We all want to make our electricity and water bills go down. It’s great for the bank account after all.

Well, it turns out that the planet will thank us as well! We, as humans, consume huge amounts of water and electricity on a daily basis. The official reports say that every American or Australian uses at least 100 litres of water per day, and 5,489.96 kg of oil equivalent in energy.

Of course, our consumption is only going to increase in the future. That’s why it’s always nice when households decide to lower the amount of water and electricity consumption. And, when deciding to limit the amounts of water and energy you consume, there are mostly benefits for you!

How to Minimise Your Water Use

We, as people, use so much water on a daily basis but we never bat an eye. Just think of the last time you thought of the amount of water needed to flush the toilet (it’s around 7 litres per flush). And we flush 10 times a day!

So, how can you keep the amount of water used at home at the lowest possible level, and not feel uncomfortable? Here are our best pieces of advice on minimising water consumption in such a way that you and your family won’t even notice it in your day to day use.

Make Sure There Aren’t Any Leakages

Sometimes we are annoyed by the sound leakages make, other times we never even notice they happen.

Whatever the case, leakages cost us money and harm the planet. To minimise the amount of water we use, we should regularly inspect our home for any leaking spots. The faucets should be thoroughly inspected, the toilet tank should be monitored because it often leaks water silently.

Every few months inspect household appliances that use water to operate, to make sure they are in check.

Shorten Showers

Yes… this isn’t our favourite tip either. Everyone loves a long steamy shower after a hard day, but they aren’t very eco-friendly.

Keep showers less than 6 minutes long. It’s proven that staying more than 10 minutes in the shower per day can cause harm to the skin.

A 10-minute shower can use up to 190 litres of water, while it takes around 210 litres to fill a bathtub.

Stop Half-Loading the Washing Machine

Set one day a week as a laundry day and only wash your clothes then. This saves you time, money and water consumption by washing as many clothes as possible at once.

In the long run, this protects your washing machine, as long as you don’t overload it. The less washing cycles your washing machine does, the longer it will work without a problem.

Invest in a Dishwasher

While dishwashers are expensive, they can help with cutting down water consumption and they provide you with a great advantage while you clean around the house and need something washed. Washing dishes by hand uses a lot of water and considering that you wash at least twice per day, the litres of water pile up easily.

How to Use Less Electricity

We’re wasting electricity every single day. It hurts the planet and our pocket equally, and most of it is because of bad habits.

With slight changes to our routines, you can cut a lot from your electricity consumption. Here’s how you can save electricity.

Change the Bulbs at Home

We’ve all heard it, yet it’s still neglected at some homes. Invest in LED bulbs at home and get rid of the conventional ones to reduce your electricity consumption.

We also suggest you embrace the natural light of your home and open the curtains during the day. This way you will brighten your home and save electricity at the same time.

Skip the Dryer

They may bring our clothes to a dry state in just two hours, but most of the time it’s unnecessary, especially during the summer months.

Instead, hang your clothes to dry on their own. In summer, hanging them outdoors will dry them fast, and the sun is a natural germ killer. During the colder months, you can either use the dryer or put them close to an open window, to ensure proper ventilation.

Don’t Make Your Home Too Warm in The Winter

While in some areas winters aren’t famous for the chilling cold temperatures, you can save a lot of electricity if you keep your home colder during the winter months.

Instead, invest in some cosy clothes and blankets that you can feel comfortable and warm in.

Consider Renewable Energy

Wind and solar energy seem like they’ve been around for a long time, but that’s not true. Most companies that offer renewable energy are small and you might have to search for them.

The initial costs of making your homework on renewable energy may be expensive, but it’s a change for the better that could last a lifetime, so it’s worth every cent. And nowadays you have way more choices than just solar panels – you have solar roofs, energy-generating window films, and a lot more.

How to Limit the Garbage You Produce

Often ignored and overlooked as a problem, the amount of garbage and clutter we produce every day is huge. If there is a possibility to declutter and limit or reduce the piles of trash, then you should definitely do so. Here’s how you can minimize your trash:

Recycle

Duh… Recycling is a great way to limit your carbon footprint in the world. While it takes time and dedication at first, once you gain momentum it gets easier.

Many of the things we use in our everyday lives can be recycled, and in fact, should be. Get yourself recycling bins, stop using so much plastic bags and find out where you can throw your trash responsibly.

Don’t Use Disposable Cutlery and Plates

Plastic cutlery and plastic plates are nothing more than a way for you to waste your money, and trash to pile up.

Why would you pay for something just to throw it out in a couple of hours?

Get yourself some nice reusable plates and cutlery and start saving money, and the planet.

Start Relying on Reusable Containers

If you’re serious about saving the planet, then we suggest you invest in reusable containers.

Glass is a great substitute for plastic, it lasts longer, and honestly, it looks better.

Invest in quality items that will serve years down the road.

Get Handy

There are a ton of things that can be easily repaired, but because we can’t DIY it we throw them away.

Start trying to fix broken things rather than throwing them away. Most of the time it’s an easy fix.

This saves money and keeps the trash to the minimum. It’s also a great way to learn new things.

Reuse

Many household items can easily be reused for something else than their original purpose.

Use old clothes as rags so you can limit the number of paper towels you use to clean your home.

Consider using glass jars from products as storing containers, etc. The possibilities are endless and as long as you have imagination you can come up with anything.