Water reduction

No post in awhile. That's because my high costing, environmental impacting son tends to suck up my spare time, which is ok. I have been thinking about what to talk about when it struck me as I was doing my 100th load of his laundry this week. (I think that's an exaggeration, but one load feels like 100).

Here in Colorado we have a water issue. Turns out we don't have a lot. Some people at one point were talking about piping it in from Wyoming. I don't know if they know about the Pacific Ocean, but I think they do. :)

So we are encouraged to not use a lot of water which I try to do by the following:
1. Turn off the water while brushing your teeth
2. Never turn the faucet all the way on when washing dishes or washing hands. I find that a quarter of that amount is just fine
3. Pack that dishwasher full and try not to hand wash a lot of dishes
Scientists at the University of Bonn in Germany who studied the issue
found that the dishwasher uses only half the energy, one-sixth of the
water, and less soap than hand-washing an identical set of dirty dishes.
4. Don't rinse dishes before they go in a dishwasher.
5. Low flow shower head
6. Don't flush your toilet every time you use it.
I'm kidding.
7. I would love to install a urinal in my house. Definitely less water used.
8. I would also love to make use of gray water. This is water that goes from your faucet and after used goes to be used in the toilet.
9. Drink more saltwater.
10. more showers, less baths
11. Front-loader washing machines utilize less water for bigger loads.
12. Plant gardens that are appropriate for the environment and don't need watered a lot. Skip the grass, which although feels great to walk on, sucks water like no one's buisness.
13. Only go to car washes that recycle the water. Never go to hand car washes which wastes a ton of water. Automatic wash companies are better...typically. In Colorado if they are good, they will get certified by the water company.