Have you ever timed how long you shower for?

Well, there is a horrible truth to our (often long) showers, and that is that they can use on average up to 4-8 litres of water per minute! Now this definitely has a whopping impact on our environmental (and economic) footprint! Even running water in the kitchen to wash and boil vegetables shows an opportunity to repurpose and reduce waer wastage. This is particularly true for parts of the world that have access to clean, drinkable tap water that we should not take for granted. There is a part of your home yearning for water that will always appreciate it – your plants and vegetables! Pouring leftover water from the salad spinner or steamer (once cooled), or popping a bucket in the shower to collect the water as the faucet heats up are perfect water saving shifts you can make to save this precious resource.

A simple way to reduce your footprint and help your plants flourish!

Action steps:

1. In the bathroom, leave a ~9L bucket in the bathroom permanently, and, when you initially turn the shower on, place the bucket under so it catches the water

2. Feel until the water is at the desired temperature and remove the bucket. You can do this until the bucket is full, then empty into a watering can or directly on your plants

3. In the kitchen, collect any excess water eg. from the salad spinner, pour into a watering can or directly on your garden or plants. For steamed veg, let the water cool to room temperature before pouring on your plants (it is recommended to not let the vegetable water sit for too long as it can go smelly!)

Note: Plants love the water from steamed vegetables – they absorb some of the nutrients from the veg which acts like a natural fertiliser! Just let it cool and pour it on your plants the next morning.