The average American wastes what could modestly be described as a lot of water. The worst part? Most of it is unnecessary waste, too.
In fact, a recent article in the Washington Post reported that Americans needlessly waste about 1 trillion gallons of water per year in leaks. (Yes, that's trillion — with a "t.") And while many of the sources of that water waste range from everything like leaky faucets to faulty irrigation systems, every little thing we can do to cut back counts.
For example, cutting your shower time down to five minutes can save as many as 1,500 gallons of water a year — and DoSomething will even help you make a playlist to remind you when your five minutes are up. Additionally, cutting the water while you're brushing your teeth can conserve up to eight gallons of water per session, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
GOOD magazine offers a few other easy changes to your daily routine to help curb your water waste and contribute to the overall conservation effort.
Switch to a low-pressure shower
By switching from a high-pressure shower to one with a low-flow, nearly 15 gallons of water can be saved per session. (And if you're having trouble cutting your shower routine time, you can always try this wacky shower invention.)
Go green whenever possible
In a piece from last year, the Huffington Post outlined the environmental impact of some of our favorite foods — and yes, that means burgers (sorry, meat lovers). Meats have some of the largest impacts to our environment, so that means that reaching for the leafy greens over a burger offers more than just the obvious health perks.
Be mindful of your beverages
Thinking about a glass of red wine with dinner? Maybe consider beer instead a couple of nights this week. At 11 gallons of conserved water per glass, switching it up could add up.
Water Over Soda
Not much for alcohol? Drinking a glass of water over soda isn't just better for you, it's better for the environment, too.
Check out all of GOOD's tips for minimizing your footprint in the video below, and please SHARE this post with your friends on Facebook to help them cut back their water waste, too!
