How to Recycle Water & Air

Ways to Recycle and Conserve Water

• 1

  Collect rain water in buckets. Probably one of the most old-fashioned ways to attain water, it is also dependent on the weather. When it rains, place the buckets, which should be sterile, outside in order to catch what comes naturally from the sky.

• 2

  Reuse plant water. Place a plastic bowl or bucket---depending on the size of the flower pot---underneath it and reuse any water that drains.

• 3

  Do more laundry by hand. For smaller items such as underwear, t-shirts and summer dresses, skip the washer and dryer and wash them manually in a large basin with regular laundry detergent. Dry them by letting them hang and air dry over night either on hangers in the bathtub on the shower curtain rod or on a laundry line or foldable laundry hanger.

• 4

  Take more baths instead of showering. The average shower uses around seven gallons of water every five minutes.

Ways to Recycle and Conserve Air

• 5

  Place used plants or small trees to shade an air conditioning unit without blocking the airflow. Running it in the shade can use up to 10 percent less electricity than when it operates in the sun.

• 6

  Don't place lamps or television sets near the thermostat for your air-conditioning; it senses heat from these appliances, which can cause the air conditioner to run longer than necessary.

• 7

  Don't use an air conditioner. Use alternative cooling units that don't use as much energy, such as window or ceiling fans. Window fans can be self-installed by lifting the window, allowing for enough space for the fan to sit in. This allows outside air to flow in. Ceiling fans usually require professional assistance to install.

• 8

  Open all the windows in your home or in a specific room in order to create a cross-breeze, which occurs naturally when the wind blows into the room from different directions.