so far, i’ve covered general water saving tips + saving-water-in-the-kitchen tips … now:

suggestions for saving water in the bathroom …

toilets …

* minimize the amount of toilet paper you use and flush down the toilet … better yet, dispose of used toilet paper in a trash bin …

* avoid flushing garbage (including pads, tampons, and diapers) down the toilet … water systems are not the equivalent of landfills … more…

in my previous post (wednesday june 24), i provided some general recommendations for how to cut down on your water use …. now, here are:

tips on how to save water in the kitchen ….

washing dishes …

* fill a tub or sink with water and dish soap to wash dishes rather than running
water down the drain while you scrub …

* when possible, fill a tub or sink with rinse water as well, so dishes can be dipped instead of soaked under a running stream … alternatively, rinse quickly under a low-pressure stream or warm or cool water … avoid using piping hot water, which won’t (at this point) make your dishes any cleaner … it will only help them dry faster … more…

here are some ideas for how you can become more aware of your water usage and how you can decrease your water consumption … you can learn more about the water cycle in my previous post (mon june 22nd) …

general recommendations …

* avoid leaving a running tap unattended … you will waste more water than you need …

* use the minimal amount of water pressure needed — often times, a modest trickle of water will suffice … rarely, if ever, is a deluge of water necessary …

* avoid using hot water when warm or cool water will suffice …

* close the water tap any time you are not using the water that pours out of it …  for example, close the water tap while: more…

in my previous post, i briefly introduced “the water issue” … water is a necessity, a blessing, a right, a luxury, an indispensable and irreplaceable vital nutrient … and yet, i consider myself ineffably fortunate to have daily, liberal access to clean, abundant, potable water on demand — where i want it, when i want it …

how and why is it that approximately 1.1 billion people in the world (more than 16% of the world’s population; United Nations statistics, 2004) live without free access to clean, sufficient water? … equally horrific is the fact that billions more live without adequate sanitation … more…

for several decades, scientists, naturalists, and concerned citizens around the world have been cautioning people against the careless use, abuse, and rapid disposal of plastics … fortunately, their message has not dissipated in intensity and it is increasingly more far-reaching … however, considering the explosive rate of global population growth, i wonder if the message is becoming diluted or more concentrated among the proliferating minds populating Earth today … more…

to effectively protect and conserve global ecosystems and wildlife, i think a certain level of maturity, respect, and understanding is necessary … every individual must understand the depth of the issues, respect all forms of life, and live maturely to minimize negative impacts to the planet and all Earth-dwellers … more…

confusing terms …

degradable, biodegradable and compostable … they all mean different things … they’re often used interchangeably … however, when you’re dealing with man-made products (e.g., bioplastics) that have been stamped with a claim of being “environmentally friendly”, it is important to understand what means what … some company claims may be deceiving … more…

as litter, plastic bags are especially harmful for wildlife, which may become caught and entangled in whole or torn bags … some animals may also accidentally ingest and suffocate on bags that are mistakenly taken for prey … plastic bags also choke plants, shading them from essential sunlight and sealing them off from the carbon dioxide they respire … keep in mind that plants (and the microorganisms upon which they are dependent) are the vital foundation of almost all ecosystems … more…