My Footprint is Too Big

As the end of the formal in-depth season draws near, I know that my journey to be a more environmentally-friendly person will never be over. It didn’t start with this year’s in-depth, and it won’t end with it. The population will continue to grow and unless I do something, unless you do something, and unless we do something the Earth’s nature resources will continue to diminish and our quality of life will worsen. “The earth is what we all have in common.” (Wendell Berry, author, farmer, cultural critic).

So on In-Depth night, I will celebrate a move in the right direction, a move towards sustainability.

I’ve really only gotten to the home improvement section of my plan, so I’ll be focusing on water use, energy use (with a focus on lighting), and cleaning products. I’m thinking that I’ll be displaying my work by showing people examples of products I’ve compared or recommended, with a do-it-yourself component.

Envision walking up to a table  with boards around the edge of the top, each covering a different section of my study on home improvement. There’s everything from power cords to rechargeable batteries jutting out from the cardboard, with little explanations and facts surrounding the objects. Then on the table, there are cleaning products that you can look at, and ingredients for mixing your own. Different light bulbs are shown, and can be compared when plugged into a couple lamps. And of course, I’m there, answering any questions you might have.

When you leave my table you’ll (hopefully) add to a board titled “This Is What I’m Going To Do”.

And have my blog URL written down.

As I mentioned in my post on Earth Hour,

According to Team Power Smart, “If British Columbians implemented the same conservation measures (as they did in 2010) for just one hour every evening, the combined savings would be enough to power close to 2,200 homes for an entire year.”

After sharing this piece of information with a classmate, he questioned if I would even be willing to do this, to turn of my lights for one hour, every day, for a year.

I took the challenge.

Now I want you to.

Share your story with me by commenting on this post and together we can make an impact!

I’ve been participating in Earth Hour for a few years now, but this year’s experience started on Saturday night with this post on Facebook.

Hey everyone! Remember to turn off your lights for an hour tonight at 8:30 to show that you care about what’s happening to our planet in terms of us wasting resources and destroying nature. Earth Hour is an awesome awareness campaign, but the point is to motivate you to take action throughout the year.
P.S. You can also sign up on the official website. (It also included the link).

That night, I sat with my mom in our living room, with the lights (and the TV and computer) off. Our only light was a couple of flashlights, and many beeswax candles (“Many candles are made with paraffin, a waste product from the petroleum industry, and many contain lead, as well as artificial scents and other chemicals that have unromantic side effects…If you want to use candles, spend a little more and get 100% beeswax or soy candles.” (BC Hydro)). We had a fun couple of hours (we decided to extend our Earth Hour to two), playing board games and just catching up. Here’s the little crossword we made with words that represented our night.

As I said previously, it’s meant to be an awareness campaign. But you really are saving energy, and taking part in a movement that only increases the amount of energy saved. Not everybody views it that way though.

After my post on Facebook, along with much positive response, I received a negative comment from a classmate.

does turning my lights off for an hour REALLY do that much???? yeah….didn’t think so.

That spurred an argument, or rather, a discussion, over whether Earth Hour actually had any physical benefits. After a bit of ping-pong, I posted this:

When Earth Hour first started five years ago in Sydney, Australia, “More than two million people participated, resulting in a 10 per cent reduction in demand on Sydney’s electrical grid.” (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2009/03/24/f-earth-hour.html). “This year, 131 countries and territories are registered to take part in Earth Hour, the most ever.”(http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2009/03/24/f-earth-hour.html) That sounds like quite a bit of energy to me. And as an extra bit, “According to Team Power Smart, “If British Columbians implemented the same conservation measures (as they did in 2010) for just one hour every evening, the combined savings would be enough to power close to 2,200 homes for an entire year.” ” (http://www.bchydro.com/news/community_events/earth_hour0.html)

Seems to me that Earth Hour does not only promote awareness and give motivation to continue taking action throughout the year, but that it reduces energy consumption. Plus it’s really fun!

I hope you participated this year, but if you didn’t, why don’t set your own time? Or better, turn off the lights for an hour every night.

I’ve told you how to save water, but I haven’t told you what I’m actually doing. Practice what you preach…

What I’m doing well:

Practices:

• I choose to shower though I have to continue cutting down my shower time-right now I’m at about 10 minutes.
• I fill the dishwasher all the way before I run it.
• I’m eating less meat.
• I’m eating more locally-grown food.
• I don’t wash my car that often!
• I’m driving less.
• I reduce, reuse, recycle. I’m a fanatic about not throwing anything out without going through all the other options (Find another use for it, give it to a friend, donate it, recycle it…).
• I’m reusing the same water glass for the day.

