Green Tip: The Water Bucket Trick
Our house has a single bathroom. The water heater that feeds all water for the house only 50 feet away, but getting hot water for a morning shower involves feeling through a good amount of cold water.
I felt guilty ‘wasting’ this water for years until I decided to take a page out the ‘grey water’ book.
Grey water is defined as domestic waste water such as water used in kitchen appliances, sinks, showers and laundries, except water from toilets.
I have a bucket I bring into the shower, which catches as much of the pre-shower cold water as possible. After the shower, I carry it outside and use the water for plants throughout our yard. Simple!
I’ve also applied this idea to rinsing vegetables and fruit, lentils and rice in the kitchen sink. I’m actually both saving water (in the yard), and not wasting water (by letting perfectly good water go down the drain).
Based on our daily shower water consumption, this translates to about 6-7 gallons of water saved every week! All in all, that just feels good.
