Kitchen Updates to Conserve Water

By TreeLiving Caring for the environment is an everyday task…and why not start at home? Indeed you can make your own abode a green home by saving some electricity and water. Mother earth has limited quantities of potable water and we simply cannot afford to waste it! This is something that we all have been told since childhood but how many actually make a conscious effort to save water? Well, it is never too late to begin and you do not need to start a water conservation project on a gigantic scale – simple efforts in your own kitchen can make a considerable difference and prevent water waste. Of course, you will also save on your water bills! A green home is one where you follow efficient practices for water conservation, electricity saving and waste disposal. Washing vegetables & fruits, cooking and washing utensils are the basic activities that account for the usage of water in the kitchen. Here are a few facts that most people are not aware of: ? The average household requires about 5 gallons of water each day for cooking meals – this includes water used for washing food, running water over frozen foods or on cooked grains and water added to food for cooking. ? An automatic dishwasher consumes 50% less water than what is used while cleaning dishes manually with running water. ? A leaky faucet or dripping tap can waste up to 100 gallons of water a day! Such facts will probably motivate you to save more water so here are a few simple things you can do to refurbish your kitchen and make it an effective part of your green home: Install a Faucet Aerator – Kitchen faucet aerators effortlessly save water. They are simple screw in attachments with wire screens that mix air into the water flow. Faucet aerators reduce the flow rate or water stream to eliminate sink splashing. They also bring down the natural gas and electricity costs involved with water heating in your green home. Purchase an Energy Efficient Dishwasher – A dishwasher requires water just hot enough (at least 140 degrees) to melt the soap and clean greasy dishes. By purchasing a dishwasher with a booster heater, you can set your home's water heater at 120 degrees, and still allow your machine to operate correctly. Using more efficient operating cycles helps you use less water besides saving energy. Choose branded dishwashers with Energy Star. Also, run your dishwasher only when it is full. Repair Leaky Faucets – Water is precious, why let it go down the drain unnecessarily? Any leaks due to cracks or fissures in pipes and dripping faucets must be repaired as soon as possible. Install an Instant Water Heater in Your Kitchen – With this energy efficient gadget, you will not have to keep water running until it heats up enough to use. Defrost Food Efficiently – Do not use running water to defrost food – a running faucet pours about two gallons of water per minute. You can effectively defrost food overnight in the refrigerator instead! Your home can really be the ideal green home when you learn to save valuable resources and saving water is not hard work! You just need to be a little more careful while using it in your kitchen and anywhere else around your home!