Purchases:

• At my mom’s, we have a front-loading clothing washer that senses the amount in a load and acts accordingly, as well as having pre-programmed settings you can adjust to suit the content of your load, which specifies when you can use cold water to wash.
• At my mom’s, our washer, dryer, fridge and freezers are Energy Star (which save water as well as energy).
• At my mom’s. we have low-flow shower heads.

What I have to improve on:

Practices:

• I have to cut down my shower time more.
• I have to eat less meat.
• I have to eat locally-grown food more often.
• I have to drive less, biking, walking, taking public transport, or even just carpooling more often instead.
• I have to collect the water from boiling food (thought just in the warmer months when I can use it water my plants) and from my shower head while the water is warming up.

Purchases:

• In the future I hope to have low-flow toilets and taps, and all Energy Star appliances.

What are you doing?

Mechanical Engineer. Biologist. Environmental Regulatory Specialist. Sustainability Strategist. Manager of Aboriginal and Sustainble Communities. Green Business Manager. These were the titles of the women I spoke to last friday, at YWCA Vancouver’s Green Choice Forum 2011.

I found the poster for this event up on the career bulliten at my school, and as a young woman interested in the environment and sustainability, it seemed like an awesome opportunity. Though I probably wouldn’t know anyone else there (I didn’t), I knew it would be of some value and help me find my way as I try to figure out my passions and what I want my future job to be.

The event was pretty low key, and lasted a couple hours. Before it began, there were a couple of tables set up where different environmental groups and initatives were displayed, some with representatives to speak to us and collect our contact info. I just recently received  a follow-up email!

At the official beginning of the event, we gathered in the main room to hear of overview of the speakers (though the organizers had previously send out their bios): Susan Hayes (Mechanical Engineer, Dialog Design), Jamiann Questa (Environmental Regulatory Specialist, Rescan Environmental Services Ltd), Jane Comeault (Sustainability Strategist, Metro Vancouver), Victoria Smith (Manager, Aboriginal & Sustainable Communities Sector), Maureen Cureton (Green Business Manager, Community Investment, Vancity), and Wendy J Palen, Assistant Professor, SFU (Evoluntionary and Behavioural Ecology Research Group).

Next we broke off into about 6 different groups in the same number of rooms, with a facilitator accompanying us, and the speakers circulated through the rooms, telling their story and answering questions. I am proud to say that I had many different questions to ask, partly due to my enthusiasm and partly due to the research I had done previously. The rest of the group was quiet, but we still got so much valuable information from the energetic speakers, from “a day in the life”, to what their education backround is, to why they chose to do what they do.

The event ended with a panel discussion, where the group gave us some advice. The gist of what they said was basically “Don’t worry about creating a solid path to follow” and “Find your passion.”

Thanks to the organizers at YWCA and the awesome speakers, I left the event inspired, ready to explore more careers and environmental organizations, and find out what I really want to do.

“Americans use nearly a million dollars worth of energy every minute…” (Savedge) Other than the fact that we use an incredible amount of energy, this statement shows that by lowering your energy use, you will also thicken your wallet. In this post I’m going to detail both some of the different types of energy, and ways you can decrease your use.

Types of Energy:

Check out the video 300 Years of Fossil Fuels in 300 Seconds, from the Post Carbon Institute.

Fossil Fuels: “Fossil fuels include coal, natural gas, and petroleum…There is a limited amount of fossil fuels. In addition, fossil fuels are formed by processes that take millions of years. As a result, fossil fuels are considered nonrenewable resources…Burning fossil fuels also causes environmental problems, including air pollution and acid rain. Such burning also releases large amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. The gases trap heat in Earth’s atmosphere, contributing to global warming.” (Lin)

Nuclear: “Nuclear energy, also called atomic energy, is the powerful energy released by changes in the nucleus (core) of atoms…Nuclear power reactors produce electric power in about 30 countries. There are about 440 reactors worldwide. These reactors produce about 15 percent of the world’s electric power. Nuclear power plants have two main advantages over fossil-fuel plants. (1) Once built, a nuclear plant can be less expensive to operate than a fossil-fuel plant, mainly because a nuclear plant uses a much smaller volume of fuel. (2) Uranium, unlike fossil fuels, releases no chemical or solid pollutants into the air during use. However, nuclear power plants have three major disadvantages. These disadvantages have slowed the development of nuclear energy in some countries. (1) Nuclear plants cost more to build than fossil-fuel plants. (2) Because of the need to assure that hazardous amounts of radioactive materials are not released, nuclear plants must meet certain government regulations that fossil-fuel plants do not have to meet. For example, a nuclear plant must satisfy the government that it can quickly and automatically deal with any kind of emergency. (3) Used nuclear fuel produces dangerous radiation long after it has been removed from the reactor. As a result, safe disposal of nuclear waste presents a challenge.“ (Gavrilas)

