Be Wise About Water

Sierra Club organizer Melissa Damaschke of Royal Oak, Michigan, got some great water-saving tips published yesterday in her local newspaper, The Oakland Press. They're not available online (what's up with that, Oakland Press?), which is too bad, because you don't have to live in Michigan to benefit from suggestions like these:

• "Instead of letting the water run in the sink when you want a cool drink, keep a jug or pitcher cooling in the refrigerator."
• "Test your toilet for silent leaks, which can waste up to 150 gallons of water a day. Put a dozen drops of red food coloring into the tank. If the dye appears in the bowl...you may need to change the flapper or ball."
• "Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your driveway."
• "Your lawn only needs .5 to 1.5 inches of water per week, so put out an empty tuna can to measure how much you need."

What have you done lately to save water?