Good Guest, Bad Guest: Water Conservation at Home

Ushering in a new year is the quintessential time for self reflection and resolutions. Resolutions may seem like big, intimidating things we say we want to do and then often ignore. Leading into 2023, here are some quick tips on how to live a bit more sustainably and therefore, be an even better Guest on Earth in 2023.

This issue of Good Guest, Bad Guest focuses on water conservation at home.

Don't let its size fool you: water is a limited resource. According to the EPA, although water covers 70% of our planet, only 1% is drinkable. Less water going down our drains means more water in our natural environment.

As more and more humans grace this Earth, it's important that we all look at simple ways of conserving this valuable resource.

HINT: These tips are so simple that they'll seem obvious and overly repetitive. That's a good thing!

Turn off the tap while washing your hands

Turn off the tap while scrubbing to save gallons of water daily

Hand washing has increased since the pandemic, with Canadians reporting handwashing 11 to 14 times each day (up from 3-4 times each day) (Newswire). If you follow the hand washing guidelines to scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds, you could save at least 6 gallons of water EACH DAY by turning off the tap while you scrub.

Clapping for you!

Turn Off the Tap While Brushing Your Teeth

Turn off the tap while brushing to save up to 8 gallons daily

Turning off the tap while brushing your teeth can save 8 gallons of water per day (EPA). If your current habit is to leave the tap running, make 2023 the year of dampening your brush and then turning off the tap until it's time to rinse.

Smiling at you!

Turn Off the Tap While Washing Your Dishes (or Forgo the Tap Altogether)

Use a full dishwasher load and skip pre-rinsing to save water.

When you can, opt for a dishwasher over hand washing. Energy efficient dishwashers typically use 3 gallons of water per cycle vs. washing the same amount of dishes by hand can use up to 27 gallons (NRDC). Make sure to wait until you have a full load of dirty dishes before running your dishwasher.

When it comes to the dishwasher, fight the urge to pre-rinse. According to Consumer Reports, pre rinsing wastes more than 6,000 gallons of water per household every year.

Cheers!

Shower > Bath

Choose shorter showers over baths to save water and energy.

We love a self-care moment, but consider saving baths for special occasions instead of daily washing routines. A bath typically uses up to 30 gallons of water, while a five minute shower uses 10-25 gallons. Shorter showers use less water.

Hack: Try some cold shower time! Cold water uses less energy AND can reduce inflammation, wake you UP, relieve pain and improve circulation. They're also less comfortable so it will help shorten your time under water.

Good Guest, So Fresh!

Let us know what you think and please share any additional tips that you have found helpful!