Wind: “Wind power is the energy associated with the air that moves over the earth’s surface…wind is a renewable energy source that cannot be used up. In addition, wind provides clean, nonpolluting energy. The kinetic energy (energy of movement) of wind throughout the world is estimated at more than 11 quadrillion kilowatt-hours per year. A kilowatt-hour is the amount of work done by 1,000 watts in one hour. If people could capture and use only 10 percent of the wind’s kinetic energy, it would far exceed the world’s yearly energy demand…When a windmill or wind turbine is used to extract wind power, only part of the kinetic energy of the wind is transferred to the blades of the device. Scientists believe it is possible to extract only about 59 percent of the wind’s kinetic energy. Modern wind turbines convert only about 40 percent of the energy of the wind that strikes their blades into useful rotational energy. A number of other factors limit the extraction of power from the wind. These factors include practical limits on the size of wind power devices and the availability of land upon which to erect such devices. Another issue involves environmental concerns. Some people oppose the spread of wind power devices, saying that they pose a danger to birds that fly into the moving blades. Others complain that the devices are unsightly and create too much noise. Because wind speeds vary greatly over the earth’s surface, some sites are more suitable than others for wind power installations. In addition, wind does not blow at a constant speed, and at times it dies down completely. Thus, to ensure a reliable supply of electric power, wind turbines must be combined with either an energy storage system or a backup generator that uses a different energy source.” (Ghandakly) There are some surprising new studies now that suggest that wind power may have an effect on something that wouldn’t cross many of our minds-the weather. “To find out what effects, if any, large scale wind farms might have on wind patterns, Daniel Barrie and Daniel Kirk-Davidoff of the University of Maryland concocted an experiment. They took the pattern of expanding turbine fields to an extreme, and used a computer model to calculate what might happen if all the land from Texas to central Canada, and from the Great Lakes to the Rocky Mountains were covered in one massive wind farm. On average, the mammoth installation lowered wind speeds by 2-3 meters per second (5.5-6.7 miles per hour) immediately downwind. But the turbines also disrupted air currents on a large scale that rippled out like waves across the northern hemisphere. As they spread out, the waves sometimes ran into storms systems a few days later, knocking them several hundred miles off course. Kirk-Davidoff acknowledged the hypothetical wind farm was far larger than anything humans are likely to build. But meeting the Department of Energy’s goal of wind power generation by 2030 would require that scores of huge wind farms be built throughout the Midwestern United States. The total disturbance caused by turbines could be enough to steer storms… However Kirk-Davidoff said that if large farms are ever built that affect storm tracks, it could be a good thing.” (Reilly) Other studies produced different findings. “Somnath Baidya Roy of Princeton University and colleagues simulated the effect of extensive wind farms on local weather. They found a drying and warming effect in the morning that would warm the air across moist and cool overnight soil, causing the local wind speed to increase slightly. Also in 2004, David Keith of the University of Calgary and his colleagues estimated the drag from wind farms if they covered 10 percent of the Earth’s land surface. They concluded that global cooling would occur in polar regions and global warming would result in temperate regions such as North America at about 30 degrees North latitude.“(Britt)

Solar: “Solar energy is the direct use of sunlight to produce heat or electric power…solar energy is a more expensive power source than fossil fuels for most applications…There are two chief ways that sunlight may be converted into electric power. It may be converted directly, in a process called photovoltaic conversion. Or it may be changed by solar thermal conversion, which converts light to heat and then to electric power. Most solar thermal devices heat water to produce steam, which drives a steam turbine…Solar heating requires an efficient absorber to collect sunlight and convert it to heat. The absorber may be as simple as a coating of black paint. Or it may be a textured, heat-absorbing ceramic. A good absorber collects 95 percent or more of the solar radiation while emitting 20 percent or less of the heat energy an ordinary hot surface would. There are several methods of solar heating. One common method uses windows as solar collectors, as in a greenhouse…The simplest solar collectors are flat-plate collectors. The plates are fixed, and the sun shines on them at various angles as it moves. The sun heats fluid inside the plates to a temperature of up to 212 °F (100 °C). The hot fluid flows to a heat exchanger, a device like an automobile radiator through which water circulates. The hot fluid transfers its heat to the water. The hot water is used to warm buildings in a conventional hot-water heating system or to heat their hot-water supplies. Another kind of collector, designed specifically for heating air, is the transpired solar collector. Such collectors consist of flat or ridged plates pierced by an array of small holes. Air is drawn through the holes and is heated by the sun-warmed plates. As much as 80 percent of the solar energy collected by the plates is transferred to the air stream.“ (Bryan)

