TreeHugger: Water

During the month of June, TreeHugger is taking an extra avid interest in water issues. We're following everything about fresh water, from the ecology to the economy, from pollution to politics. The issues are countless, but the bottom line is we need to conserve. So we want to kick off the month by showing you the myriad ways you can conserve water on a daily basis. Check out all the ways from reasonable to radical that you can make every drop count.

Water Basics
Start with a primer. Planet Green's How to Go Green: Water guide will give you many of the facts and figures that will inspire you to take action, plus give you a ton of tips to get started.

Conserve Water Outside
The average American uses 100 gallons of water a day, and about 30 gallons of that goes to outdoor activities like watering the lawn. When it comes to saving water outdoors, there are quite a few easy ways to conserve. Cutting down water use in the garden is easy, using simple techniques like drip irrigation.

Conserve Water Inside
As for indoor use, the ways to conserve are too many to count. But we can certainly get you started with a few dozen ideas. Start by asking yourself these 7 important questions. Then, take a look at your water use. Bath time might be a necessity, but there are ways to cut down on water use and make what you do use go much farther.

There are also basics like learning how to check for leaks, and fixing the faucets and pipes that are drip, drip, dripping. Also, daily chores like laundry and dish washing are ripe with ways to conserve. If you're feeling the bug for fixing up your home, check out installing a greywater system, which is easier than you might think. Even the somewhat more interesting ideas like peeing in the garden rather than the toilet can help.

And there is looking at how much water we drink and eat. Even when we travel, we can conserve more water

Learning About Water Scarcity
When we look at all the ways we use water, we could save as much as 60 gallons a day with just a few simple steps. It pays to get educated about water issues, from catching the latest documentaries to testing our knowledge to getting familiar with what water scarcity looks like.

For a steady stream of water conservation ideas, check out the Planet Green water conservation page, and keep an eye on TreeHugger's water crisis page for news, updates, and inspiration.

More resources for water issues
How to Go Green: Water
Water Conservation
Peak Water: Exploring the Water Crisis

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