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Most people don’t realize the impact they have on the environment. Almost everyone knows about depleting the ozone layer, the melting ice caps and the abundance of trash in the ocean, but it’s hard to understand one person’s impact. A lot of people think, “It’s just one plastic water bottle,” or “I put my recycling out regularly,” but to help you recognize your impact on the environment, here’s Warner Service’s startling water stats that’ll blow you mind (and make you want to help):

Stat One: The toilet uses 26.7 percent of your home’s water, equating to approximately 7 gallons per flush. Since, the average person flushes the toilet about eight times a day, that’s 56 gallons of water wasted.

How You Can Help:

  1. Get a low-flow toilet. They use about 1.6 gallons compared to regular toilets, which use 5 to 7 gallons.
  2. Put a plastic water bottle in the toilet’s tank to reduce the amount of water used per flush.
  3. Check for leaks. These pesky problems can really add up on your water bill.
  4. Put feminine products, tissues, paper towels and similar trash in the trash can instead of down the toilet. It can save you a few flushes.

Stat Two: The average load of clothes in a washing machine uses about 45 gallons of water, and 90 percent of the energy is used just to heat the water.

How You Can Help:

  1. Do loads of laundry at night, and dry them in the morning. It uses less electricity.
  2. Wash your clothes in cold water. (It’s better to preserve the color and shape of most fabrics, anyway.) Save the hot water cycles for items that need to be sanitized, such as towels, bedding, undergarments and gym clothes.
  3. Make sure that every load is completely full to get maximum use out of each cycle.
  4. Purchase a top loading or an Energy Star-rated front-loading washing machine and dryer. They’re more energy efficient.
  5. Dry your clothes on a rack or outside to use natural resources.

Stat Three: 30 million plastic water bottles end up in the ocean or across landfills. Only five percent of those plastic bottles are recycled.

How You Can Help:

  1. Purchase a reusable water bottle, and refill it with tap water. Gina Solomon, a senior scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council told The New York Times that “there is no reason to believe that bottled water is safer than tap water,” so start filling up!
  2. If you’re convinced that bottled water is safer than tap water, purchase a filter for your refrigerator or kitchen sink, so you can fill up on the good stuff and be eco-friendly.
  3. Take your plastic directly to a recycling center. Many curbside pick-up companies tend to throw away recyclables after a quota’s met. By taking it directly to the facility, you have a better chance of getting your plastic recycled.

Stat Four: 1 billion people do not have access to clean drinking water. To solve this problem, we’d need to spend about $20 billion – that’s how much Americans annually spend on ice cream.

How You Can Help:

  1. Donate to charity: water or The Water Project. 100 percent of donations are used to fund clean water projects for people in need.
  2. Use less water. The average American uses 70 gallons of water per day when studies show that only 13 gallons per day are needed for a quality standard of living.
  3. Replace your aging pipes. Pipe bursts are responsible for gallons upon gallons of water loss, so if you suspect that your pipes are leaking, damaged or in need of replacement, contact a professional as soon as possible.

Some companies and universities have banned bottled water on their properties, but you can do your part in helping the environment by using a sustainable bottle. You can also follow our laundry tips and toilet tricks above to help save the earth.

If you want more information, have any questions or would like to make an appointment, contact Warner Service today.