Save water: Outfit the kitchen faucet with a foot pedal 

As this Instructables contributor points out, wasting water is wasting resources, so he’s come up with an innovative way to control how much water you use. By installing solenoid valves—pipe fittings souped up with a valve that opens and closes when electricity is applied—and then wiring them to a foot pedal, there’s no more wasted water. Just toe-tap the valve closed when you’re soaping up pots and pans, then tap the valve open when it’s time to rinse. The set-up’s relatively easy to do, without plumbing expertise required, and very MacGyver, indeed.

Materials you’ll need:

  • A pair of 12V DC solenoid valves
  • Pedal
  • At least 12 feet of electrical wire
  • 12V DC adapter
  • Electrical tape

Tools to have on-hand:

  • Adjustable wrench
  • Wire strippers

See the full how-to from Instructibles contributor pjamestx.