On Monday, our planet experienced the hottest day on record. There are endless implications for what rising temperatures mean for all species living on this planet, but moments like this are reminders that we need to make changes – wherever possible, however small – in the way we live. Water is a foundation of life on Earth, but in a country where we have one of the safest, most reliable water supplies in the world (and it still has many problems), we often take for granted the ability to leave the sink running, or to take a shower every day. While this list is not nearly comprehensive, in this article we take a tour around the house and share a few easy changes to incorporate into our routines that can significantly reduce the amount of water we consume.
In the Bathroom: Take Colder Showers
While a hot shower is an undoubtedly essential survival tool in the winter, the same excuse can’t be used in the increasingly warm summer months. On average, Americans shower for 15 minutes, using 2 - 2.5 gallons of water per minute – that’s easily over 30 gallons of water per shower. Depending on your roommate situation, showering multiple times a day (we do get sweaty in the summer, after all), and whether or not it’s on your landlord’s dime, this number can exceed 100 gallons a day.
Enter: the cold shower. We get it, it’s uncomfortable – but that’s the point. By reducing the amount of time you want to spend in the shower, you reduce the amount of water you’re consuming. Plus, I’m sure you’ve heard of the growing body of science that supports the benefits of a cold shower: improving circulation, boosting your immune system, and reducing muscle soreness after a workout, to name a few. For a quick rinse, make it brisk and soak up these benefits. For a longer shower, at least try to make it cold enough that it rushes you out. Dermatologists also point out that taking too long of a shower can strip your skin’s natural oils – if you have conditions such as psoriasis, eczema or rosacea, taking a shorter, cooler shower can help reduce flare-ups and ameliorate symptoms like itching or inflammation.
Taking cold showers also helps cool your internal temperature, meaning you don’t have to blast the AC quite so high. One last tip for the bathroom: you can save almost 250 gallons of water a month by turning off the water when you brush your teeth!
In the Kitchen: Soak, Don’t Scrub
The kitchen sink gets a lot of action, especially during a season when we’re often entertaining guests or cooking large dishes for potlucks. A major water-saving – and sanity-saving – method is to just let it soak. Scorched soy sauce onto your baking sheet again? Soak it. Baked-on cheese from reheated lasagna? Soak it. Left out that pot of pasta sauce overnight? SOAK IT.
Additionally, rather than rinsing your fruits and vegetables under running water, you can let your produce soak in a bowl as you clean them off. Even if this seems like small potatoes, any way that we reduce the amount of water running down the drain can add up to significant water conservation. In the case that you need hot water from the sink, place a bowl under the tap to collect the water until it gets to your desired temp – we’ll take that bowl of perfectly good water with us to our last stop: the garden.
In the Garden: Water in the Mornings
If you’re lucky enough to have a space for outdoor plants or a garden bed, there’s one major tip to remember in the summer months: always water in the mornings. Watering in the morning allows plants to absorb water before it evaporates as temperatures rise during the day. Additionally, the morning sun helps dry out any excess moisture, reducing the risk of problems associated with watering at night such as root rot or fungal growth. Add ten minutes to your morning routine to give your plants a splash before you head out for the day - it’s better for them, and for conserving water.
