Not My Monkey

Trying to save water? Try some of these…

Avoid buying water in plastic bottles

All areas of the UK have safe drinking water, in fact, it’s one of the best water supplies worldwide. Despite this, one in three people in the UK buy water in plastic bottles for home consumption. Not only does buying water in plastic bottles cost more and create high levels of pollution, but it actually increases the consumption of water due to the process of creating plastic.

Turn the tap off when brushing your teeth

The same number of people who buy single-use plastic bottles also don’t turn the tap off when brushing their teeth. A typical tap will dispense 8-12 litres of water within two minutes. Twice a day, this is enough water to hydrate an individual for 12 days.

Take shorter showers

Research shows that the most efficient shower time is five minutes; however, washing long hair in this time can be difficult! So, some tips to reduce the time the water is running is to turn the shower off when applying conditioner or even reducing the number fo times you wash your hair per week.

If it’s possible, i.e., you don’t live in student accommodation, you can replace your shower head with a low-flow alternative to be more efficient with your water.

Don’t overfill the kettle

Not only does an overfilled kettle waste unnecessary energy, but the water within is more likely to be thrown away. The simple solution here is to only put the amount of water you need in the kettle to boil.

Fill the washing machines

To make use of the full cycle, wait to do your washing until you can fill the drum. This makes efficient use of water and energy. Furthermore, if you can, air dry your clothes to reduce energy and likliness of them shrinking.

Use a washing-up bowl

I am guilty of this, but if you don’t already, fill the sink or washing-up bowl to wash dishes all together rather than continuously running the tap each time. This saves a significant amount of water and protects your sink from stains.

Fix leaks

The UK wastes 3 billion litres of water each day as a result of leaks; reporting or fixing leaks can reduce this significantly and save you money on your water bill.

Encourage others

Finally, share your changes and tips with those around you to help spread awareness about the ease of being sustainable!