Sara is working on making her house more eco-friendly. She has a number of upgrades she wants to make such as replacing her toilet that uses 5 gallons per flush with a new toilet that uses 1.2 gallons per flush. She also wants to replace a leaky faucet in her kitchen. Finally, she would like to replace her old washing machine that uses 35 gallons of water per load with a new high-efficiency model that only uses 10 gallons per load. Which item should Sara replace first and why? Support your answer with evidence and reasoning. (4 points)

Question

short and simple explanation

Answer 1

Sara should replace her toilet first because it uses the most water per flush compared to the other items.

Evidence and Reasoning:

1. Water Usage: The current toilet uses 5 gallons per flush, and if it is used even 5 times a day, that amounts to 25 gallons daily (or about 9,125 gallons per year) in comparison to the high-efficiency toilet that uses only 1.2 gallons per flush, significantly reducing overall water consumption.
2. Impact: Toilets are typically one of the largest water consumers in a household, making them a critical area for conservation efforts.
3. Cost Savings: Reducing water usage means lower water bills, making the financial savings more significant in the long run.
4. Environmental Benefit: Switching to a more efficient toilet has a substantial impact on overall water conservation efforts, benefiting the environment.

By prioritizing the toilet replacement, Sara will maximize her water savings and eco-friendly impact right away.