every last drip

Okay, so when your toddler stops himself from pouring the extra water down the drain and says, "I want to give it to the plant," you know you're making progress. Hey, I never said that I was saving the world, just a little water. But I'm hoping that's all it takes.

By tomorrow we will have a watering can by the sink (hey I've got a life just like you, so I have to make time for this stuff!), but for now, we're using big cups. It's not gallons of water a day, but maybe it will amount to a gallon a week - 52 a year. Then there are those times that I let the water run, waiting for it to get hot or cold. Honestly, I'm gonna need a big bucket/watering can for all the water that wastes. According to monolake.org, a household can save 200-300 gallons of water a MONTH just by saving that water, say, by making sure that you keep cold, filtered water in your refrigerator. That's amazing.

When I look this stuff up, I have to say, I'm floored by how much information is out there about saving water. Am I the only one who has been ignorant of these tips? Am I alone the reason that the water supply problem has become this huge problem? Well, geez, I'm sorry! I'm getting with the program, okay! Here's what the government (the epa) said about me (well, they said "homes" but I'm sure it was just their passive aggressive way of talking about me behind my back):

Water Supply and Use in the United States

Water covers approximately 70 percent of the Earth's surface, but less than 1 percent of that is available for human use. The world must share this small amount for agricultural, domestic, commercial, industrial, and environmental needs. Across the globe, water consumption has tripled in the last 50 years. Managing the supply and availability of water is one of the most critical natural resource issues facing the United States and the world.

Homes use more than half of publicly supplied water in the United States, which is significantly more than is used by either business or industry. A family of four can use approximately 400 gallons of water every day. Those amounts used can increase depending on location; for example, the arid West has some of the highest per capita residential water use because of landscape irrigation.

With water use in the United States increasing every year, many regions are starting to feel the pressure. In the last five years, nearly every region of the country has experienced water shortages. At least 36 states are anticipating local, regional, or statewide water shortages by 2013, even under non-drought conditions.

To help American homes and business make more efficient use of their water, EPA has developed WaterSense, a partnership program. By offering simple ways to reduce water use through water-efficient product choices—with no sacrifice to quality or product performance—WaterSense helps Americans save water and money.

http://epa.gov/WaterSense/pubs/supply.htm