On our eco-tours in Myrtle Beach, we often talk about the importance of water conservation. Reducing our own unnecessary water use allows more water to remain in our lakes and oceans, giving it to the marine animals who live there. Water conservation can also help to conserve energy, limit water pollution, and reduce your carbon footprint. Thankfully, using less water doesn’t have to be a hassle. Here are a few easy shifts you can make in your daily life to conserve water.

1. ADJUST YOUR HYGIENE ROUTINE

Whether you’re washing your hands, brushing your teeth, or taking a shower, you’re using water. But you might be using more water than you realize. Standard showerheads, for example, use 2.5 gallons of water every minute. Considering the average person spends eight minutes in the shower, that’s 20 gallons of water down the drain (literally) every time you shower! Try changing to a low-flow showerhead or challenging yourself to take shorter showers.

When you’re standing in front of the sink, don’t let the water run continuously. Turn it off after you wet your toothbrush, for example. You should also turn the water off while you’re shaving.

2. ONLY RUN APPLIANCES WHEN FULL

For many of us, it’s a habit to run the dishwasher each night, even if it’s not completely full. But to make the most of your water, wait until your appliances are full before running them. This tip can apply to both your dishwasher and your washing machine. You can even go a step further with your washing machine and specify the load size, ensuring that only the amount of water that’s actually needed is used.

3. USE LESS WATER OUTSIDE

Especially when it gets warm outside, we want to get out and wash our cars or water our gardens. You can still keep your curb appeal without wasting water! Instead of hosing down your driveway, sweep the dirt away. You can go to a commercial car wash or wash your car with water from a bucket instead of letting the hose run continuously.

If you have a swimming pool, conserving water is particularly important (and can save you a pretty penny!). A water-saving pool filter can make a difference in your water levels, and using a pool cover can reduce evaporation and keep more water inside the pool. You may also consider reducing the level of your pool water overall to reduce the amount of water being splashed out.

Conserving water at home can be easy, and you can continue those good habits on your Myrtle Beach vacation! At Blue Wave Adventures, we always strive to educate our guests about the importance of water conservation, recycling, and other eco-friendly practices. On each of our dolphin tours, we want to do more than simply show you the incredible creatures who live nearby. We also want to educate guests on how we can help save these animals and their habitats, and we work daily to do the same. Contact us today to learn more about our dolphin tours and to book yours!