Believe it or not, there are several ways to conserve natural resources and money in the bathroom. From the sink to the shower to the toilet, you can make environmental decisions every day.

The Low-Down on Toilets

Along with improvements to other appliances, great strides have been made when it comes to manufacturing more water-conserving toilets. It is estimated that about one-quarter of the water used in an average home goes to flushing the toilet if efficient toilets aren't installed. Homes built before 1992 that haven't had any improvements made are likely to have an old-fashioned 3.5 gallons per flush (gpf)-model toilet.

Newer models use only 1.6 gallons for the same flush, and the future may hold even more efficient flushers. Not only does this reduce the amount of water being pumped from aquifers and streams, treated, and piped to the house, it saves on treating and discharging the used water, too.

Another version of an efficient commode is the composting toilet. These toilets are used mainly in remote locations like weekend getaways and vacation cabins where there is no access to a sanitary sewer and septic systems aren't feasible.

Compost toilets are comprised of three components: a throne or seat, a composting chamber, and a drying tray. Some models combine all three components into one enclosure, while other designs have a separate seat. The toilets use bacteria and fungi to decompose waste, turning it into dry, fluffy humus. Regulations vary across the country; in some places, the humus can be used as fertilizer around trees and non-edible plants, but in others it must be buried or disposed of as sewage.

These toilets are not supposed to smell, so if one does, chances are there's something wrong. Composting toilets do not need water, so owners reduce their household water usage and production of wastewater.

Showers and Sinks

Beyond taking shorter and colder showers, there are other steps you can take when it comes to conserving water and natural resources while cleaning up. Standard showerheads put out up to 5 gallons per minute (gpm). Low-flow showerheads can cut that in half. If a low-flow shower isn't satisfactory, try using an aerator showerhead. Air is added to the water as it flows from the head, making it feel like a higher-flowing showerhead. Aerators can be added to spigots, reducing a flow of over 2 gpm to about 1 gpm. Aerators are relatively inexpensive and easy to install.