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  by turning off the tap. Think of how much water goes directly from your tap and then straight down the drain. It doesn’t clean or cook anything and nobody drinks it. All that water goes straight into the treatment system to be processed, and then dumped into a nearby body of water. Challenge yourself to stop as much unused water going down the drain as possible, and if you have kids, teach them at an early age about our precious water resources.
 by making wise decisions at the grocery store. The best place to start here of course is with the food you buy. The water footprint for food can be astounding. About 60 gallons for a couple servings of potatoes, 72 gallons for a bottle of beer, and over 5,000 gallons for two pounds of beef. It really adds up when you think about virtual water. The packaging you choose also makes a difference. See if you can bring and use reusable containers to the store, or just always buy in bulk instead of individually wrapped items. Finally, every trip should end with using cloth bags instead of a paper or plastic one, but you already do that, right?
 by buying appliances that use less water. With new technologies, big ticket items are becoming almost 1/3 more efficient then their older counterparts. Faucets, toilets, dish washers, and washing machines can all be replaced these days with low flow features. If you are in the market for a new appliance, make sure you ask your retailer and get equipment approved by a credible certification outfit, such as Energy Star. These appliances work just as well as the older, less efficient ones, their price tags are comparable, and you will save on your water bills in the long run. At the very least you can put a bottle of water in the back of your toilet.
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