Whew … it’s really starting to get hot outside, but don’t let that turn you into a water gobbler. If you have a lawn, you’re looking at your biggest water gobbler. In fact, for most households, about half of your water use happens outdoors. Next to the air we breathe, water is precious. So, do your part and find ways to reuse and cut back on the amount of water you use outdoors. Here’s how you can do it and save money on your water bill too!
- Rise and shine! Only water your lawn in the early morning between 4:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. or in the evening after the sun goes down, so you give your yard the chance to soak in the water before it evaporates in the heat.
- If you wash your car at home, don’t let the hose run. Instead, wet the car, turn off the hose, clean the car with soapy water from a bucket, then do a final rinse. Recycle the soapy (not detergent) water by giving your flower beds or lawn a drink.
- While it’s way more fun to spray your sidewalks and driveway to remove debris, sweep instead. It’ll save you about 25 gallons of water!
- Try watering your plants and trees deeply, but less frequently to build up their tolerance to drought conditions. Plant native and drought-resistant plants that can withstand the heat and don’t need as much water to survive.
- Find out what kind of grass covers your lawn. Some species like Buffalograss and Bermudagrass have a high tolerance for drought, and can actually go dormant in the summer and come back alive in cooler weather. This means more sleeping in and less waking up at 4:00 a.m. to water!
If everyone in the U.S. could manage to use one less gallon of water per day, we could save 85 billion gallons of water per year. Discover more way to save at http://wateruseitwisely.com/100-ways-to-conserve/. Let us know how you conserve water by commenting below, or by e-mailing green@wnco.com. DING! You are now free to be green!
