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.

Applying earth friendly, sustainable principles to your bathroom décor is simple and affordable. Green bathrooms are more than just a passing fad; they are becoming the standard in most new homes. Most importantly, applying green building principles to bathroom design addresses one of the biggest environmental concerns today; that of water sustainability. Daily house hold water usage by Americans averages 69.3 gallons of water per person per day. By simply switching to low-flow toilets and faucets, this amount can be cut in half.

Here are some additional tips to keep your bathroom in the green:

•Pay close attention to the materials used when selecting counter tops, flooring, and shower enclosures. Instead of vinyl, use linoleum which is derived from wood flour, resins and linseed oil; all of which are renewable and non-toxic.

•Consider using recycled materials. Most metropolitan areas have reclamation centers that are government funded or associated with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity.

•Use low flow plumbing. Older toilets use 5 gallons per flush. New low flow models do the same job using only 1.6 gallons.

Applying green principles to your everyday life insures that future generations will have access to the same resources in the future that we take advantage of today.

“Water, water every where but not a drop to drink!” You may remember this familiar refrain. True enough, about 80% of the earth is covered by water but we are still plagued with water shortage concerns. Many believe that we have an unlimited supply of water. What they fail to realize is that, although water is a renewable resource, there is still a very big possibility that in the future we will suffer from extreme water shortages.

Ground water and surface water are the two main sources of our drinking water. Through the water cycle these sources renew themselves. But due to the fast population growth, demand for water is increased so that the water resources are not given the chance to replenish before water is again depleted.

Water conservation is a necessary step that will insure that demand is always less that the supply. This basic principle applies to all of the resources that are used by society. If we fail to reduce, replenish, and renew, then there will eventually be nothing left.

So, that being said, here are a few tips that can help you cut your own use of water at home.
Be sure to comment with your own conservation tips as well!:

1. Keep track of your water bill. Try to find ways to reduce it.
2. Fix leaky facet and plumbing fixtures. If this can not be done at once try to catch the drip with a pail. The water saved can be used to water the plants.
3. Adjust the water level in your washing machine if you can not wash full loads. The same thing goes for your dish washer. You will notice a great reduction in your water bill if you practice this tip.
4. Instruct your children to use a glass in brushing their teeth instead of just letting the water flow.
5. Take shorter showers or better yet change your shower heads to low flow. You gain to save about 3 gallons of water if you do so.
6. Use hot water to thaw food. You will consume more water if you let running water to flow over the frozen food. The water used to thaw the food can be used to water the plants.
7. Letting the pots and pans soak overnight would make for easy scouring that won’t need so much water.

You can do your part for water conservation by practising these tips and by encouraging other people to support water conservation programs too.