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Are you able to cruise through a day without feeling remotely guilty about one or another part of your lifestyle? If your answer is affirmative, then you probably own a house that runs on solar power, or you might live off the land, or perhaps you cycle to work and wear only coconut husks.

For the rest of us, our mere existence is lessening the earth's rapidly dwindling resources. Some feel this guilt deeply, others give rocks. Either way, it's possible to make a couple of slight adjustments that will reap huge water savings. It's easy to save water without having your personal comfort infringed upon: banish thoughts of you in your underpants collecting rainwater from the bottom of the garden every time you want to flush the loo. Small changes, big savings.

With the help of Stephen Jacobs of The Natural Step, we've gathered a heap of water-saving tips and advice. Choose one method and concentrate on it, until it becomes a habit. That way the whole green thing is not completely overwhelming.

In the bathroom
According to Stephen, the place where we waste the most water is the bathroom. There are ways you can change this that won't inconvenience you, but will make a huge difference to the amount of water you save. So do it. Turn down the temperature of your geyser. When the hot water is running on its own it shouldn't be too hot to touch. That way you save running the cold tap too.

If you have the choice, shower rather than bath. You don't have to leap in and leap out; a shower uses 30 litres in five minutes, while it takes 60 litres to half fill an average-size bath.

Don't let the tap run while you're brushing your teeth. Put something in the cistern of your toilet, such as a brick or plastic bottled filled with water. This will reduce the amount of water used to fill it. This won't affect you, but it'll save around 7 300 litres a year. Consider using an electric razor instead of a foam blade. Get a water-saving shower head. Companies are becoming more and more aware of the necessity of showing the world how much they care, so these things are quite easy to find. Hansgrohe now makes a range of showers that mix one litre of water with three litres of air, so you still feel like you getting a full on soaking, but you're saving.

In the kitchen
The kitchen is also a primary water-wasting zone. Make one or two of these basic adjustments and you can tell your friends – with a clear conscience – that you’ve gone green.

If you wash dishes by hand, don't let the water run while you're rinsing. Fill a sink instead. Use a bowl of water to wash vegetables in instead of cleaning them under a running tap. When you're done, empty the bowl over the garden.

Minimise the number of utensils and pots you use while cooking – this will save on how much you need to wash up. Don't use your dishwasher or washing machine when they're only half full. These appliances usually use around 20 litres a pop. And don't rinse the dishes before you put them in the dishwasher.

Many companies are punting their water-saving appliances. If your dodgy dishwasher or wonky washing machine are coming to the end of their usefulness, consider replacing them with devices that will use less water. Bosch and Siemens, for example, have a new range called AAA in which everything is rated according to its energy – and water-saving abilities. According to them, if you use one of these dishwashers you'll be making big savings – not only on water, but also on time. They say washing, rinsing and drying a dishwasher-load of dishes by hand will take an hour – but only 15 minutes to pack and unpack the dishwasher. When washing by hand you'll use 10 litres of water a sink, but only 14 litres by an energy – and water-efficient dishwasher.

Rain man
So you're willing and able to make a difference. You've been doing the little water saving tips and tricks, but that doesn't satisfy you anymore? You're ready to take it to the next level.

Eighty percent of rainwater ends up in the sea. It's not much use to us once its there so how can we catch it on its way? Install a rainwater tank. Elsa Grundlingh grew up on a farm and knows the difference that rainwater tanks can make, so during the drought of 2005 they launched Tankful, suppliers of water tanks.

'We want to inform everyone that it's easy to harness rainwater," says Elsa. You can collect one litre of water from one millimetre of rain on one square metre of roof. "An enormous amount of water accumulates in a short space of time, or simply runs down the stormwater drain. Tankful came to life because of this."

The tanks are made from polyethylene, and have a black layer on the inside to prevent the growth of algae. They come in different sizes, so depending on your budget and the amount of space you have, you can find one to suit you. "I advise people not to go for anything smaller than 250 litres" she says.

If you're concerned about a large, plastic lump ruining the aesthetics of your garden, it can be hidden away and a catchment area is created, and water is pumped into the bigger tank. They can be fairly camouflaged and you can choose from hunters green, grey and beige.

Pay attention to the amount of water you use in your garden, and for washing your car before you choose which size to go for. "I find people don't really know how much water they use a month. You can't expect a 100-litre tank to last throughout the summer if your normal monthly usage is more than that." Makes sense. For more info check out www.tankful.co.za.

What is the average household water consumption made up of?