Blog

• Daily Water Tip: Keep a bucket in the shower to catch water as it warms up or runs. Use this water to flush toilets or water plants. #
• Daily Water Tip: When you have ice left in your cup from a take-out restaurant, don’t throw it in the trash, dump it on a plant. #
• Have any good water saving tips? We could really use them on our discussion board - http://tinyurl.com/c7c74e. Thanks everyone. #
• “Water shortage even more urgent than climate change” - http://tinyurl.com/asptl7 #
• Daily Water Tip: Throw trimmings and peelings from fruits and vegetables into your yard compost to prevent using the garbage disposal. #
• Daily Water Tip: For hanging baskets, planters and pots, put ice cubes under the moss or dirt to water and eliminate overflow. #
• Daily Water Tip: While staying in a hotel or even at home, consider reusing your towels. #

• Daily Water Tip: When you are washing your hands, don’t let the water run while you lather. #

At Water - Use it Wisely we’ve been dedicated to providing people simple tips and tricks to save water. But we got to thinking that it shouldn’t just be us providing tips. Undoubtedly, there are some of you out there that have discovered some creative ways to save water that we haven’t even dreamed of yet.

So we’re asking for help. Share your best water-saving tips with us and the world on our Facebook page. Why not make it fun too. Take a quick video of yourself in water-saving action, snap a few photos, or just send us a note. We’ll do our best to make sure your tip is heard around the world.

Start 2009 out the right way by saving water and money. Water – Use it Wisely can help with an interactive home water audit that is so user-friendly, the whole family can get in on the fun, while learning more about water conservation.

To get started, visit www.wateruseitwisely.com and click on the family water audit. Figure out how much water you’re using and commit to cutting back your water usage by 10 percent. Check out the helpful 12-month Water Planner also at the site to help with tips for conserving water throughout the year.

• For starters, here are some basic things every household can do to save water.
• When washing dishes by hand, don’t let the water run while rinsing. Fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water.
•  Run your washing machine and dishwasher only when they are full and you could save 1,000 gallons a month.
• Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap for cold drinks, so that every drop goes down you, not the drain.
• Wash your produce in the sink or a pan that is partially filled with water instead of running water from the tap.
• Collect the water you use for rinsing produce and reuse it to water houseplants.
• When you clean your fish tank, use the water you’ve drained on your plants. The water is rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, providing you with a free and effective fertilizer.
• Teach your children to turn the faucets off tightly after each use.
• Turn off the water while you brush your teeth and save four gallons a minute. That’s 200 gallons a week for a family of four.
• Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your driveway and/or sidewalk.
• Do one thing each day that will save water. Even if savings are small, every drop counts.

For more water saving tips, visit www.wateruseitwisely.com.
There, you can also sign-up to receive a monthly water saving tip to remind you of your resolution and to keep you conserving all year long.

• Daily Water Tip: Walkways and patios provide space that doesn’t ever need to be watered. These spaces can also add value to your property. #
• Daily Water Tip: Collect water from your roof to water your garden. #
• Daily Water Tip: Designate one glass for drinking water each day or refill a water bottle. This cuts down on the number of glasses to wash. #
• Daily Water Tip: Install a rain sensor on your irrigation controller so your system won’t run when it’s raining. #
• Daily Water Tip: Don’t use running water to thaw food. Defrost food in the refrigerator for water efficiency and food safety. #

If the Aussies were as good at moviemaking as they are at environmental innovation, the movie Australia might have actually been good. Saw it last night. Laughable.

So maybe I’m looking for something to brighten my sense of humor.  Then I come across this: The Hughie’s Removable Kitchen Sink. Hughie of Australia has created an innovative portable sink that won ‘Product of the Year 2008’ award from the ABC Gardening Show.

The Hughie’s Removable Kitchen Sink saves 80 percent of the gray water that can further be used for watering your garden plants or washing your car.  It is a green product that users may carry with them wherever they go; on boating, fishing or camping expeditions. The versatile sink is very light in weight and comes with a strong handle, an integrated plug and pourer. You may get the portable sink for just $25, which is available in a variety of stylish colors.

The best part is that the sink is dedicated to the memory of Hugh “Hugie” Alexander, who battled the elements for 60 years as a dairy farmer in Australia.  Their tagline: “Send it down Hughie.”

I just love green innovators that leave no stone unturned, right down to the kitchen sink.