Geothermal: “Geothermal energy is energy that comes from the heat of Earth. Most geothermal energy is converted to electric power. Geothermal energy is available in areas near geological faults and hot spots. Near these areas, molten material called magma from deep beneath Earth’s surface penetrates the planet’s crust. The magma heats rocks several miles or kilometers below the surface. It also heats aquifers (layers of porous material filled with ground water). These underground formations are also called geothermal reservoirs. They may reach temperatures over 570 °F (300 °C). Geothermal wells reach these aquifers and convey the geothermal fluid to a power plant on the surface. The wells are typically made of systems of steel pipes, This fluid is either water or steam, at high pressure and temperature. The term geothermal energy is also used to refer to the direct use of geothermal waters (hot springs). It may also refer to heat drawn from the ground by heat pumps. The power plant uses a steam turbine or similar device to convert heat from the geothermal fluid to electric power. Geothermal power plants have the potential to produce power more cheaply than plants that use oil, gas, or nuclear fuel. Rainwater that seeps back into the geothermal reservoir replenishes the fluid consumed by the geothermal plants. Thus, geothermal energy is considered a renewable energy source. Regions near geological faults tend to experience earthquakes. Engineers design geothermal plants so that they will remain structurally sound if earthquakes occur near them. Planners may place the buildings near sources of fresh water to assure a supply of water for cooling.” (Efstathios)

Hydropower (Water Power): “Hydropower uses moving water, either from rivers or dams, to create energy. A hydroelectric dam works by holding back water behind a wall. The water is released through a pipe and pushed against blades in a turbine, causing them to turn. The turbine then spins a generator and makes electricity…” (David, and Gordon ) ”Where water flows from a high place to a lower one, the gravitational energy of the falling water can be captured and used to produce other forms of energy. Most water power is used to generate electric power. Water power supplies energy without pollution and without using up the water in the process. But costly dams and other structures are required to harness water power.” (Adewumi)

Tidal Power: “Tidal energy comes from the movement of water due to tides. One way to capture this energy is by closing a bay with a dam. As the tide rises, the bay fills with water. At high tide, the dam is closed to hold the water in the bay. At low tide, the stored water is released through a turbine to generate electric power. Researchers are also developing technologies to harness energy directly from ocean waves. For example, one technology involves using the up-and-down motion of waves to drive a piston that turns a generator.” (Adewumi)

Biomass Power & Power from Solid and Liquid Waste: By burning “dead trees, yard clippings, wood chips, straw, underbrush, switch grass, and composting materials” (David, and Gordon ), which have “stored energy in the form of carbon” (David, and Gordon ), we “can produce electricity, heat, and fuel” (David, and Gordon ). “The heat released from this process is used to turn water into steam, which turns a steam turbine to create electricity.” (David, and Gordon ) This is called biomass energy. Similarly, “Many cities throughout the world produce usable energy by burning trash. Burning wastes also reduces the amount of trash that must be placed in landfills.” (Adewumi)

