The hidden impact of your daily water use

The hidden impact of your daily water use Getty Images/Javier Hirschfeld The amount of water we use in our homes can make a big contribution to our carbon footprint The way we do our laundry, clean our dishes and hose down our cars all has a surprising and largely unnoticed impact on the climate. Rather than large white-goods, the kitchen sink is actually the source of the most water-related carbon emissions in the home “Hot water is one of the bigger energy-consuming issues in a household,” says Elizabeth Shove, a sociologist at Lancaster University who researches everyday energy use. If you do have to use a dryer, using the high-speed spin cycle on your washing machine can reduce the energy needed as there’s less water to evaporate from your clothing. Getty Images/Javier Hirschfeld Hanging clothes to dry in the air rather than in a tumble-dryer can make a big dent in carbon emissions Washing our hands with a cooler, more comfortable water temperature, along with soap and a bit of elbow grease, could end up being kinder to the climate and just as hygienic.