Did you know that on average, each member of your family use an astonishing 170 gallons of water every day? To put it into perspective, that’s the equivalent of about three full bathtubs! The good news is that there are plenty of opportunities for water conservation without the perceived inconveniences. Every gallon saved means more green - in your pocket and out our world.

Here are just a few simple ways to incorporate water conservation into your daily routine without feeling all dried up!

Install a low-flow showerhead. The new aerating showerheads can reduce the flow from 2.5 gallons per minute to as low as 1 gallon per minute, while maintaining water pressure because they mix in air. Then, shave just two minutes off your average shower time and you will save about five gallons every time you clean up. Check with your builder, new homes often come standard with this energy saving feature!

Here’s one that will make kids and dad’s cheer - don't rinse your plates! Use the dishwasher rather than washing by hand. Although some people, aka Mom’s, are very efficient at washing by hand, most of us aren't, and that means up to 27 gallons of water per load. And, since pre-rinsing in the sink can waste as much as 20 gallons per load, opt to scrape excess food off instead. A new Energy Star-rated dishwasher can consume as little as 3 gallons per load and most of them now remove food residues.

Use a drive through carwash. Washing your car by hand not only can use from 80 to 140 gallons of water in one go, but will also result in contaminated water containing brake fluid, oil and other automotive fluids entering waterways through storm drains. Carwash services are required to channel water to treatment plants and use approximately 50 gallons per wash, according to a local Bubbles Car Wash owner.

And, finally, water your garden with a hose that has an automatic shutoff nozzle. A standard garden hoses sprays water at about 8 gallons per minute, which can add up to 80 gallons in just 10 minutes. But, if you add a nozzle with an automatic shut off, you can cut that down to 3.2 gpm.

Not only will you barely notice the changes in daily life, you can rest assured you are “saving some green” and doing your part towards global conservation efforts!