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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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In order to pump the water from a central facility into your home or office, energy is required to run that equipment.
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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.
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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.
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