Save 60 Gallons of Water Today!

By Josh Peterson

My favorite environmental subject is water conservation. Why? Spite. I used to have this roommate who would take hour-long showers, and anything I can do to make her look bad is pleasing to me. My motives may not be pure, but at least I’m fighting for a good cause. Right?

OK, kidding aside. Living in this dry Californian city fascinates me. There is no weather or rain here. Growing up in Iowa, all people ever did was talk about the weather and the rain. I miss talking about weather, so I’m talking about the Californian equivalent, water conservation.

You can save 60 gallons of water today without spending any money (I’m going to assume you own some of the things that I mention, like a 1000 sq ft garden and the tools to fix leaks.) It’s easy and I’ll show you how. These figures are based on averages. Everyone's savings will be a bit different, but think of this as a guide to what is possible.

Take a 5-Minute Shower Instead of a 10-Minute ShowerSavings: 12.5 gallons

Put a bottle filled with gravel in your toilet tank.Savings: 7.5 gallons

Turn off the Water While Brushing Teeth and ShavingSavings: 8 gallons

Filling Your Dishwasher to Max CapacitySavings: 2 gallons

Mulching Your Garden: Savings: 25 gallons

Fix that Leaky FaucetSavings: 5 gallons

Total Water Savings: 60 gallons