Question

How can I minimize water usage, and how do I collect rain to use to water my garden?

Answer 1

I tried this:

Explanation:

I suppose we want to minimize water usage in a situation such as a family house.
In this case we can use some simple steps:
1) Switch off the tap while you brush your teeth or you are shaving;
2) while showering switch off the water while you are using the soap and only switch on again to rinse and wash off the soap (I know this can be a little bit awkward in particular if you have to wait for the water to heat up again leading to waste of water!);
3) wash the vegetables reusing the water and adding few drops of vinegar (unless your vegetables come from a contaminated area you want to wash away earth and dirt that normally deposit at the bottom).

You can collect water to water your garden using a barrel to collect the water from your roof by channeling the water from the gutter around it and sending it, through a pipe for example, to the barrel where it will be stored for future use. You may need to add again some spoons of vinegar to the water to avoid getting putrid and smelly (if you do not use it immediately or in a short time).