Top Ten Ways to Conserve and Protect Water Resources

You can help protect and preserve water sources by taking the following action at home and in synagogues, schools, and other institutions.

1. Avoid using fertilizers and pesticides and advocate for minimal use on public and commercial lawns and parks - including synagogues, community centers, and schools.
2. Buy organically grown food to keep pesticides out of your body, to reduce pollution of bodies of water, and to support sustainable agriculture.
3. Water lawns only when needed. If grass springs back up after you step on it, it does not need water.
4. Plant native drought resistant trees and plants. Landscape with plants that require less water.
5. Install low-flow showerheads, toilets, and dishwashers to save water, energy, and money. The average American uses 125 to 150 gallons per day for cooking, washing, flushing, and watering -- over 40 percent more water than necessary.
6. Reduce, reuse, recycle, and buy recycled materials. The production of recycled paper requires only half the water resources that virgin paper requires.
7. Detoxify your home. Avoid use of pesticides and toxic cleaning supplies. See a list of alternatives under "Environmentally Caring Practices for the Home."
8. Protect your drinking water. Support efforts to protect watersheds and express a willingness to pay higher water rates, if necessary, to finance improvements in water quality.
9. Use sand instead of salt to de-ice streets and walkways. Encourage your neighbors, local government and community businesses to do the same.
10. Reduce your consumption of meat. It requires many times as much water to produce a kilo of beef as a kilo of wheat.