Do you love saving money? Do you love doing what you can to save the Earth? If you answered yes to either of these questions, keep reading. You may think there’s not much you can do to help conserve water while living in your apartment Making a few small changes, could save thousands of gallons of water, and put money back in your pocket!

1. Wait and run your dishwasher only when it’s full.

You might have to use a paper plate for dinner some nights, but this easy step is the most water- and energy-efficient way to use this appliance – which is provided in most Camden apartments. Just make sure to compost that plate when you’re finished, if you can! Don’t recycle it because that grease-covered plate could ruin an entire batch of recycling! ​

Photo courtesy of Camden Downtown in Houston, TX

2. Only wash full loads of laundry.

Our Camden communities have energy- and water-efficient washers and dryers. They help reduce the amount of water, detergent and power needed to run. Think about it…fewer loads of laundry equals less time folding and putting it all away, which means more time for your favorite Netflix show. You’re welcome. 

Photo courtesy of Camden Durham in Durham, NC

3. Take shorter showers.

The average American showers for about eight minutes, using a little more than 17 gallons of water.

If shower-time is when you become a Rockstar and sing a full set followed by an encore or two, we get it. We’ve all been there…but if this shower headliner turns into a 30-minute performance you’ve used over 60 gallons of water.

So, cut the show down to two songs, and save the encore for the car ride to work. Your water bill (and neighbors) will thank you. 

4. Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.

Simply turn off the tap while you brush. A two-minute brush uses four gallons of water. If you’re doing that twice a day, every day, for a month that’s more than 200 gallons of water used. 

5. Report all water leaks!

No one likes a leaky faucet, and no one likes wasting money. Take our word for it and submit a service request as soon as you see any small leak. It’ll take you less than two minutes to submit online through MyCamden. And then the awesome Camden maintenance techs can have that leaky faucet fixed in no time!

These simple tips can result in huge, positive impacts on the environment and your wallet. Saving the world while also saving money? Sounds like a win-win! Need a few more tips to save the environment? Check out our other Sustainable Living blog posts!