Heating/Cooling

1. Unplug appliances (lamps etc) when your not using them. They suck energy when plugged in even if they’re off (“phantom/standby power”).
2. Use a microwave to heat small portions “to cut energy use by 75%.” (Savedge)
3. Check for leaks from fridge(s) by “Check[ing] the gaskets around your fridge to make sure they are clean and tight to lock in cold air.” (Savedge) “To check the seal, place a piece of paper between the door and the refrigerator as you close it. If you can move the paper freely in the door, it’s not sealed tightly.” (BC Hydro)
4. Use Energy Star appliances.
5. “Do not locate your refrigerator or freezer near heat vents, sunlight or your oven.”(BC Hydro)
6. “Check that the temperature inside your refrigerator is between 2°C and 3°C (35°F to 38°F). In most refrigerators, this is the mid-level setting on the temperature control. Freezers should operate at -18°C (0°F).” (BC Hydro)
7. “If your refrigerator has an energy saver mode, use it.” (BC Hydro)
8. “Do not put hot foods and leftover meals directly into the fridge or freezer. Allow them to cool first.” (BC Hydro)
9. “Cover food and any liquids when you put them in the fridge, otherwise they release moisture and cause the refrigerator to use more energy.” (BC Hydro)
10. “If your freezer is not full, fill plastic containers with water and freeze them.” (BC Hydro)
11. “Unplug the refrigerator and clean the dust from the back or bottom coils twice a year. Make sure there is at least 8 cm (three inches) of air space between the back of the refrigerator and the wall and at least 2.5 cm (1 inch) of space on both sides to allow for good air circulation.” (BC Hydro)
12. “Defrost regularly… refrigerators and freezers should be defrosted at least twice a year or when the ice is as thick as a pencil.” (BC Hydro)
13. “Get the right size fridge for your household.” (BC Hydro)
14. “Fridge-freezers with the freezer compartment below or above the fridge are more efficient than side-by-side models.” (BC Hydro)
15. “Using cold water is…the single most important way to reduce the energy you use to wash your laundry.” (BC Hydro)
16. Hang your clothes to dry, inside or outside (weather permitting). “An outdoor clothesline uses heat from the sun and the flow of air. An indoor clothes rack may take longer to dry, but it can be an energy-efficient alternative.“(BC Hydro)
17. Check out my blog post on saving water for more tips on washing clothes.
18. “Use dryer balls [in your dryer]. Having two dryer balls in your machine separates items better and shortens drying times by up to a third.” (BC Hydro)
19. “Clean the lint trap after each use.” (BC Hydro)
20. “Check the vent to the outside. Proper ventilation is important for the proper operation of your dryer. Keep it clean and free from obstruction.” (BC Hydro)
21. Use fewer dishes so you can save energy on washing them.
22. “You can save about 15% of total dishwasher energy use by selecting the air-dry cycle or opening the dishwasher door instead of using the heat drying cycle.” (BC Hydro)
23. “Do not leave the water running to rinse dishes. If you have a sink with two basins, put soapy water in one and clear hot water in the other to rinse. If you have a single-basin sink, you can gather soapy dishes in a dish rack and rinse them with a sprayer or a pan of hot water.” (BC Hydro)
24. Only run the dishwasher when there is a full load.
25. “Do not position your dishwasher next to the refrigerator. The heat produced by the dishwasher will require your refrigerator to work harder.” (BC Hydro)
26. “A dishwasher with a booster heater allows you to maintain a lower setting on your home’s hot water heater.” (BC Hydro)
27. “Most small appliances use about half the wattage of an electric oven to do the same job.” (BC Hydro)
28. “Keep all appliances clean and well-maintained.” (BC Hydro)
29. “Boiling water in an electric kettle is more efficient than on most stovetops.” (BC Hydro)
30. Use the smallest pan for the job, match the size of the element with the size of the pan, and make sure the pan has good contact with the burners.
31. “With conventional coil burners, use reflective drip pans to help reflect heat up toward the cooking surface.” (BC Hydro)
32. “No peeking. Each time you open the oven door, 20% of the heat is lost. Instead, use your oven light and look through the window.” (BC Hydro)
33. Use a solar oven or a hybrid solar oven.
34. “If you don’t need to use an electrical appliance to do a task, don’t use one.” (BC Hydro)
35. “Improve your water heater’s efficiency by insulating the pipes, using an insulating blanket, lowering the water heater temperature to 60ºC or installing a high-efficiency water heater. For even bigger energy savings, install solar hot water heating.” (BC Hydro)

Electronics

1. Unplug or turn off the power bars of gadgets (phone chargers, computers, printers,  TV’s, etc) when you’re not using them. They suck energy when plugged in even if they’re off (“phantom/standby power”). “Standby power can account for 10% of an average household’s annual electricity consumption.” (BC Hydro)
2. Use the “sleep” or “hibernate” mode on your computer when your going to be away from it for less than an hour.
3. Buy Energy Star. “ENERGY STAR products use up to 50% less energy while providing the same performance as less-efficient models.” (BC Hydro)
4. Check if the equipment you buy has a “take-back” program. “Take-back programs mean a manufacturer commits to receiving and properly disposing of their goods after the consumer has used them.” (BC Hydro)
5. Know what devices can and can’t be recycled; many devices are excepted at “Return It” locations.
6. Buy an energy-monitoring device. It “lets you measure how much electricity is used by appliances or other devices in your home and track which devices are consuming power unnecessarily.” (BC Hydro)
7. Buy a whole house meter which “tells you how much energy your whole house is using at any given moment and how much you’ve used so far for the month – as well as how much it’s costing you.” (BC Hydro)
8. Use rechargeable batteries, and preferably a solar charger. Rechargeable batteries will cost hundreds less over their serviceable lifetime. Remember to recycle them when you’re done.
9. Purchase laptops and flat screen monitors as they use significantly less energy than their counterparts.
10. Consult and make use of your computers energy management systems.

