Alabama Solar Association
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Green Tips - Conserving Water
Watering Yard
Collect rainwater from the gutter downspouts in barrels to water the garden.
Only 3% of the world's water is fresh water, but only 1% is available.
Water will be the most valuable commodity in the future.
Water Usage in your Home
Only 10% of our home water supply is used in the kitchen.
But a whopping 65% of it is used in the bathroom.
41% is used for flushing toilets and 33% is used for washing.
Xeriscaping
defined, landscape in a style which
requires little or no irrigation.
pronounced, "zeer-i-scape".
It includes planting native plants that are drought-tolerant, appropriate planning and design, soil improvement & mulch.
Water your Yard Smart
Water in the evening or early morning to minimize evaporation losses.
If you have an irrigation system, override it by turning it off, 2-3 days after a significant rain. If you water with a hose, an outdoor hose timer remembers to turn off the water, so you don't have to.
Certain molds, due to overwatering, can kill plants more so than not enough water.
Atlanta is drinking its water supply lakes dry.
Georgia is suing Tennessee and Alabama for the rights to bring Tennessee River water from Chattanooga to Atlanta.
Las Vegas has a higher cost per gallon for unprocessed water than Huntsville charges customers for finished/drinking water.
Plant Native or Heirloom Plants
They require less water and still convert carbon dioxide to oxygen. {Heirloom plants are old-time plants from different ecosystems, but they have been around here for generations, with little watering.}
Downsize your Lawn
Grass consumes water and provides
no habitat for local wildlife. Use
plants & trees.
Please avoid putting chemicals on your lawn which will wash into rivers and streams. Make sure to apply when there's no rain in the forecast for at least 3 days, especially heavy rain.
California is planning to build a desalination plant to create potable water from the ocean at a cost of 10 times the Huntsville Utility water rates.
In order to pump the water from a central facility into your home or office, energy is required to run that equipment.
Mulch you Plants
Mulching reduces watering needed.
It also prevents erosion, weeds & furnishes vital micro-nutrients for your garden.
Soak More
In the kitchen, don't keep the water running while thawing; soak in a partially filled sink.
While doing laundry, soak to use less detergent with better results.
Standard kitchen and bathroom faucets use between 4 and 7 gallons of water per minute, much of that water flows right down drain. Tap water use can be reduced up to 50% simply by using low-flow faucet aerators.
Stop Flushing Money Down the Toilet
A low-flush toilet uses 50% less water than a full-flush toilet. An alternative choice is to install a toilet retrofit device for an older toilet or a toilet tank dam which can cut your toilet water use by 30%.
Low-Flow Shower Heads
Standard shower heads distribute around 5 to 8 gallons of water per minute, consuming 40 gallons of water for a five-minute shower. You can save over 2/3 of the water during your shower.
