33 Creative Ways to Save Water this Summer

Living in coastal Southern California certainly has its perks – easy beach access, incredible weather, and a relatively laid back lifestyle are a few of my favorites. Unfortunately, the mild weather often equates to not enough rain to sustain the population/environment (fires are always a concern when the weather is particularly hot and dry). Water conservation is always a topic of discussion, as it should be!

Regardless of where you live, saving water is important so I compiled a list of 33 creative ways to save water this summer season. We’re going to do our best to adopt more of these simple lifestyle changes and it would be awesome if you considered doing the same!

WAYS TO SAVE WATER IN THE KITCHEN

1. Use your dishwasher – believe it or not, modern dishwashers use far less water than hand washing! (CNET)
2. Learn how to properly load your dishwasher – the more dishes you can properly fit, the less times you have to run it (see this article from Good Housekeeping for some tips)
3. Install a low flow faucet on your kitchen sink
4. Avoid the garbage disposal and compost your kitchen scraps – tip: store them in the freezer until they’re ready to be tossed into the compost to avoid unnecessary smells in the kitchen
5. Go meatless a few days per week – it requires 1,799 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef (foodtank) so swapping out a few meals per week with vegetarian protein alternatives can make a big difference
6. Reuse pasta water – let it cool, then water your plants or save and reuse in other recipes (wikiHow)

WAYS TO SAVE WATER IN THE BATHROOM

1. Make baths a special “once in a while” treat and opt for quick showers instead
2. Shorten your shower – I do this by only washing my hair 1-2 times/week and keep it fresh between washes with DIY dry shampoo
3. Install low flow shower heads (see how-to from Home Depot)
4. Update your toilet to a US Environmental Protection Agency WaterSense certified high-efficiency toilet – by doing so you might qualify for a government issued rebate (check Save Our Water Rebates to see if you’re eligible)
5. If you rent or can’t afford to replace your toilets, fill a plastic water bottle and store it in your toilet tank to use less water with each flush (i’m not sure i get this one)
6. Turn off the sink when brushing your teeth

SAVE WATER WHEN DOING THE LAUNDRY

1. Re-wear your denim! Washing clothes less frequently saves water and prolongs the life of your clothing (which also requires water to produce/manufacture)
2. Use a drying rack whenever possible – power plants use a lot of water to produce the electricity used to power a dryer, plus drying whites in the sun helps to naturally whiten them (like sweat stains on white shirts)

WAYS TO SAVE WATER IN THE YARD

1. Xeriscape your yard – less lawn means less water required for maintenance
2. Water your plants in the early morning or late evening – watering during these cooler times of day means there will be less heat to evaporate the water you use
3. Turn off your sprinklers when you expect rainfall
4. Make sure your sprinklers aren’t watering your sidewalks or driveway
5. Speaking of sidewalks and driveways, use a broom to sweep them – don’t clean them with the hose!
6. Install a drip irrigation system for your garden instead of using a hose or sprinklers
7. Buy a squeeze nozzle for your hose so it doesn’t waste water when you turn the tap on and off
8. Reuse gray water (e.g., water from sinks, bathtubs, and laundry) in your yard or garden

LIFESTYLE CHANGES THAT HELP TO CONSERVE WATER

1. Take your car to a car wash that recycles water
2. Identify and repair any indoor and outdoor water leaks around your home
3. Embrace minimalism – over-consumption of goods directly impacts your carbon footprint, shop second-hand as much as possible (thrift store shopping tips)
4. Donate or resell items you no longer need or use (I like using Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist)
5. Recycle everything you can (see recycling tips from Greatist)
6. Invest in reusable products made from natural (non-plastic) materials – minimize single-use paper products and plastics whenever possible
7. Bring your own cup/travel mug when you buy iced or hot drinks
8. Keep a set of reusable utensils at your desk at work so you never have to resort to using plastic
9. Stop buying plastic water bottles – on average, it requires twice as much water to produce a plastic water bottle as the amount contained in the bottle (Water Footprint Calculator)
10. Always shop with reusable bags – if you forget them in the car like I frequently do, just ask for your items (grocery or otherwise) to be loaded back into your cart sans plastic bags then bag them yourself when you get back to your car
11. Eliminate junk mail – less paper waste means less water waste