This is the time of year when most of us are planning holiday parties. Many of us are also expecting family or friends to visit as overnight or longer-term guests. More people and more meal prep automatically means more water usage. So making even relatively small changes to the ways you use water during the holidays can make a big difference in the amount of water you use. Or don’t use. And that can make a positive future impact on our environment as well.
On that cheery note, here are some water conservation tips that are easy to adopt:
Do not let water run unnecessarily in the kitchen sink.
If you were to capture the water left running to defrost frozen foods, wash hands or rinse fruits and veggies, you would be shocked at the number of gallons that literally just flow down the drain. Big waste.
Instead, turn off the tap while lathering your hands for a wash. Fill a pan with just enough water to rinse all your produce at once, in batches. Set frozen items in the refrigerator (perhaps on a towel) to let them defrost. Yes, this takes a bit longer, but you can plan for that.
Do not let water run unnecessarily in the bathroom.
Turn the tap off while brushing your teeth. If family members and overnight guests to shave a minute or two off their shower, this will not only conserve hot water for everyone, it will conserve overall water, too.
Use your dishwasher wisely.
Run it on the shortest cycle, and only when it’s full. If it’s an older, non-energy efficient model, wash dishes by hand in a sink half-filled with water, then rinse with a quick water spray.
Steam or roast veggies.
These methods add far more flavor and retain all the nutrients lost in boiling.
Once you get used to these little changes during the holidays, it will be easy to make them your regular routine year round. But if you really want to conserve water, we have a question for you to consider.
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