Savedge, Jenn. The Green Teen . Canada: New Society Publishers, 2009. Print.

Gavrilas, Mirela. “Nuclear energy.” World Book Student. World Book, 2011. Web. 3 Mar. 2011.

This is the result of the Freshwater 101 Quiz I linked in my past post. I only got 60%! Though I know the subject of freshwater is very important, I still have a lot to learn, as most of us  do. I will keep on working to learn more about this precious resource, starting with checking out the freshwater information page on the Nation Geographic site. I hope you will too!  

You use water every day-washing your hair, scrubbing the dishes. You also use water when you run your computer or drive to work-somewhere along the way, during the product life cycle of the computer or car, water has been used. In this post I’ll detail why we need to conserve water and how you can do so today.

Why do we need to conserve water?

Although over 70% of the earth’s surface is covered by water, “only 1% of the world’s water can be used for human consumption. Yet we seem to be doing everything we can to use up or pollute what little we have — half of the global population will be living in areas of “acute water shortage” by 2030.” How are we using up our supply?

Today I came upon a new catch phrase to describe the peak and decline in water production-”peak water”. From the phrase “peak oil” comes a way of describing our use of water and predicting when the supply will run dry. Some use  “three concepts of “peak water:” peak renewable water, peak nonrenewable water, and peak ecological water…

Peak Renewable Water. A significant fraction of total human use of water comes from water taken from renewable flows of rainfall, rivers, streams, and groundwater basins that are recharged over relatively short time frames. Because a particular water source may be renewable, however, does not mean that it is unlimited. Indeed, the first peak water constraint is the limit on total water that can be withdrawn from a system. The ultimate limit is the complete renewable flow.

Peak Nonrenewable Water. In some watersheds, water comes from stocks of water that are effectively nonrenewable, such as groundwater aquifers with very slow recharge rates or groundwater systems damaged by compaction or other physical changes in the basin. When the use of water from a groundwater aquifer far exceeds the natural recharge rate, this stock of groundwater will be quickly depleted. Or when groundwater aquifers become contaminated with pollutants that make the water unusable, a renewable aquifer can become nonrenewable, very much like oil fields.

Peak Ecological Water. For many watersheds, a more immediate and serious concern than running out of water is exceeding a point of water use that causes serious or irreversible ecological damage. Not only does water sustain human life and commercial and industrial activity, but it is also fundamental for animals, plants, habitats, and environmentally dependent livelihoods. Each new incremental supply project that captures water for human use and consumption decreases the availability of that source to support ecosystems and diminishes the capacity to provide services.”

Don’t let all of this confuse you about the fact that “there is a fixed amount of water, which has been the same since dinosaurs roamed the planet, and will remain 200 years from now… a May 20 article in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science finally provides a clear definition [of "peak water"]. “It means that every new sources we tap is going to be farther afield, harder to access, and more expensive. We are at the end of the era of cheap, easy-to-access water,” said study co-author Meena Palaniappan, director of the International Water and Communities Initiative at the Pacific Institute.”

How else can I benefit from saving water?

“Every time you shave minutes off your use of hot water, you also save energy and keep dollars in your pocket.” This kind of talk is an awesome way to convince your parents to be more considerate with their water use if they’re concerned about money. Every month you (or if you rent, your landlord) receives a water bill. If you use less water that bill we be lower!

How can we conserve water?

There are many different things you can practice or purchase to limit your day-to-day water use. Here a some ideas. Please comment with more!

