Our Environment

Water conservation is a hot topic and rightly so; many places in the western world are struggling to provide water for growing metropolitan areas. As a result many water systems are pushed to their limits making it difficult for people to conserve water by practicing such energy saving practices such as substituting showers for baths.

Typically, more water is used taking a bath than when taking a shower. Unfortunately, in many areas, water pressure is not sufficient to make taking a shower a practical alternative. This is especially true where public utilities are exceeding their maximum output or for persons living in multi-floor dwellings. A solution to this problem is to install a shower pump which will add pressure to the existing water supply and enable a steady stream of water to flow from your shower head.

In addition to shower pumps, electric shower heads also conserve energy expended through the heating of water. Instead of using a massive boiler or water heater to keep a large reservoir of water heated constantly, electric shower heads heat water as needed thereby reducing the consumption cost of hot water. By installing an electric shower head, such as those manufactured by Mira Showers, you can save a considerable amount of electricity every day.

Both of the technologies mentioned place more control of energy expenditure with the individual and create the opportunity for conservation. It is still up to us, however, to take make use of these devices for the good of the planet.

If you have not made the switch to HDTV, then you probably know someone who has or you have at least made a trip to your local bar or pub to watch the Monday night game in high definition. Remarkably, even though HDTV’s average a larger screen size than the previous generation of televisions, they require less materials to build and have a smaller foot print on the environment when they have reached the end of their life-cycle.

The European Union has already developed a program to “Eco-label” HDTV’s and it has been successful in setting the standard for eco-friendly manufacturers around the world.

Requirements for the EU Eco-label for television sets include:
* Consumption on standby below 1 watt
* Low electricity consumption when in use
* Recommendations for correct environmentally-conscious usage
* Designed for higher durability and materials with better recycling ability
* Availability of electronic replacement parts for at least seven years after the end of production

HDTV can be broadcast through a special subscription with your local cable provider. Many, however, do not realize that you can receive HD signals free of charge using a traditional tv antenna. Unlike the antennas used by our parents, new antennas are made from lighter, more resilient and more environmentally friendly materials.

For more information on receiving free HDTV, check out the Boston Globe free hdtv article.