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Save Water & Time: 4 Tips To Make Your Daily Routine More Sustainable
From nutrition to personal hygiene to household chores, water plays an integral part in our daily lives—so much so that sometimes we take it for granted. But this year's World Water Day inspired us to listen in to the sustainability conversation, which reminds us (with increasing urgency) that this resource has its limits. As wellness enthusiasts, we understand that the health of our planet is directly connected to the health of our bodies. Now, what if we made water conservation a part of our wellness routine?
Getting real about the water crisis.
World Water Day is an annual event that raises awareness about the global water crisis. Because water is the most important part of our wellness, it's smart to stay aware of where things stand (sustainably speaking). Research shows that 50 years from now, the water supply in the U.S. will likely be a third less than what we have today. And the demand for water will only continue to grow with our population.
We know an impending water crisis isn't exactly easy on the nerves, but there are a lot of reasons to stay optimistic. One is that major brands are mobilizing on water conservation, like Finish—whose dishwashing products and initiatives are helping us save water every day. Their #SkipThe Rinse campaign, for example, shows us how to conserve in unexpected ways. We can save gallons of H2O just by ditching the rinse before loading dishes in the dishwasher and relying on Finish Quantum Detergent instead.
And that's not all we can do. It turns out there are a lot of surprising ways we can save water, starting today. And with these tips, you'll optimize your own time and energy while you're at it. With sustainability, everyone wins.
Skip the extra rinse before you put dishes in the dishwasher.
Let's kick it off with good news: Cleaning the kitchen just got easier and more sustainable. Washing the dishes before loading them in the washer has long been the norm. But Finish Quantum Detergent tabs make that labor totally unnecessary, with ActivBlu grease-cutting and stain-busting technology. Seriously, this detergent packs the same power as an overnight soak, even on dishes plastered with dried food. Just by skipping the rinse (and the elbow grease), we can individually save up to 20 gallons of water per load. If we all skip the rinse together, we can save 150 billion gallons of water per year.
Reassess how often you really need to wash your clothes.
Part of adulthood seems to be reconciling that laundry is a bottomless chore—especially if you have a family. The average American family washes 300 loads of laundry per year—and every load of laundry uses 41 gallons of water. It might be time to break a habit: Just because we wore a piece of clothing once doesn't mean it's dirty. If it doesn't have stains or smell, don't put it in the hamper! Not only are you saving heaps of water, but you're also saving time. One less mountain of unfolded laundry staring at us before bed.
Use a compost bin instead of your garbage disposal for food scraps.
Composting is really an MVP when it comes to sustainability. We may not realize it, but we're actually wasting water when we run the disposal to get rid of food scraps. Using a compost bin for food waste has benefits on top of saving water, too. It keeps our house smelling fresher (no more stinky trash) and enriches the soil to support our other sustainable endeavors.
Time your showers to stay under eight minutes.
Hey, at least we're not recommending cold showers. Data shows that the average shower lasts 8.2 minutes — but we all know it's easy to get lost in the shower flow state for longer. But studies1 have also shown that people take shorter showers if they're aware of their water consumption. While we won't all be installing water meters in the near future, set a timer for eight minutes and make your shower a fun, water-saving challenge. Set a record for how fast you can suds up, then use those extra minutes somewhere else!
Water conservation: our new favorite wellness routine.
Finish's #SkipTheRinse campaign is an inspiring reminder that there are so many sustainable moments tucked throughout our day. With a little bit of awareness, we can turn those moments into an eco-friendly lifestyle. We can make a positive impact on the water crisis and simplify our lives while we're at it. Water conservation is officially our new favorite wellness routine—when we help the planet, we help ourselves!