1. Use a low-flow toilet, tap, and showerhead. “If you use a low-flow showerhead, you can save 15 gallons of water during a 10-minute shower.“
2. Cut down your shower time!
3. Repair leaks. “On average, 10 gallons per day of your water footprint (or 14% of your indoor use) is lost to leaks. Short of installing new water-efficient fixtures, one of the easiest, most effective ways to cut your footprint is by repairing leaky faucets and toilets.“
4. Choose to shower. “It takes about 70 gallons of water to fill a bathtub, so showers are generally the more water-efficient way to bathe.“
5. Update your toilet. “All of those flushes can add up to nearly 20 gallons a day down the toilet. If you still have a standard toilet, which uses close to 3.5 gallons a flush, you can save by retrofitting or filling your tank with something that will displace some of that water, such as a brick.“
6. Load your washing machine up front. “Most front-loading machines are energy- and water-efficient, using just over 20 gallons a load, while most top-loading machines, unless they are energy-efficient, use 40 gallons per load.“
7. Adjust the settings on you washing machine. “Nearly 22% of indoor home water use comes from doing laundry. Save water by making sure to adjust the settings on your machine to the proper load size.“
8. Load up the dishwasher, and make sure it’s Energy Star. “Dishwashing is a relatively small part of your water footprint—less than 2% of indoor use—but there are always ways to conserve. Using a machine is actually more water efficient than hand washing, especially if you run full loads. Energy Star dishwashers use about 4 gallons of water per load, and even standard machines use only about 6 gallons. Hand washing generally uses about 20 gallons of water each time.“
9. Water your lawn during in the morning or evening, when less water will be lost to evaporation. Remember, your lawn only needs “1 inch of water per week” and that any cement around it doesn’t need watering too.  ”Nearly 60% of a person’s household water footprint can go toward lawn and garden maintenance.“
10. Cover up your pool. “The average pool takes 22,000 gallons of water to fill, and if you don’t cover it, hundreds of gallons of water per month can be lost due to evaporation.“
11. Choose your meat wisely. “That quarter pounder is worth more than 30 average American showers. One of the easiest ways to slim your water footprint is to eat less meat and dairy. Another way is to choose grass-fed, rather than grain-fed, since it can take a lot of water to grow corn and other feed crops.“
12. Eat local. “There are…water costs embedded in the transportation of food (gasoline costs water to make). So, consider how far your food has to travel, and buy local to cut your water footprint.“
13. Don’t wash that car! “Washing a car uses about 150 gallons of water, so by washing less frequently you can cut back your water use.“
14. Drive less. “A gallon of gasoline takes nearly 13 gallons of water to produce. Combine your errands, car pool to work, or take public transportation to reduce both your energy and water use.“
15. Fly less. “Flying from Los Angeles to San Francisco, about 700 miles round-trip, could cost you more than 9,000 gallons of water, or enough for almost 2,000 average dishwasher loads.“
16. Limit the size of your wardrobe. “It takes about 100 gallons of water to grow and process a single pound of cotton, and the average American goes through about 35 pounds of new cotton material each year. Do you really need that additional T-shirt?“
17. Reduce, reuse, recycle. “One of the best ways to conserve water is to buy recycled goods, and to recycle your stuff when you’re done with it. Or, stick to buying only what you really need…Recycling a pound of paper, less than the weight of your average newspaper, saves about 3.5 gallons of water. Buying recycled paper products saves water too, as it takes about six gallons of water to produce a dollar worth of paper.“
18. “Choose outdoor landscaping appropriate for your climate. Native plants and grasses that thrive on natural rainfall only are best.“
19. “Only order water in a restaurant if you are going to actually drink it.”
20. “Reuse your dehumidifier water” to water your plants and lawn.
21. “Use the same glass for water” instead of grabbing a new one every time you’re thirsty.
22. “Reuse your cooking water. How many times a week do you steam or boil vegetables? Often that leftover water ends up down the drain. Next time, save the water and use it to start vegetable stock for a soup.“
23. Use a rain barrel in your front yard and then water your plants with the water you collect.
24. Don’t over-water your plants. You can also use slow release ceramic or glass water containers that you place in your pots.

Fun ways to test your knowledge and skills.

Geographic: EcoRescue: Rivers Game

National Geographic: Freshwater 101 Quiz

Sources:

Huffington Post: Has the US Passed the Point of Peak Water?

TreeHugger.com: Peak Water

National Geographic: Passing the Point of “Peak Water” Means Paying More for H2O

National Geographic: Water Conservation Tips

All About Lawns: How Much Should I Water?

National Geographic: What You Can Do

TreeHugger.com: 7 Simple Unexpected Ways to Save Water

________

Other Articles to Check Out

TreeHugger.com: Do We Need A Local Water Movement

…no it didn’t. But many light bulbs are constantly being turned on in homes all over the world, and that costs a lot of money and also takes a toll on the environment (my focus). In this blog I’m going to compare the main types of light bulbs out on the market so you can make the best choice on what’s going to light up when you flip the switch.

