2015 marked four years that California has been in a drought. It’s a massive problem that affects us every day here in the golden state, so when Scotts® EveryDrop™ asked me to partner with them on a sponsored post about water conservation; I didn’t hesitate in accepting. When we moved from AZ to CA several years ago, water conservation wasn’t something I thought about on a daily basis. I’m a bit embarrassed sharing that with you, but it’s the truth. Even though I care about the planet & we reuse and recycle, as far as water was concerned, I didn’t give it much thought. That was then and this is now.
Not a day goes by without me thinking about water conservation. The drought has impacted every aspect of our lives and forced us to change the way we go about our daily routines. Each and every drop of water is precious and we don’t want to waste it. When you drive by the local lakes and reservoirs, you can see just how bad this drought truly is-water levels are dangerously low. Cities and towns across CA have been asked to cut back on their water usage. Our city has a mandated goal of 30% water use reduction that we are all trying hard to meet.
We’ve implemented quite a few new rules in an attempt to conserve as much water as possible. Turn off the water when brushing your teeth- take shorter showers-reuse cooking water to water outside plants-wash clothes once a week and only when we have a full load, and make sure the dishwasher is full before turning it on.
Since landscape watering uses the most water at home, it’s vital that changes are made in that area too. One change was made for us, by the city. We are only allowed to water the grass twice a week-on our specified days. Here are a few more ways we are saving water.
Water Saving Tips
1.) When we were landscaping our backyard, we took the drought into consideration. We knew planting a lot of grass back there really wasn’t the ‘right’ thing to do, so we went with succulents instead! Succulents are drought tolerant, require very little water and they’re beautiful! You can read more about my succulent garden here.
2.) Use mulch in your garden beds, it reduces evaporation & helps retain rainwater. (That is IF it ever rains!) I use mulch in my succulent garden & it works great.
3.) Water your plants early in the morning. This will also help reduce evaporation that can occur in the afternoons. Watering in the evening can cause fungus & other diseases-so best to avoid it if at all possible.
4.) Prevent runoff into gutters, that’s valuable water that could be watering your lawn or garden.
5.) Use Scotts® Everydrop ™ water maximizer for lawns and landscapes. It will help you use 25% less water & help keep your lawn well hydrated. This new product is available here in California, & can be found at Orchard Supply Hardware-OSH, Home Depot & Lowe’s. It sells for $9.99-$11.99 and comes in a 10 pound bag or 3 pound shaker jug. EveryDrop™ uses a unique blend of two wetting agents to get water to move freely and evenly through the soil. This means more water gets to the roots, where it’s most needed. One cup will cover 185 sf, making it pretty economical. You won’t need to water your lawn as much, and you’ll be saving water & money!
I hope you’ll rethink the way you use water in your home. You never realize how precious something is until you’re faced with losing it. When it comes to water: every drop counts!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Scotts® EveryDrop™.
Photo of feet credit: Reusable News
