How to save water with one simple tip
For this week’s ‘Change the World Wednesday‘ challenge it’s all about saving water.
You know, that precious resource that falls out of the sky and we curse because it messes up our hair?
The one that doesn’t fall over some countries for several years, let we allow it to run off the land to nowhere AND we complain when it rains for a few days on end.
The one where we use potable water to flush away our pee into a sewers where it then take hundreds of gallons of more water to purify it so we can drink it again?
Anyway, enough of my ranting! Reduce Footprints wants us to share our most creative water saving idea in honour of this most amazing and precious, sustaining resource.
My tip is one I’ve shared before but it really is a no brainer. And I feel secretly smug that I put this into practise at least twice a week!
It’s a great tip if you’re just dipping a toe into the wonderful world of green living, because let’s face it there is so much we could be doing and often we feel overwhelmed and paralysed by the enormity of it all.
Hopefully my tip is something you feel you can put into practise right away. Not only is it good for the environment, but it will save you money on your water bill AND benefit your health.
Here goes!
I tend to use the minimum amount of water for either steaming or boiling vegetables but no matter how I cook them I always save that water. When the water has cooled, it is stored in the ‘fridge until the following day. Then that same water is used to cook rice.
Simple right?
I’m sure you’ve all heard that the nutrients, particularly from green vegetables such as broccoli, leach into the water? Well now you get to retain them in order to boost your vitamin and mineral uptake AND you’re saving water.
Try it this week; use vegetable water for something else – making soup, making gravy or boiling rice in. Let me know how you get on!
Be sure to check out our 8 tips for saving water and with our thoughts going to the garden this time of year, find 5 ways to save water with hanging baskets.
It’s a great tip for saving water and it’s healthy too! I’ll try it, Thank you.
Good idea! I often use dried mushrooms (shiitake or porcini) and often save the soaking water for more flavorful stock and rice, but I hadn’t thought of doing the same thing with vegetable water.
Wow, I have never thought of doing this! What do you do with pasta water? I have heard some people save it for plants but we don’t have any indoor plants (my cat eats them).
I just love this tip .. and when you first posted it I thought “duh” why didn’t I think of that!! It’s brilliant and I love the idea that another dish is boosted by the nutrients which leached out of our veggies. My grandmother always saved the water she boiled potatoes in for baking bread. The starch in the water gave her bread a lovely texture.
Thanks, so much, Mrs. Green!!
What a wonderful suggestion! I think it makes perfect sense. The husband does the cooking but I’m going to mention to him and see if he can remember for next time.
@Jen – the greatest tip I’ve heard about pasta water is to pour it while still hot over the dishes because the starch helps de-grease
@Reut: No problem; hope you get to try it!
@Jennifer: Great idea about the mushrooms; thanks!
@Jen: Love the cat story; mine used to eat them too. Not sure about pasta water as we rarely eat it, but I guess I’d use it for cooking rice or making gravy / stock!
@Small Footprints: Thanks for the tip about potatoes; I’ve just started making bread so I’ll be sure to try it!
@Kris: Cool Kris; let me know what he thinks!
@Borislava: Thanks for the pasta water idea!