due to the recent devastating floods in nashville and middle tennessee, we are under a water conservation order. the mayor has asked us to cut our water use by half. most people do not know exactly how much water they use each day so i'm going to suggest this instead: cut your water consumption to as close to zero as you can get. much of the world gets by on less water per day than many americans use to flush the toilet. we can do it too.
i'm sharing this information here on the blog, based on my own practices, in case it is of help to someone down the road.
bear in mind that these suggestions assume there are no special needs in your home. please feel free to ignore any item on this list that conflicts with a true need, such as medical care or safety/sanitation issues related to disaster clean up and recovery.
1--this situation calls for paper and plastic goods: plates, cutlery, cups, napkins, diapers, wipes, feminine hygiene products. aim to wash no more than one load of dishes every other day. if you use a dishwasher you will conserve more water than if you do your dishes by hand.
2--flush only to get rid of solid waste. for liquid waste, toss any paper used into a trash can but refrain from flushing. this is no time to be squeamish--just put the lid down so you don't have to look at it.
3--you can wash your whole body with only one gallon of water: fill the sink or pour water in a bowl and use a washrag to wipe yourself clean. you probably don't even need to use soap, and that will save the need for rinsing. you CAN wash your hair in only one gallon of water too. mary martin did it while singing "i'm gonna wash that man right out of my hair", in the musical south pacific--she washed her hair ON STAGE eight shows a week, both lather and rinse, in a combat helmet-full of water.
4--these meals require almost no water to prepare (except whatever you use to wash fresh vegetables and fruit), all can be prepared on the counter or in the oven and require almost no water to clean up if you use aluminum foil to line your pans: cold sandwiches, pizza, burritos,nachos, baked potatoes, roasted vegetables. you can make lasagna without boiling the pasta first--i do it all the time--just layer your ingredients and the sauce will do the job for you. try to avoid things like spaghetti, boiled eggs, soups, steamed foods, etc.
5--you can freshen your clothes by simply hanging them outside in the fresh air. sunshine makes things smell so nice that you might become addicted to this. you can wash underthings in a sinkful of water, you don't need any special soap, you can use even shampoo if you wish. if you wear a t-shirt under your shirt or dress your outerwear will stay very clean for longer than you might imagine.
6--if you have stored water for emergencies, you have a decision to make: use it now so as not to burden the public supply or save it in case the supply runs out. i can't make this decision for you, but i can tell you that my family is saving our stored water for later.
7--team up with your neighbors. you can combine a load of laundry or a load of dishes. just do the basics, the necessities--you can socialize over folding clothes. whoever has the most energy-efficient equipment gets to host.
and most of all: keep your sense of humor, keep your sense of compassion--for each other and for yourself. we're all in this together. try not to judge those who are not going as far as you think they should. none of us really knows the other's circumstances and they might have needs that you are not aware of. i believe everybody is doing their best, whatever that may be.
*if you or someone you know likes vintage patterns, please see my post about the floods on my other blog, rostitchery: i am donating 100% of the proceeds from the auction of my ENTIRE collection of vintage sewing patterns to the community foundation of middle tennessee's flood relief fund. and please spread the word!