The three main types of bulbs are:

1. Incandescent
2. Compact fluorescent lamp/light (CFL)
3. Light-emitting diode (LED)

In 1879, Thomas Edison produced the first light bulb. In his incandescent bulb, which is still the most popular variety today, “electric current passes through a filament (wire). The electrons of the current collide violently with one another and with the atoms of the filament, heating the filament and exciting the atoms. As a result, the atoms emit a stream of light with a wide range of energies. The combination of all the resulting colors is white, and the filament glows white hot.” As may seem obvious by this statement, incandescent bulbs waste a lot of energy just by the fact that much of the energy they emit is not in the form of light, but heat. To solve this problem, other varieties of light bulbs are being produced.

A CFL bulb is a type of fluorescent lamp. A florescent lamp “is a device that produces light by passing electric current through a gas enclosed in a tube instead of through a filament. A fluorescent lamp uses only about a fifth as much electric power as an incandescent lamp uses to produce the same amount of light. It also produces only a fifth as much heat. Fluorescent lamps last much longer than incandescent lamps and can be coiled into light-bulb shapes, called compact fluorescent lamps(CFL’s). The fluorescent lamp was introduced in 1938, at the New York World’s Fair.” CFLs use less energy and have a longer life, but they cost much more than incandescent bulbs when you buy them. As you compare the price of a CFL to that of an incandescent bulb, remember that CFLs both last longer and cost less per year (since they use less electricity). A disadvantage of CFLs, and a reason many people are hesitant to switch them for incandescent bulbs, is the presence of mercury vapor in the bulbs. Mercury is highly toxic, acting as a cumulative poison. It is still allowed in small quantities though, because it has many helpful properties. It has to be disposed of properly though, and handled with care (“a substantial amount of mercury vapor, which is extremely harmful, can accumulate in rooms where a mercury spill has occurred. “). When you buy CFLs, ask the store if they have or know of a place where you can safely drop off your used bulbs.

An LED “is a tiny device that gives off light in response to an electric current…LED’s use electric power much more efficiently than do traditional incandescent lights.” Along with better energy use (which means lower bills for you), LED bulbs last longer. Keep both these factors in mind when looking at their price tag! “Widespread adoption of LEDs could cut U.S. consumption of electricity for lighting by 29 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. And unlike fragile glass bulbs, LEDs are made from sturdy wafers of semiconducting materials. An LED can last up to 50,000 hours—50 times as long as a 60-watt bulb.” Sometimes the light emitted by an LED isn’t pleasing to the eyes, but new technology, microscopic crystals called quantum dots, could fix that. “New research shows that applying a thin layer of these dots over light emitting diodes (LEDs) causes the diodes to emit white light with the warm hue of a typical household bulb.” Also, an LED bulb “casts its light in only one direction, which is fine for recessed lights and for spotlighting a specific area but could be a drawback in lamps or globes.” The previous fact about the strength of the bulbs is actually a very important point. Oladele Ogunseitan of UC-Irvine crunched the holiday LED bulbs with his team and found high levels of lead and nickel, as well as a variety of other chemicals. Lead and nickel are linked to cancer and neurological damage, among other diseases, when at high quantities. These finding only apply to tiny multicoloured holiday lights, though the team found chemicals in bulbs made for household use too. He suggests “sweep[ing] up the pieces with a special broom while wearing gloves and and a mask. He says the red ones are “hazardous waste” and shouldn’t be tossed in the trash.” (Koch, USA Today) Don’t be too afraid though, because LEDs don’t break easily. And Oguseitan says, “I still think LEDs are the next generation of lighting.” (Koch, USA Today)

As you browse the light bulb isle, keep these key facts in mind…

• Incandescent bulbs waste a lot of energy, and therefore a lot of money, emitting large amounts of energy in the form of heat.
• Both CFLs and LEDs use power more efficiently and last longer, saving money over time. They cost more up front though.
• Remember to properly dispose of light bulbs, remembering that CFLs contain mercury and LEDs may conatain various other chemicals.

Sources:

National Geographic: Changing Bulbs

National Geographic: “Lights Out” for Incandescent Bulbs?

World Book Online: Thomas Edison

World Book Online: Light

World Book Online: Fluorescent Lamp

Wikipedia: Compact Fluorescent Lamp

World Book Online: Mercury

World Book Online: Light-Emitting Diode

Koch, Wendy. “LED holiday lights contain lead, chemicals.” USA Today 14 February 2011: 3A. Print.