Saving Mother Nature One Drop at a Time

Water is a precious resource that people as well as the Earth need to survive. Finding small ways to help conserve water in your household will not only decrease your energy usage, which saves you money, it will also help quench our planet’s thirst. Below is a list of inventive ways to show Mother Nature that you are saving water; she will be so proud!

1. When watering your lawn adjust your sprinklers so that your grass is the only thing being watered, instead of your house, car, sidewalk, and mailbox.

2. To minimize evaporation, water your garden and plants in the morning or late afternoon when the temperate is cooler and there is less sun.

3. Make sure to only run your dishwasher and clothes washer when completely full. Running your dishwasher with only three plates and one cup can use up to 1,000 more gallons of water a month.

4. Instead of planting your garden in the spring when the weather is becoming hot, try planting a garden in the fall when there is more rain and less heat.

5. If you are a big water drinker, keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator instead of running the water for every cup of water you drink.

6. Opt to sweep the leaves and dirt off your driveway instead of hosing the area down to remove the excess debris.

7. When you are cleaning out your fish tanks, provide your plants with a healthy treat and feed them with the old nutrient rich water.

8. Each day allow yourself one drinking glass that can be placed on a towel and reused throughout the day in order to reduce the amount of glasses needing to be washed.

9. If your dishwasher is a newer model, try reducing the amount of rinse time since newer models rinse more efficiently.

10. Wash your clothes in cold water. It will save energy, water, and help keep the color in your clothes.

11. More plants die every day due to over-watering as opposed to under-watering; only water plants when necessary.

12. When filling your glass with ice, a cube may fall on the floor on occasion, instead of throwing the fallen cube in the sink or letting it find its resting place on the ground, use it to water a house plant.

Bonus Tips!

If your workplace does not already have a team in place to discuss ways to make the work environment more eco-friendly, try starting a group or making suggestions on ways your employer can save on water and energy. Above all, share your water conservation tips and ideas with friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, strangers, or maybe just anyone you think needs a water tip of the day!

New Days for Old Things

As the old saying goes, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” can now double as an environmentally friendly way to live! With spring cleaning lingering around, people are finding clothing, furniture, knick-knacks, and other household items that they may no longer need. Instead of tossing these items in the landfill, why not pass them along to someone else?

Old furniture can be a hazardous obstacle when scattered around the house, and many people simply decide to load it up and take it the trash. Instead why not try asking around your neighborhood to see if anyone may need the item that you no longer have use for? Another great way to dispose of furniture in an environmentally conscious way is to pass the furniture along to Habitat for Humanity; they have stores in most towns and are more than willing to accept your oldies but goodies!

Clothes are an item we all love and treasure, yet there comes a time when we must say farewell to the old and hello to the new. Taking your old clothes to a thrift store, shelter, or simply passing them down to a younger family member is an excellent way to avoid throwing them in the trash, which is not eco-friendly.

Knick-knacks and household items that you can’t quite figure out what to do with are excellent items to pass along to local artists who can use them to make unique masterpieces! Many artists use recycled material to create amazing works of art that not only show off their talents, but also show how reusing items can benefit the Earth. Local artists find ways to utilize items, that many people may not even remember what they are used for.

So the next time you decide to clean out your house, make sure to think twice before you head to the trash, and try a more environmentally friendly way that will make you and the planet happy!