365 Sustainable Decisions Challenge

Some parts of The Netherlands are below sea level. That is why this country became very good at getting water out of the country as fast as possible. But with climate change, this strategy is becoming counterproductive! Due to droughts, it is becoming more and more important to keep water in the country. This is possible for example by allowing rivers to meander instead of making them flow in a straight line. Also, reservoirs can be built. We can even build reservoirs at home to capture rainwater! It's very simple: we can lead water flowing down the drainpipe into a container instead of letting it flow into the sewer. If you already capture rainwater, how do you use the water? And if not, how would you use it if you had one?

There are different types of shower heads. I have one that is water saving, which is an easy way for me to use less water during showering.

I noticed this water pump in someone’s garden and think it is a clever idea. It is another possibility if catching water in a rain barrel (#372) or using water from a stream (#286) is not possible.

Yesterday I wrote about having shorter showers to save water. I also capture the water that comes out of the tap while the water is heating up as it always takes quite a few seconds for the water to be warm enough. After showering, I use this water to rinse the bathtub, water the plants in my house or in my garden.  

2018 was an extremely dry period. In 2019, it looked for a while as if another dry period would set in, so I decided to be more careful with the water I use. Now, I shower a lot shorter than I did before. I haven’t measured the exact time I take, but I believe that I shower at least half as long.  

I came across a shed that had these barrels to capture rain. I think that is a clever idea for watering the plants when there is no stream close by (#283).

When doing dishes by hand instead of using the dishwasher, I use a container for the water: if I would use the sink, I would need a lot more water to get water level at an appropriate height.

Sometimes, I’m a bit lazy and bring the food waste to the compost bin (#156) a bit late. In that case, the bin has become dirty and I need to clean it. By now bringing the food out earlier, the bin remains cleaner, which saves water and soap for cleaning.

I have learned that doing the dishes by hand requires – with the right habits – less energy and water. That’s why I’ve done it by hand.

In my house is a smart thermostat installed. I can program it in such a way that it starts heating at a certain time, but what I find especially important is that it regulates the temperature. That way, it doesn’t accidentally get too hot using more energy and water than necessary.

When my boyfriend has taken a bath, we have decided to keep the water in the bath during the day. This way, we can use the water to flush the toilet.

Whenever making pizza, there is always a leftover. I make sure that I use the smallest possible container, because this saves space in the dishwasher when I have finished using the container. By saving space, it takes longer for the dishwasher to be full, so that is has to run less often.

Watering the plants yesterday with water from the stream made me realize that I can also clean the bucket in the stream.

Due to the Corona crisis, I wash my hands more often than normally. That’s why it is even more relevant that I make sure I close the tap while soaping my hands, as it saves water.

I noticed that I have glasses with different widths at the top (where I drink). As the larger glasses take up more space in the dish washer, this requires me to put the dish washer on more often. So I now prefer using the smaller glasses.

I have heard others talking about leaving the tap on whilst brushing their teeth. I can’t remember ever having done so, but I do remember brushing my teeth under the shower, which is similar. So I now consciously don’t do that anymore to save water.

I have been thinking how I can reduce the amount of water that is flushed by my toilet. I was thinking about putting stones in the reservoir. But then I found out that you can actually change the settings of the toilet. Much easier!

For breakfast, I usually eat bread. As I eat all breadcrumbs from my plate (#179), I have decided to reuse my plate several times. This saves plates in the dishwasher, so that it has to run less often.

Apart from reusing my cup to reduce dishes (#67), I decided to share my glass. Instead of having two glasses for washing up, I only had one.

When I visit a hotel, I try to use only one towel and leave the rest untouched. I hope the housekeeping leaves these towels to save washing.