Dr. Karen Bell

Keep Liberty Beautiful

We just finished our Countywide Rivers Alive cleanup this past weekend, and I have to tell you, I never get tired of seeing what happens when people come together for a good cause.

Our volunteers came out ready to work, picking up litter and helping protect the waterways that are such an important part of our community. Now, we look forward to more Adopt Liberty groups, schools, and city cleanups through December.

As the executive director of Keep Liberty Beautiful, one of the most inspiring parts of my job is watching people realize that what they do really does make a difference. Sometimes it is picking up a piece of litter. Sometimes it is recycling. Sometimes it is planting a tree. And sometimes it is simply turning off the water when you don’t need it. During Rivers Alive, we spend a lot of time talking about our water and why it is so important to protect and conserve our local waterways. Our rivers, creeks, ponds, and streams are part of what makes Liberty County such a special place to live.

I recently came across the website EarthEasy. com, and I found so much good information about conserving water. Articles include 10 Water-Saving Garden Products You Should Know About, 10 Myths That Stop Us From Saving More Water, and Could You Be Saving More Water? They offer practical ideas that all of us can use around our homes and yards.

We must find ways to save the water we use because our water resources are under increasing pressure. Conserving water can also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with treating and distributing water. And let’s not forget that using less water can save money on our utility bills!

Most importantly, water conservation helps reduce the amount of water carrying pollutants into nearby lakes, rivers, and local watersheds. So, how can you save water?

You may have heard me talk about cigarette litter prevention, but did you know you should never put cigarette butts down the toilet? The same goes for facial tissue and other small pieces of trash that don’t belong there. Every time you flush something unnecessarily, you are using water. Please put cigarette butts in the garbage or, better yet, participate in a proper cigarette recycling program.

You can also save water by using water-saving devices in your toilet tank, such as a tank bank or float booster. Some older toilets use considerably more water than newer, high-efficiency models. When washing clothes, try to make sure the washing machine is fully loaded. If you have a partial load, adjust the water level to match the size of the load.

Long showers can use several gallons of water for every unnecessary minute. Installing an inexpensive low-flow showerhead or flow restrictor is another simple way to save water. You can even turn off the shower while soaping up and turn it back on when you’re ready to rinse. Those minutes add up over time.

Believe it or not, washing dishes by hand can use more water than running an efficient dishwasher. If you wash dishes by hand, don’t let the water run continuously while rinsing. If you have a double basin, fill one with soapy water and the other with rinse water.

One of the easiest things you can do is check your faucets and pipes for leaks. That little drip you have been meaning to fix can waste gallons of water every day. Larger leaks can waste hundreds of gallons. When washing your car, use a bucket of soapy water instead of running the hose.

Water your lawn early in the day and only when it needs watering. And remember, weeds use water, too! Keeping weeds under control means more of the water in your garden goes to the plants you want to grow. Adding mulch around plants can also help hold moisture in the soil and reduce the need for frequent watering.

At Keep Liberty Beautiful, our mission is about community education, volunteer action, litter prevention, beautification, waste reduction and recycling, stormwater pollution prevention, water conservation, and helping our community understand that our everyday choices matter.

For more information about water conservation, visit EarthEasy’s 45 Ways to Conserve Water in the Home and Yard guide.

You can also contact Keep Liberty Beautiful at (912) 880-4888 or email klcb@libertycountyga.gov.

Until next time, keep making a difference, one drop, one volunteer, and one good choice at a time!