Gov. Sonny Purdue has requested that everybody reduce their water use by 10% over last year. Will this be enough of a conservation effort to make a difference now? Only time will tell but it is good that we are talking about and taking actions to conserve one of North Georgia's most precious resources. What are some practical steps we can all take to conserve water? Here are a few of my favorites:
*Don't wash the car. This has to be my all time favorite. But even I have a hard time with a dirty car after a couple of weeks. Here is a tip to help between washes. First thing in the morning if you park outside, when the dew is still on the cars, take an old towel and wipe down the top, hood, trunk and doors. hang the towel out to dry . Use it two or three times before washing it. If you park inside, a duster could also help.
*No outdoor watering. I still have a empty flowerbed that we decided not to plant the new flowers in right now. I know this has hurt the nursery business but I promise to make it up by buying more drought resitant plants. I also try to use more hardscaping in my yard.
*Not turning on the faucet all the way when rinsing dishes. This took some getting use to but I think we can turn the corner on this. We are also keeping the stopper in the sink so water collects and we can rinse the dishes off while reusing it for other dishes. I never really though of how much water was going down the drain by rinsing dishes with the faucet on high and the sink stopper open.
*Use your bath towel several of times. Hopefully you did a good job in the shower and your towel can be hung to dry and reused. Less loads of laundry is definitely a good way to save water, electricity, and time as well.
These are just a few ways we can all help use water more efficiently. I would like to hear from you about ways you are conserving water (showering with a friend aside:). For the most creative and effective suggestion I get, you will receive a $20 gift certificate to Lowe's or The Home Depot and also your idea posted here. Please e-mail your ideas to me at: michaelbradford@comcast.net. The decision of the judges (me, my wife, my 16 year old son and my almost 14 year old daughter) is final and the winner will be announced on Wednesday, Oct. 31 . Thank you for taking the time to participate.
Michael Bradford
770-862-8002
1 comment:
British product called Bathometer which is a simple bath alarm can also help save water. Reducing the depth of water in your bath by the height of this device will save average 40p in water and energy costs in the UK. At only £9.99 - it pays for itself after 25 baths. Also prevents baths from overfilling or flooding. See www.bathometer.co.uk for more info.
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