Читать книгу Green Homekeeping - Alice Alvrez - Страница 13

Turn off the Tap

Turn off your tap when you’re not actually using it. Most people let it run for several reasons, and every one equals a sizable waste in water.

The biggest culprit is running water while you brush your teeth. Just shut off the water while you scrub your teeth. It’s a very simple tip that won’t disrupt your life though it may seem awkward at first to keep turning the tap on and off as you rinse off your brush. You’ll get the hang of it.

That’s not the only time people tend to let the faucet flow. Are you letting the water run to get it nice and cold for a drink? Keep a jug of tap water in the fridge instead, so you can get a cold glass of water without the waste. It’s quicker, too.

If you wash your dishes by hand, running the tap until the water is hot is another problem. Depending on how quickly your water heats up, you can waste up to a gallon each time you run it. Since you can’t easily keep hot water sitting around for instant use, you have to keep the water from being wasted.

Keep a jug near the sink, and when you run the tap for hot water, just hold on to the water. Then use that supply next time you need water.

And while we’re talking about running taps, you should take care not to let any dripping ones go untended. A dripping faucet can waste hundreds (if not thousands) of gallons every year. A wrench and a new washer is probably all you need to green up your taps.

One last tip: if you tend to run a lot of water when rinsing things off, add an aerator to your faucet. You’ll get more spray but use less water. They’re easy to install, and typically just screw on to the end of your faucet.