Energy Saving Tips

Saving Water in the Kitchen

• When cooking, peel and clean vegetables in a large bowl of water instead of under running water.
• Don’t continuously run the water when washing and rinsing dishes.
• Only run the dishwasher when it’s full.
• When buying a dishwasher, select an Energy Star® model with a “light-wash” option.
• Only use the garbage disposal when necessary (composting is a great alternative).
• Repair leaking faucets.
• Install WaterSense® water-saving faucet aerators.
• Keep a bottle/jug of drinking water in the refrigerator – running tap water to cool it off for drinking water is wasteful.

• Take short showers instead of baths.
• Turn off the water to brush teeth and fill the sink to shave.
• Repair leaking faucets.
• Install WaterSense® water-saving faucet aerators and low-flow shower-heads.
• Repair leaky toilets. Add 12 drops of food coloring into the tank of the toilet. If color appears in the bowl one hour later, the toilet is leaking.
• 30% of home water use is flushed down the toilet – avoid unnecessary flushing and you’ll save big and don’t use your toilet as a wastebasket.

 

Saving Water in the Laundry Room

• Wash only full loads of laundry or set the machine for the correct sized load.
• Repair leaking faucets.
• When purchasing a new clothes washer, buy an Energy Star® high efficiency model, which uses 45% less water than regular washers.
• Hang towels to dry and use them multiple times instead of washing after each use.

• Apply mulch around shrubs and flower beds to reduce evaporation, promote plant growth, and control weeds.
• Maximize the use of natural vegetation and establish smaller lawns. Consider planting more trees, shrubs, ground covers, and less grass.
• Add compost or an organic matter to soil as necessary, to improve soil conditions and water retention.
• When mowing your lawn, set the mower blades to 2-3 inches high. Longer grass shades the soil improving moisture retention, allowing it to grow thicker and develop a deeper root system.
• Only water the lawn when necessary. Step on the grass. If it springs back up, it doesn’t need watering. If it stays flat, the lawn is ready for watering. Water your lawn during early morning or later evening hours to minimize evaporation and to ensure the water gets soaked up by the lawn.
• Replace a standard clock timer with a WaterSense® labeled, weather based irrigation controller, which can save an average home nearly 8,800 gallons of water annually.
• Collect rainfall in a rain barrel for irrigation.
• When washing a car, wet it quickly, then use a bucket of soapy water to wash the car. Turn on the hose to final rinse.