Set sprinklers to water the lawn or garden only - not the street or sidewalk.
Use the microwave to cook small meals. (It uses less power than an oven.)
Purchase "Green Power" for your home's electricity. (Contact your power supplier to see where and if it is available.)
Scrape, rather than rinse, dishes before loading into the dishwasher; wash only full loads.
Cut back on air conditioning and heating use if you can.
Turn off appliances and lights when you leave the room.
RALEIGH, N.C. -- State officials now say it's OK to water plants with used water.
The News & Observer reported Wednesday that water used to bathe or wash dishes can now be recycled to water flowers and trees. State health officials had previously said use of such "gray water" was a threat to public safety.
The state Department of Environment and Natural Resources plans to draft guidelines about how to safely use gray water.
Department assistant secretary Robin Smith said laws that suggest gray water use is illegal will be altered. Smith said those laws mostly address how water systems for household appliances and sewer systems must be assembled.
However, Smith said that piping bath water into your yard is still illegal and a health hazard.
