Save Water As You Rinse Vegetables

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The more you need to water plants, the more you realize how precious water is - especially when you get the water bill. So, here's one smart way to save some water: rinse vegetables in a bowl.

When you bring vegetables in from the garden or home from the market, fill a big bowl with water instead of running water endlessly into the sink. Swish things like lettuce and herbs around and let them soak for a few minutes. The soil and sand will sink to the bottom and you can just lift the clean veggies out. Depending on how dirty they were, you can often wash and rinse more than one vegetable before you need a fresh bowl of water; but when you do, just pour the water from the bowl into houseplants or outdoor pots on a nearby balcony, deck, or into a windowbox, so the water doesn't to go waste.

I do this all year long, using a giant mixing bowl with a pouring spout. It's simple, saves loads of water and money, and also saves time, because while the veggies are soaking, you can do other stuff.

Reported By Phran Novelli, KYW Newsradio