How do the 3″R”s (reduce, reuse and recycle) apply to water conservation?
The three “R”s – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle – apply to any substance we can reduce, reuse or recyle. The focus with water, as with all other substances or energy forms, should be on reducing our use. For example, turning off taps when they do not need to be running, fixing leaking faucets, etc. Some appliances are built to reuse some water – for example, some washing machines have a ‘suds saver’ feature that also saves the wash cycle water for use in another wash cycle. Recycling water can be done by using water from laundry for gardens, watering plants with leftover tea, etc. The first step is to think about the water you are using (is it necessary?) and how you might use it again. You will be surprised what a difference you can make.
