Drip irrigation is good for your lawn and plants and saves water, too.

Clean water is arguably more valuable than any other substance on Earth. Water is necessary for millions of reasons, not the least of which is sustaining life itself, and since the world’s supply of unpolluted water is finite and gradually running out, it is an essential responsibility of communities and individuals to reduce overall water usage. Thankfully, conserving water at home is a lot easier than most people might think, and with a little effort and some help from technology, you can do your part to ensure that future generations have the water they need to survive and thrive.

Julia Scofield Russell is Founder and Director of the Eco-Home™ Network and the Eco-Home™ environmental demonstration home for sustainable urban living in Los Angeles. A frequent radio and television guest, Russell has been giving lectures and workshops on the importance of living in balance with nature since 1985, and played a key role in organizing the award-winning First Los Angeles Ecological Cities Conference. Russell, who is the mother of two sons and grandmother of three, was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Whittier College in May 2001. Here she offers advice for cutting down your home water use:

• Drip irrigation. Drip irrigation is a very efficient way to water yards and plants with a minimum of wasted water. The system works by slowly releasing water to a plant’s root system, rather than soaking the soil surface.

• Toilets. Old-fashioned toilets use three to five gallons of water per flush, which certainly adds up when multiplied by hundreds of flushes per month per person. Installing a newer ultra low-flow toilet that uses just a gallon and a half per flush will conserve huge amounts of water over time.

• Showers. Likewise, you can also make a big difference by buying a showerhead that releases three gallons of water per minute rather than five. Cutting down your time in the shower also conserves water.

• Dishwashers. There are many simple acts that seem like no-brainers but can actually make a world of difference. One is simply holding off on running the dishwasher until it is completely full, thus reducing the number of water-consuming wash cycles per week.

• Gray water. Gray water is a term used for water that has been used once already, as in a tub, shower or washing machine. While such water is not fit to drink, it can still be used for many important tasks, like watering the lawn. If you are a homeowner, you can install a gray water system and do your part for conservation by using it twice instead of once.

• Rainwater. Another very simple idea is to place a rain barrel at the bottom of your home’s gutter downspout. Rainwater costs nothing, as it literally falls from the sky, and can be used for any number of tasks, from washing the car to watering household plants.

H2OUSE: Water Saver Home
www.h2ouse.org

EPCOR: Conserving Water
www.epcor.ca/Environment/Initiatives/Conserving+Water/default.htm

Waterwiser
www.waterwiser.org

Eco-Home Network
www.ecohome.org

Earth 911
www.earth911.org/master.asp