6 Days Till Earth Day

*6*
(warning: this post contains humor)

Dennis The Menace Created by Hank Ketcham, drawn by Marcus Hamilton and Ron Ferdinand, dist. by King Features Syndicate

As I mentioned in my first countdown to Earth Day post one change we can try is to use less water. Dennis the Menace is all for that, but Americans are particularly water wasteful. Here are a few tips to reduce water misuse:

1) take shorter showers. A four-minute shower uses approximately 20 - 40 gallons of water (!) Turn the shower off while you soap up, shave, or whatever else you may do in the shower (I'm not asking.) Consider installing a water-saving shower head which are easy to install... easy for husbands to install. You (your husband) can also install low-flow faucet aerators which is the single best home water conservation method (and also the cheapest!) In the '60s there was a program the hippies promoted called, "Shower With A Friend." This too will save water, just be careful of unintended consequences*(please see comment at bottom)

2) turn off the water while you brush your teeth... does anyone really let it just keep running? You'd be surprised. At work I watch my coworkers just let the water run for all sorts of reasons. I have to really watch myself; I say something if it's appropriate, but I don't want to turn into the Water Nazi. So don't let the water run no matter what you're doing: washing vegetables, shaving, rinsing hand-washed dishes, etc.

3) run your dishwasher/washing machine only once it's a full load. Some people I know cram too much into their machines, but we won't go there. Consider buying Energy Star washers and consider a front loading machine, both factors that increase water savings.

4) minimize your use of garbage disposals. They need a lot of water to work properly and you could be composting (see yesterday's post) instead!

5) water your lawn only if it needs it. How can you tell? If you step on it and the blades of grass spring back up it doesn't need watering yet. If the blades stay flat then water, but deep-soak your lawn where it will do the most good. A light sprinkling will probably evaporate and cause shallow root systems. Also, water early in the day if possible, late in the day is OK too, but midday is the worst. And please, don't place your sprinkler so you're watering your driveway or the street (duh)... I see that all the time in my neighborhood.

6) better yet, get rid of all that grass. American lawns are nice to walk on/play in, but they are disasters ecologically. Consider planting native species of bushes, trees, flower beds, etc. which can survive with the local rainfall and don't require additional watering. Native plants are also more disease resistant. You can put a layer of mulch or compost (there's that compost again :-)) around the base of the plants to help retain moisture.

7) don't run the hose while washing your car; attach a sprayer head which allows you to run water only when it's time to rinse. Also, don't use the hose to wash off the sidewalks; use a broom or a blower if the area is large.

* it was shown that showering together often increased the birth rate approximately nine months later. Please be aware that every extra human life on the planet increases the pollution output and demand for resources. Please practice safe showering. :-)

Some fun water conservation facts:

* Most people in North America use 50 to 70 gallons of water indoors each day (eek!)
* Indoors, 3/4 of all water is used in the bathroom (so get out of the bathroom)
* In the average home, the toilet accounts for 28% of water use. (consider an outhouse, just kidding)
* Running a sprinkler for two hours can use up to 500 gallons. (get rid of the grass; grass is for smoking, again just kidding)
* As much as 150 gallons of water can be saved when washing a car by turning the hose off between rinses. (if you use a commercial car wash they use recycled water, plus it's fun to sit in the car and pretend you're being attacked by a roller of yellow snakes)
* Washing a sidewalk or driveway with a hose uses about 50 gallons of water every 5 minutes (c'mon, go wash your dishes and leave the outside to Mother Nature.)