 After you’ve taken the simple steps to reducing your household carbon footprint, like making the switch to compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs, turned your thermostat up or down (depending on the season), and implemented a household recycling program, you may be wondering what step to take next.
Recapturing your gray water is a great step to further your eco-friendliness. Gray water comes from sinks, showers, and laundry and can be used to flush your toilet again, water your garden, and more. Recent studies show that recapturing and reusing your gray water can reduce your water bill by more than sixty percent, and in effect, reduce your impact on the environment.
Gray water can also be captured from your roof, although it’s not necessarily considered ‘gray’ water. Gray water is untreated water, and, if you live in a home with a typical American roof that is composed of asphalt shingles, it’s considered to be gray water. If, on the other hand, you have a more eco-friendly roof or a water treatment system, the water collected from your roof can be considered safe to consume. Studies have shown that wastewater is composed of more than eighty percent gray water.
The majority of gray water ends up in rivers and ponds, leading to disastrous effects, especially considering that more than half of Americans throw the remainders of cleaning products down the drain.
By using gray water, you are making many eco-friendly decisions all at once. For starters, your plants and yard will thrive with your gray water. Municipal water is treated with chemicals to be safe for human consumption, removing essential minerals and nutrients that plants thrive on.
Gray water can also be used to heat your home. One of the greenest home heating systems is radiant heating. Basically, pipes filled with very hot water run underneath your floors, allowing the heat from the hot water to rise. It’s an energy-efficient and cost-effective method of heating your home.
Depending on your individual gray water discharge, you may even be able to use your gray water to shower. Many factors alter the results, and it’s best to research your local municipal water source to determine whether it’s safe to reuse such water. Also, if you use paraben-free, eco-friendly bath products, it’s more likely that the gray water from your shower is safe to reuse.
Do a little research and determine which gray water recycling options are best for you. In the end, a little can go a long way, both in terms of your monthly water bill and your impact on the environment.
|
