Klaus Reichardt, founder and CEO of Waterless Co. LLC, has posted 2012 resolutions to his blog on how to live a Greener lifestyle and reduce water consumption: waterlessco.wordpress.com/

"Few people likely make New Year's resolutions about conserving water," Reichardt says. "But, reducing water consumption is something we all must take very seriously now."

Reichardt adds this may require people to make some big changes in how they use water. For instance, a survey conducted by eNation found that more than 83 percent of people take showers "for the primary purpose of relaxing and meditating."

The concern with this trend, according to Reichardt, is that showers account for approximately 20 percent of all U.S. residential water consumption, amounting to about 1.2 trillion gallons of water per year.

Other than pledging to take showers for cleaning purposes only, and not meditating, the following are some other water resolutions Reichardt suggests:

• Think of one thing each day that will save water. Remember, even small ideas can add up to big savings.  

• Teach children the value of water, our most precious resource.

• Wash fruits and vegetables in a pan of water instead of running water from the tap. This can be a major water saver.

• Go native. If planting vegetation, whether at a home, school, or office, select native plants because they tend to require less water.

• When brushing teeth, turn off the water until you are ready to rinse. If you brush your teeth twice per day, this can save more than 700 gallons per year.

• When looking for water leaks, outdoor faucets are often overlooked. Outdoor faucet leaks can be worse than indoor water leaks.

• Check your water bill; sudden increases in water use can mean there is a water leak

"And, if older toilets and urinals are still installed in your facility, resolve to replace them with low-flow/no-flow systems," says Reichardt. "This can result in the biggest water savings of all."