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Changing the world from the kitchen: 10 simple steps to save water in your kitchen

On average, each person uses about 144 litres of water per day, 20% of which is spent in the kitchen. By making small changes to our daily routines, we can save around 21,000 litres per year in a house with four people or, in other words, the equivalent of a family swimming pool.

At Cosentino we believe in the importance of these small actions. That is why we are starting a series of articles in which, jointly with Ruth Uve and María Blanco, founders of ‘Lo Mínimo’, a consultancy focused on supporting individuals and companies towards sustainable consumption, we will give you the keys to change the world from your kitchen.

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Image number 34 of the current section of Changing the world from the kitchen: 10 simple steps to save water in your kitchen in Cosentino UK

Is such a change possible?

The answer is clear: Yes! Following Ruth and María’s advice, we will show you how to make a more positive and conscious consumption without feeling like you are leaving something behind. ‘You will realise that you don’t need to invest a lot of time and resources and that it is actually much simpler than you think,’ they say.

In addition to saving water, we will learn how to recycle properly, dispelling myths and false beliefs about waste separation; how to reduce polluting materials and substances of our environment; and how to optimise electricity consumption in our kitchen.

Every drop of water counts

Water is vital to our daily lives, but 97.5% of the Earth’s water is found in the oceans and saltwater seas. Only the remaining 2.5% is freshwater, 69% of which is found at the poles and on mountain tops in solid form. Are you still going to waste it?

‘It is one of the most challenging issues when it comes to sustainability and positive impact. It is rooted in several significant aspects, such as human health, geopolitics and humanitarian crises. It is also perhaps one of the most well-known issues in society, as we have been hearing about it for decades. The fast pace of life leads us to mechanise everyday actions of which we are often unaware. The good news is that we can mechanise new patterns fairly quickly,’ they explain. 10 steps to save water:

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1. Avoid being catastrophic

1.        ‘Avoid doom and gloom news, as it tends to make us feel powerless to change things. Seek reliable information that will help you become aware of the problem and inspire you to make small changes.’

2. Water, a precious resource

2.       ‘Change your view of water. Having clean, fresh water at our disposal around the clock can easily make us forget that this is a precious resource.’

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Image number 37 of the current section of Changing the world from the kitchen: 10 simple steps to save water in your kitchen in Cosentino UK

3. Turn off the tap

3.       ‘If you wash your dishes by hand, fill a basin and turn off the tap. If you also use natural soaps, you won’t have to worry so much about toxic residues and you will greatly reduce the amount of rinse water.’

Another way to save water is to stop pouring polluting liquids, such as waste oil, down the sink. A single litre of oil contains approximately 5,000 times more pollutant load than the waste water circulating in sewage systems and can contaminate up to 40,000 litres of water.

4. Stop Pre-Rinsing Dishes Before

4.       ‘If you wash your dishes in the dishwasher, remove leftover food in the composting bin, do not run water through them first and always use it when it is full.’

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5. Use appropriate appliances

5.       ‘If you need to replace your dishwasher, buy one that optimises the use of electricity and water and is suitable for the number of people living in the household.’

6. Recycle and reuse water

6.       ‘Recycle and reuse water. Yes, as you hear. Only 4% of the water used in the average household is for drinking and cooking. Those little water leftovers in the glasses or jugs we serve at the table can be perfectly useful for watering our plants. Or you can also wash vegetables and fruit in a container of water that you can reuse later.’

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Posidonia Green worktops and front from the Sunlit Days collection by Silestone.

7. Check your taps

7.       ‘Always check for leaks and poorly closed taps. This can save you up to 90 litres per day.’

If the taps are old, it is best to replace them. New generation taps can help us save up to 50% of our water consumption.

8. Change the way you cook

8.       ‘Learn to steam and if you can use a tiered steamer, all the better. You will take care of your health twice over.’

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9. The must-have gadget

9.       ‘Water-saving tap fittings or aerators can also significantly increase water savings.’

These small devices allow us, at a minimum cost, to save up to 65% of water. And if combined with the installation of pressure reducing valves, water use will be considerably lower without the need for large investments. On the other hand, the installation of thermostatic taps can enable you to reach the desired temperature more quickly, thus preventing the water from running for a long time.

10. The tap is not the fridge

10.    ‘Chill drinking water in the fridge instead of letting the tap run cold,’ and, of course, do not defrost food under running water.

And at Cosentino?

We also join the challenge. Thanks to the exclusive HybriQ+ technology, we have launched a new Silestone, a more sustainable and beautiful surface. Its manufacturing process is powered entirely by renewable energy and 99% recycled water, in a circular system that avoids discharges into the environment.

This new generation of Silestone surfaces maintains the brand’s guaranteed quality with a hybrid formulation of premium minerals and a minimum of 20% recycled materials, such as glass.

All this makes the new Silestone the standard of beauty, cutting-edge innovation and unparalleled sustainability. More sustainable. More Silestone.

Tags: Silestone | 2 years ago | Written by: Cosentino

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