These resolutions save you money and help the planet
As the new year approaches, many of us are pondering what our next resolution will be.
We also likely are reflecting on what last year’s resolution was and how successful we were in sticking with it. So I stopped and asked myself, how do you make a great New Year’s resolution? Make it practical, make it public, and make it matter.
With this in mind, I’ve created a list of easy-to-keep water resolutions for 2012. Each resolution can fit easily into your life, and will benefit both you and the world around you.
1. Fix those drips! A dripping faucet can waste 20 gallons of water a day, while a leaking toilet can waste as much as 90,000 gallons in a month.
2. Shorten that shower. Cut five minutes off your shower time and save up to 25 gallons a day.
3. Slow the flow. Inexpensive faucet aerators for the sink and shower can save gallons of water per person every day. Replace your old shower head with a low-flow model and cut your water use by 20 percent or more every time you shower.
4. Turn off the tap. When brushing your teeth or shaving, turn off the tap and save 8 gallons a day.
5. Update those appliances. When it’s time to update your appliances, look for WaterSense-labeled appliances. You’ll save both water and energy.
6. Replace that water-guzzling toilet. If possible, replace your old toilet (5 to 7 gallons per flush) with a modern, water-efficient WaterSense-labeled toilet (1.2 gallons a flush) and use about half the water per flush.
7. Think green outside: Instead of hosing your driveway or sidewalk, use a broom. Choose plants appropriate to your climate when you landscape. They’ll need much less water. And irrigate like a pro! Your lawn probably needs less water than you think. And your sidewalk doesn’t need any.
8. Stop buying bottled water this year. Bottled water is expensive, wasteful and – contrary to popular belief – not any healthier for you than tap water. Also, these bottles take up about 1.5 million tons of space in our landfills each year! Instead, buy a stainless steel water bottle and use it. And, if you don’t like the way your tap water tastes, an under counter carbon filter will turn most tap water sparkling fresh at a fraction of bottled water’s cost.
http://www.nwherald.com/2011/12/29/guest-column-these-resolutions-save-you-money-and-help-the-planet/aurvm5g/