At Home Energy: Hydro

Much like the sun, water also offers many opportunities that can save money and the environment. If you are similar to the vast majority of the population you don’t have a river or waterfall in your backyard to utilize a hydroelectric power generator (which can be extremely costly even if you do). These easy water hacks will hopefully give you a refreshing outlook on the power of water and what natural resources can do for you.

  • Rainwater has plenty of natural nutrients and is relatively very pure, a quick and easy way to cut down on your water bills is to use rainwater to hydrate your plants. In the solar portion of the series, we discussed the importance of growing your own food, now you can harvest healthier water for that food without worrying about a water bill. According to Good Earth Plant Company, rainwater will even clear out the pores on plant leaves, improving their ability to breathe in carbon dioxide.
  • Rainwater can even be used to water pets and livestock. Mass amounts of water go towards the upkeep and care of farm animals and wildlife, a dent can be made in this exceedingly large bill by collecting rainwater in cisterns!
  • Aside from collecting rainwater, there are several things that can be done in the home to conserve water and minimize your water bill. One of the biggest things you can do is make your showers shorter. According to Friends of the Earth, we use 4.5 gallons of water for every minute we shower, so consider setting a timer on your phone the next time you shower!
  • Save up your laundry! Hold off on doing loads of laundry and dishes until you have a full load. Running one large load of dishes or laundry conserves more water than running several smaller ones. Plus you get the benefit of not doing as much housework every week. Plus washing your clothes and dishes together is fun – just kidding, wanted to make sure you were still reading.

 

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