Currently Austin is undergoing one of the worst droughts in over 100 years!  We are under water restrictions at the moment that are designed to reduce the city’s water usage by 25%, but the Lower Colorado River Authority is considering implementing even stricter regulations.  Besides following the city’s guidelines, there are many ways that people can reduce their water use without much effort.  These may seem like common sense,  but it never hurts to hear them again.  Here are a few ideas:

1.  Only run the dishwasher when it is full.  Scraping food off dishes is okay, but it is not necessary to use extra water to rinse your dishes off before putting them in the washer.

2.  If you would rather wash your dishes by hand, then don’t leave the water on during this process.  Instead, fill one side of the sink up with wash water, and the other with rinse water.

3.  Use mulch around your plants.  This is especially needed in Texas where the high heat can leave our plants dry and thirsty!  Covering the area around them with some form of mulch will help lesson evaporation and lead to less frequent watering.

4.  Don’t wash clothes unless they need it.  It may simply be habit to throw clothes in the washer after one wearing.  Use your judgement to determine if you can wear those jeans a second time, or hang your towel up in the bathroom and use it again before washing.

5.  Put a bucket or a tub in the shower to catch water if you let it run while you wait for it to warm up.  You can then use this water for your plants or to wash your dishes.

6.  You can also install a water-efficient shower head in your bathroom to reduce the amount of water used while bathing.  This one is hard for me to accept, but the sacrifice is well worth it and it’s not too expensive.  You can usually find them for $20-$30.

7.  If you do not have a low flow toilet, consider putting something in the tank to take up space and reduce the amount of water used for each flush.  This could be something like a small milk jug or other container filled with water.

8.  Don’t let the water in your sink run while washing your face, shaving, or brushing your teeth.

9.  Use a broom instead of a hose to clear debris off your driveway or sidewalk.

10.  Use a bottle or keep one glass out for drinking water to reduce the number of dishes that need washing.

Happy Saving!

Oh yeah, totally!

How gross? Hey, it’s no more disgusting than using public restrooms and actually, urine is sterile! It may smell funny or look strange, and definitely NEVER invite anyone to shower with you until after you have peed, but going in the shower can save our water. It can also save you money on energy and money on your water bill. 

If it seems strange to you at first, just grab a bottle of bodywash or conditioner, open the lid, and pump the bottle a few times in front of your face to get a good whiff of flowers while you do your deed.

After a few times of this water conservation practice your body will become conditioned to relieve itself anytime you get in the shower. Like clockwork.

Do I sound like I have experience in this? That’s because I do.

Little known secret (maybe well known), I have used this technique for years now. Only now that I have been focused on water conservation has it become apparent to me that this is used and encouraged by many enviro groups.  

Think of the gallons you can save! Think of the trees you save by using less T.P.!

In Brazil, an environmental group urges people to use this technique. They suggest to “Pee in the shower! Save the Atlantic rainforest!”

I’m sure this is new to many people and can seem extreme, but if you have ever peed in the woods then you will see that this is the same thing! Only difference is; you can rinse.

Remember: yellow is the new green!

So, if it’s yellow keep it mellow. But, if it’s brown, flush it down!

See? Saving water can be fun and adventurous!

Oh, and if you need more encouragement, check out this video:

GIves a new meaning to the term ‘golden showers’.

So after my post about the WaterSmart carwash product and washing days located here in Austin Texas, we got an invitation to see what its all about.

So, tomorrow around the afternoon time, we will meet up with a wonderful lady named Sarah who will educate us further about the WaterSmart product then give us an example of how it works. We will finally get our grungy cars sparkling! I do look forward to understanding further how the product keeps the dirt from scratching the paint as you clean it.

But you know us, and a rushmonkey couldn’t go out there without getting our hands dirty (or clean, in this case) so we are going to get involved and wash cars ourselves. Probably each others!

The weather is great here in A-town. A little overcast, but when considering how hot it’s been all summer, cooler temperatures are welcome. And since my post about the drought, we have gotten some heavy rainfall! Oooh, I do have powers!

So after tomorrows excursion, we will put up the videos of us washing and being washed. 8-o

So stay tuned. thanks guys!