How much water do you use in your house? Are you using more water and energy than necessary?

These are just a few of the questions I tend to ask myself when I think of water conservation. I want to do more to help save water but sometimes it seems too difficult and time consuming.  Conserving water can be easier than you think.

Consider how you might use water in your household and different ways in which you can reduce your water waste.

If you’re curious about how much water your family is using and how it compares to the average family, I suggest using Home Water Works’ calculator to get an estimate: http://www.home-water-works.org/calculator. After answering a few questions, the calculator will break down your water usage into a pie chart to see where you are using the most water. My family tends to use most of our water in the shower and bathrooms. That doesn’t come as much of a surprise since there are five of us in one house.

There are so many little things you can do to conserve water. You can start off small by turning off the water while you brush your teeth or turning off the shower while you shampoo your hair. You can also fill up one side of your sink with hot water to wash dishes rather than leaving the water running while you wash. When you clean your driveway you can always sweep rather than use water to wash it down. There are so many ways to save water and energy.

One thing you definitely don’t want to do is leave the water running while you wait for hot water. There is so much excess water going down the drain. We’ve all done it, and most of us probably still do it. Hot water is used in our showers, dishwashers, baths, faucets, pools and hot tubs. That’s a lot of hot water, especially in the bathroom. One sure and easy way to conserve water indoors is to use the D’MAND Kontrol® System. It will get hot water to your fixtures on demand and prevent all that excess water from going needlessly down the drain. It doesn’t just save water, it saves energy as well.

We previously provided you with a list of some energy saving tips. If you missed it the first time around I’ve included them for you again.

• Turn off lights, TVs, computers, and other electronics when you’re not in a room. This seems like a no-brainer, but how many times have you walked around your empty house and all the lights are on?
• TVs and other electronics still use several watts of power when they’re plugged in but not on. Plug all your electronics into a power strip and turn the power strips off when the electronics aren’t in use to save energy.
• Only wash full loads of laundry and dishes. Air dry clothes and dishes if possible.
• Look for the ENERGY STAR® label when buying light bulbs, home appliances and electronics, this ensures the product meets strict efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. (The D’MAND Kontrol® System is ENERGY STAR® rated!)
• Install a low flow shower head, and take shorter showers.
• Use your window shades. Close blinds on the sunny side in summer to keep out the hot sun, and open them in winter to bring in warm rays.

At ACT we are all about saving water but that doesn’t mean you can be stingy when it comes to taking care of your body! Saving water in other areas such as showering and household chores allows us not to fear about having enough water for our bodies. Just like you keep oil in your car, it’s important to keep clean water in your body.

Water makes up nearly 60% of our body weight and is important for removing unwanted toxins, regulating body temperature, and moving oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. Some people use the excuse that they dont like the taste of water. I might offer some simple suggestions such as trying out different water brands, maybe even some that have electrolytes? Or to be more eco-friendly you can invest in pitchers or bottles that filter your water for you.

Brita and Bobble are two of many companies that make products that are affordable and not too shabby looking.

Check out their websites here:

http://www.waterbobble.com/bobble.html

http://www.brita.com/intl/

You can also try drinking your water at a different temperature. I prefer mine refrigerated or on the rocks (hold the salt). Try drinking out of a straw, I know this helps me drink more!

Or if you simply insist that drinking water is far too difficult eat foods that are high in water content. Our friends over at Brita provided a schnazzy helpful list. My summer favorite is Watermelon!

To show you how much we care, we included an info-graphic that will help you catch the symptoms of dehydration before they become too strong, or hopefully help you better hydrate and avoid them all together.  

 Our Favorite tip to prevent dehydration is “Don’t exercise in a rubber suit!”