1. Drink Clean
Filter contaminants such as lead and chloroform, along with the taste of chlorine, from your tap water with a water-filtering pitcher or a faucet-mounted system. You'll also save money over buying bottled water, and the energy used -- and the pollution created -- to produce, ship, and dispose of all those plastic containers. Try the Brita Deluxe Pitcher (shown; Target.com, $24.99). Other models include the PUR Ultimate and the Shaklee Perfect pitchers. Faucet-mounted filters ($20 to $60 at home centers) are easy to install; they simply screw onto the faucet, and a valve lets you choose to bypass the filter (for example, when washing dishes).
2.Slow the Flow
Attach a low-flow aerator to your kitchen faucet to mix air into the stream and cut water usage without affecting pressure. Find aerators at hardware stores and home centers for under $10. Look for one with a flow rate of 2.2 gallons per minute or less, saving from 1.4 to 2.7 gallons each day.
3. Work Your Dishwasher
No need to feel guilty about running your dishwasher; it actually uses less water than doing dishes by hand. Run it only when full and use the most efficient setting -- light rather than heavy wash and air dry instead of heat. Don't bother to pre-rinse before loading. Tests by the Consumers Union show that rinsing is unnecessary and wastes up to 20 gallons of water per load
No comments:
Post a Comment