21 Ways to Save Water [Indoor]

1. Never put water down the drain when there may be another use for it such as watering a plant or garden, or cleaning.
2. Verify that your home is leak-free, because many homes have hidden water leaks. Read your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter does not read exactly the same, there is a leak.
3. Repair dripping faucets by replacing washers. If your faucet is dripping at the rate of one drop per second, you can expect to waste 2,700 gallons per year which will add to the cost of water and sewer utilities, or strain your septic system.
4. Check for toilet tank leaks by adding food coloring to the tank. If the toilet is leaking, color will appear within 30 minutes. Check the toilet for worn out, corroded or bent parts. Most replacement parts are inexpensive, readily available and easily installed. (Flush as soon as test is done, since food coloring may stain tank.)
5. Avoid flushing the toilet unnecessarily. Dispose of tissues, insects and other such waste in the trash rather than the toilet.
6. Take shorter showers. Replace you showerhead with an ultra-low-flow version. Some units are available that allow you to cut off the flow without adjusting the water temperature knobs.
7. Use the minimum amount of water needed for a bath by closing the drain first and filling the tub only 1/3 full. Stopper tub before turning water. The initial burst of cold water can be warmed by adding hot water later.
8. Don't let water run while shaving or washing your face. Brush your teeth first while waiting for water to get hot, then wash or shave after filling the basin.
9. Retrofit all wasteful household faucets by installing aerators with flow restrictors.
10. Operate automatic dishwashers and clothes washers only when they are fully loaded or properly set the water level for the size of load you are using.
11. When washing dishes by hand, fill one sink or basin with soapy water. Quickly rinse under a slow-moving stream from the faucet.
12. Store drinking water in the refrigerator rather than letting the tap run every time you want a cool glass of water.
13. Do not use running water to thaw meat or other frozen foods. Defrost food overnight in the refrigerator or by using the defrost setting on your microwave.
14. Kitchen sink disposals require lots of water to operate properly. Start a compost pile as an alternate method of disposing food waste instead of using a garbage disposal. Garbage disposals also can add 50% to the volume of solids in a septic tank which can lead to malfunctions and maintenance problems.
15. Consider installing an instant water heater on your kitchen sink so you don't have to let the water run while it heats up. This will reduce heating costs for your household.
16. Insulate your water pipes. You'll get hot water faster plus avoid wasting water while it heats up.
17. Never install a water-to-air heat pump or air-conditioning system. Air-to-air models are just as efficient and do not waste water.
18. Install water softening systems only when necessary. Save water and salt by running the minimum amount of regenerations necessary to maintain water softness. Turn softeners off while on vacation.
19. Check your pump. If you have a well at your home, listen to see if the pump kicks on and off while the water is not in use. If it does, you have a leak.
20. When adjusting water temperatures, instead of turning water flow up, try turning it down. If the water is too hot or cold, turn the offender down rather than increasing water flow to balance the temperatures.
21. If the toilet flush handle frequently sticks in the flush position, letting water run constantly, replace or adjust it.

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Think before you print

There are many easy ways for businesses and organizations to reduce their paper use and
costs. Reductions of 20 percent or more are possible in most offices.

• It is simply too easy to push the print-button. For example, much paper is wasted by printing out single line emails or printing out unnecessary copies of documents.
• Departments should carefully assess their needs before ordering bulk print copies of information materials, like annual reports or brochures. In many cases hundreds if not thousands of un-used copies end up in storage rooms clogging up storage space.

The golden rule of saving paper: Think twice if you really need to print – if it is necessary to print make sure you print on both sides (duplex). This is a really easy way to reduce paper consumption by half.

Easy ways to reduce wasteful paper use:

a) Post in-house reminders near the copy machine or at individual desktops.

• Use catchy slogans, for example: “Do you really need to print that?” or “Do you know how many sheets of paper you used last month?”. 
• WWF has created some eye-catching posters with such messages. Download at www.panda.org/savepaper

b) Track the personal printing footprint in your office

• Create systems that allow staff to measure how many print copies they are personally responsible for each month. 
• Most people are shocked to find out their individual cumulative number of copies. This knowledge will motivate people to reduce their personal paper footprint.

c) Reduce print runs

• Undergo an inventory to identify past printing jobs for which too many copies were ordered. This will help ensure that the quantity ordered matches demand for printing jobs in the future.
• Publicize the results of your inventory in-house, for example on your office notice board or in your company newsletter, and encourage people to be more mindful of the number of copies ordered.

Create a checklist for those departments which order informational materials. The checklist should include question such as:

• Please identify the target group for the brochure. Verify the number of required recipients and the number of back-up copies needed.
• Are you sure these target groups will need a hard copy of the report or is it enough to point them to a website?
• Do they need to be proactively sent the hard copy or is it sufficient to make it available
• upon request?
• Do you need in-house copies for all staff or can copies be held in communal areas/on notice boards?
• How many reserve copies do you require and why - for what events or purposes?
• Who will distribute or oversee the distribution of the reserve copies?
• Simply by addressing these questions, it is highly likely that the quantity of future print runs will be more realistic.

d) Review distribution lists frequently.

• Eliminate outdated or unnecessary recipients.
• See if destinations with many recipients can make do with fewer copies.

e) Conduct paper-less meetings

• When you hold a meeting, do you really need to have hard copies of preparatory materials available for each participant?
• Encourage people to use their computers for reviewing documents and note-making
• Make sure meeting participants have electronic access to all the materials beforehand – encourage those using computers not to print out copies. If you must supply additional materials at the meeting, consider burning CDs for all participants.
• Make copies “as needed” rather than in large batches at one time. Frequently, extra copies of important internal documents become outdated quickly and only end up being discarded. Making copies as needed can reduce this problem significantly.

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Save Paper Now

Around the world we use 1 million tonnes of paper every day. Too much of this paper usage is wasteful and unnecessary and puts huge pressures on the environment.

Take action now for the environment - Save Forests, Save Paper, Save Money

Paper usage in many parts of the word is on the rise. Expanding production and pulp wood harvesting threatens some of the last remaining natural forests and the people and wildlife that depend on them. The world´s paper hunger also significantly contributes to climate change.

Think before you print, duplex, reuse and recycle...

Easy actions can make a big difference for the environment. Use WWFs tips on paper efficiency to help save the earth, reduce your carbon footprint and save money at the same time.

Follow the golden rule: think before you print

Pushing the print button is too easy...and wasteful. So the next time you are about to press that button, ask yourself the golden rule of saving paper: Do I really need to print this?

Use both sides of the sheet of paper

This is a real easy way of reducing your paper consumption by 50%. Set your printer or copier’s defaults to double sided. Select one-sided printing only when really needed

Avoid printing out single line e-mails or unnecessary copies of documents

Again just follow the golden rule and ask yourself whether you really need to the print.

Use technology

Electronic mail, Internet, Intranets and document scanners can radically reduce paper use, while also saving you time and money.

Recycle the paper you have and ask for recycled paper products

Collect the paper you use and then reuse where possible (print again on the other side if you printed on one side only or use it for note paper). And when you do have to buy new paper make sure it is recycled.

Save paper in your workplace

Reductions of 20% or more are possible in most offices. So ask your office manager what they are doing to reduce paper. Remind them that saving paper isn’t just about protecting the environment; it can also save them a lot of money!

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