Aussies Living Simply Challenge - Part Three -Garbage and Water

This next challenge is in two parts. Garbage and Water. Here are the ideas from the website:

Garbage

* Take your own bags to the shops – this is an idea that has really taken off but it does take a bit of discipline. Don't I know it ! Refer to my earlier post.

* Buy secondhand. There usually isn't any packaging on secondhand goods.

* Buy from a market. You can take your own bags or boxes for produce.

* Buy in bulk or buy from a bulk store.

* Buy meat from a butcher.

* Make your own. If an item for daily use can be made in a factory, it can probably be made at home too and often more cheaply and better for you. I LOVE this one. I usually make my food from scratch but I am currently looking into other areas. The ALS website has many recipes. One thing I am really interested in is cosmetics/ soaps etc.

* Do without.

* Think before you buy.

Water

* Turn it on and then turn it down. - Reduce the pressure.

* The On/Off Shower. Turn off the shower after you are wet and spend as long as you like soaping, shaving, shampooing, etc. Then turn on the water and rinse off. Quite a few years ago when I was a teacher I used to have Japanese exchange teachers come and stay. I would always be puzzled by the amount of times they turned the shower on and off, but never mentioned this to them. Now I know.

* Reusing water is a big saving. Try to use water more than once. Put buckets in showers to catch water for your garden.

* Toilets are water monsters! Each time you flush at least 4 litres of fresh, clean drinking water gets flushed away to be treated again. I have heard of some households having a pipe running from the basin to the toilet so the next flush is ready when the last person is washing their hands. Not a bad idea !

* In the laundry, always use a full load in the machine. This could mean waiting a little longer to wash, doing a quick handwash. Ask yourself, does this NEED washing or can it simply be aired.

* Avoid hot water. Hot water use uses the most energy, so reduce hot water use anyway you can – do you really need the water to be hot or warm? Would cold water do? My mum gave me a good idea recently. She said fill the air pot ( remember these large thermos things) with boiling water and use it throughout the day. I thought this was an excellent idea because we have to collect more than half a litre sometimes waiting for the hot water to kick in.

Does anyone have any further ideas ?