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Conserving Resources

© Mari Brodersen

Motivations for living simply vary from person to person. But I think it's safe to say that some of the more common motivations include: the desire or need to save money, living well within one's means, the desire to conserve natural resources, or any combination of the three. All these factors have become increasingly important to me this summer.

I live in the Phoenix area, where are summers are brutal. The summer heat creates an enormous energy demand for air conditioning. And where does our electric energy come from? Water. Water, always scarce in a desert, is in very short supply at this time, thanks to 10 years of drought. There is no end in sight to this drought. We have enough water in our reserves to last two years, and no water conservation or emergency plans in place. So it is up to each person to take conservation measures on his or her own.

Whether or not you live in a similar climate, perhaps you can adapt the following suggestions and tips to suit your environment. Perhaps you have some ideas of your own about how to conserve resources.

WATER CONSERVATION

Most of us waste water all the time, whether or not we are aware of it. However it is fairly easy to conserve water. Following are a few tips and suggestions for water conservation.
1) Don't wash your car; or at least wash it less frequently.
2) Toilets use a large amount of water. Install low flow toilets, and toss used facial tissues in the garbage rather than flushing them.
3) Take showers rather than baths, and install low flow shower heads.
4) Turn the water off while brushing your teeth and shaving.
5) Wash full loads of laundry.
6) Make sure the dishwasher is full when you run it through a cycle.
7) Landscape with native plants.
8) When waiting for tap water to heat up for a shower, collect the water in a bucket. You can use it later to water plants or for cleaning chores (like mopping the floor).
9) When you change aquarium water, let it drain into a bucket. Use the water for plants, as it is full of nutrients which plants need.

CONSERVE ELECTRICITY

According to Salt River Project (SRP), the largest energy producer where I live, the top five energy consumers in our homes are: cooling/heating, electric water heaters, swimming pool pumps, refrigerators, and electric clothes dryers. We can minimize their energy consumption by keeping them in good repair or, if the money is available, replacing ehm with more energy efficient models. In addition, we can take the following steps: