run off and get into the water system, causing algae blooms that may be harmful to animals and people.
9. Pay attention to the things you buy. Items that may not be harmful to the water supply now may very well be later when they end up in landfills. Consider this when you are making selections for household items, etc.
10. Write letters to Congress and other leaders encouraging support for clean water legislation to protect the water supply for all those who live here or support a non-profit that works to improve and protect the water supply for all of us.3.
