The holidays were crazy at our house. I had two weeks of out-of-town company and at one point we had seven extra folks sleeping here! It was great to see everyone, but I sure am glad to turn the calendar page and start the new year. If you're like me, you've been thinking about resolutions for 2008. If you are really like me, your #1 resolution will be to get out and exercise more to counteract December's food excesses!
I guess I don't have to tell you that my real resolution is too try much harder to up my awareness of how I can live a greener lifestyle. On my walk today, I was appreciating our lovely lakes which add so much to our community even in the dead of winter. Water conservation and stewardship really should be foremost in our minds. I was talking to Mara about ways to save water. She found out that showering accounts for nearly 25% of the total water used in most households. Using a standard shower head, about 1-2 gallons of water literally go down the drain each minute. If you reduce your shower time from 10 minutes to 5, you can save more than 4200 gallons of water a year. You'd also reduce your utility bills because you won't have to heat as much water. I know that a hot shower is a great way to warm up on these frosty mornings, but a shorter shower would allow you to stay under those cozy blankets longer! Installing low-flow shower heads and toilets is another way to save. To make sure you're getting the best product, look for plumbing fixtures with the EPA's water sense label.
Sinks and dishwashers account for another 15% of water use in the average household. Don't let the water run while brushing your teeth. Soak your dishes or cookware instead of washing under running water. I replaced my ancient dishwasher this fall with one that rated high on the Energy Star listing. It only uses 6 gallons of water per use and doesn't have a heated dry cycle. It's much more space efficient too so there's extra room for the pots and pans that I used to wash by hand. The best part is that I hardly have to pre-rinse my dishes at all; just gooey stuff like melted cheese.
Later this year I plan to research outdoor water use and pollution but this is all I can wrap my head around right now!
