25 Easy Ways to Help Save the Planet

In the Bathroom

Turn off the tap. The average faucet releases about three gallons of water a minute, so shut it off while you brush your teeth or shave.
 
 Use a water-filter pitcher. Bottled water isn’t necessarily cleaner or better for you than tap water. Get a Brita water-filter pitcher (bedbathandbeyond.com) or an in-sink faucet filter. Take advantage of what you already pay for and save the environmental cost of transporting bottled water to the grocer’s shelf.
 
 Install a better showerhead. If you have a wrench, you can preserve the diminishing fresh-water supply and reduce expensive water-heating costs. Install faucet aerators and high-efficiency showerheads and in a year’s time you’ll save between 1,000 and 8,000 gallons of water. Bonus: The added air makes the pressure feel greater, too.