Living green means conservation of all kinds. In addition to things like recycling and better-planned resources for construction, it also includes taking steps to achieve greater energy efficiency and saving one more often overlooked, but critical resource: water.
Water conservation has become a national priority, and in some areas of the country it is now an urgent concern mandating reductions in usage.
Saving water starts with the obvious. First, fix leaks, from dripping faucets to running toilets. Second, monitor and reduce the amount of water you are actually using. This includes more efficient yard watering, sweeping driveways vs. hosing them down, shorter showers. or not running water while brushing teeth or doing dishes. You get the idea.
Next up is installing water saving products, such as low-flow showerheads and high-efficiency toilets, which reduce both water usage and your monthly water bill without any real extra effort on your part.
How important are toilets? According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, toilets account for 30 percent of the water used inside a home (assuming they don’t leak or keep running). If yours is more than 10 years old, it uses about 3.5 gallons of water per flush.
In an average household with three or four people and a couple of toilets, that’s a lot of water used per day. Newer high-efficiency toilets use only 1.6 gallons per flush. Big difference (about 2 gallons per flush) and they cost as little as $100.
Toilet-wise, things got even better when an Australian named Bruce Thompson invented the “dual flush” commode that uses a small 1 gallon flush for liquids and a larger 1.6 gallon flush for solids. While these super-johns are catching on fast, they are a bit pricey and can cost from $200 to $750. Still, they are gaining in popularity and sales are steadily increasing.
However, for those who are both water-conscious and cost-conscious, a new product introduced at this year’s National Hardware Show in Las Vegas meets both criteria and appears to be an extremely easy and affordable solution. And being the first of its kind, the new One2Flush conversion kit won both the NHS Retailer’s Choice Award and was honored as an Innovative Product of the Year.
For less than $30, a few tools and less than 30-minutes time, the new “One2flush” DIY toilet conversion kit (www.one2flush.com) lets you turn any old water-wasting toilet into a high-efficiency, low-flow, dual-flush model. In essence, it can reduce your toilet’s full flush to as little as 1.6 gallons and to about three quarts for a “No. 1” flush. Just push the handle to the left for a light flush or to the right for a full power flush — and you’re saving both water — about 12 percent or 10,000 gallons per year — and money.
Not only is the payback period attractive (often only a few months), but in drought-stricken regions, one can be part of the answer — not part of the problem.
For tips from James and Morris Carey, visit www.onthehouse.com or call the 24/7 listener hot line, 800-737-2474, ext. 59. You can also enter to win one of a pair grand prizes totaling more than $25,000 in value. The Careys are also on KRKO (1380-AM) from 6 to 10 a.m. every Saturday.
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