What's Your Water Footprint?

So just how much water do you waste? We don't have an endless supply, you know!

I read in Body & Soul that "according to the Food & Water Watch, the average American uses 1,190.5 gallons of water a day." A DAY. We all need to stop that. Drink your 8 glasses for health, then find some better ways to clean. For starters, get a front loading, Energy Star rated washing machine. I have a small, European model that uses almost no water and about 1/2 the electricity of a top loader. It also spins my clothes almost dry so that I can simply hang them on a line in my basement or on a folding rack in my living room. Line drying saves energy and prolongs the life of your clothes. Also, don't run a load unless it's full.

Another good idea -- collect rain water with a rain barrel. Use that water to water plants and to wash your car (I use just a drop of Dr. Bronner's soap in a bucket--it's biodegradable).

What else... go to H20 Conserve for more water-saving tips. Every drop counts.

Keep track of U.S. stream flows at http://water.usgs.gov/waterwatch/

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