For me, green living has always been about taking care of and being aware of our natural surroundings and resources.
Water is one valuable resource that is often used with little thought to how precious it really is.
With that in mind, here are some ways you can reduce your water consumption.
Brushing your teeth - Are you one of those people who leaves the tap water running while you brush your teeth? Around 25 liters of water a day can be saved by simply turning off the tap before brushing.
This tip can also apply to cleaning vegetables in the kitchen.
Bath or Shower - Do you like to take long baths? You can save up to 50% of water by taking a quick 5 minute shower instead of a bath.
How about notching down the shower water pressure? A typical bath will consume about 100 liters of water, compared to a 5 minute low pressure shower using 25 litres.
Taking a quick shower also saves on your heating bill, due to the time saved heating the water.
The toilet - Can you save water by how you use the toilet? Put a small plastic water bottle in the cistern to reduce the amount of water you use.
Washing machines and dishwashers - Look out for 'conservation' or 'eco' labels when buying a new dish washer or washing machine, these will be more water efficient.
Wait until you have a full load before using your dishwasher or washing machine.
If you have a few dishes to wash then why not go manual, skip the dishwasher and do it by hand! Outside in the garden - If you like to keep your lawn short then keeping it no shorter than 2cm will help to save lost water due to evaporation.
Mulching is also a good way to retain moisture and help the condition of your soil.
While we are in the garden, it is worth noting that garden sprinklers can waste thousands of litres if they are not attended to correctly.
Fitting a timer to your sprinkler can reduce the time they are on and correct placement of your sprinkler is worth thinking about.
Heavy sprinkler users might want to consider investing in a proper irrigation system.
A cheaper alternative is a simple water barrel to collect rainwater.
These simple water saving tips may sound obvious if you think about it but it's easy to forget them through our daily lives.
Why not start now and try one of them today?