Pavit Thakkar

Check all the sinks, bathtubs, and outdoor taps at home or where you live. If you hear dripping or see water where it shouldn’t be — you found a leak! Tell someone and get it fixed. Even one tiny drip can waste gallons of water every day. Let’s stop the drips and save the planet!

Water your plants in the early morning or evening when the sun isn’t super hot. That way, the water doesn’t evaporate quickly, and the plants get more of what they need! It’s an easy way to save water and keep your garden happy. Try it for a week and see how your plants like it!

Each of us has a water footprint, directly linked to our daily activities as well as the water required in the production of things we use each day. Understanding our water use is important for a healthy planet. I will calculate my water footprint and look for a few ways I can reduce consumption or waste, then share what I learned on the feed.

Dishwashers can save water — if used wisely. I will only run the dishwasher when it’s full and skip the pre-rinse to reduce water and energy use. If I don't have a dishwasher, I will turn off the tap as often as possible while washing dishes.

Wasting food also wastes water, energy, and resources. I will keep a daily log of food I throw away during the Ecochallenge, either because it went bad before I ate it, I put too much on my plate, or it was scraps from food preparation, and commit to reducing my food waste throughout the challenge.

Conserving water helps protect this precious resource. I will shorten my showers to 5 minutes to save water and reduce energy use - each time saving up to 20 gallons (75 L) of water!

Instead of letting the water run, only use it when you need to rinse. It might seem small, but you can save up to 4 gallons of water every time!