you’ve likely heard of the term “ecological footprint” … the concept helps people to quantify and appreciate how lifestyle habits impact the environment … while the calculations are not always accurate (largely because there are innumerable variables that cannot always be factored into the equations and mathematical models), i think it’s very helpful for people to use this resource …

recently, the concept of a “water footprint” has been promoted on a similar premise but with a focus on water use … more…

more suggestions on how to save water outdoors … see my previous blog for more outdoor tips …

gardens — herbs, fruit trees, vegetables, & other edibles …

* select plants that are native to your area or at least adapted to your growing zone … if in doubt, consult with your local nursery for information on plant selection and placement for optimum outdoor water savings …

* organize your garden using the principles of companion planting … for more tips, see this and this website … more…

this post is about saving water outdoors … if you’re interested in more suggestions, i’ve already posted water-saving tips for general, kitchen, bathroom, and laundry habits … i’ll split the outdoor water-saving tips into 2 posts to keep the entries relatively short but comprehensive …

most important tip:

* collect rain water …  this is becoming increasingly vital in areas all around the world … you can either purchase a rain barrel or use your own buckets and pails to harvest celestial down pours, then use this water to hydrate your indoor and outdoor garden plants, including grasses … you can also use this water for doing laundry, cleaning surfaces, washing dishes, bathing your pets, or washing your car … alternatively, you can direct water from rain gutters and HVAC systems toward water-loving plants and trees in your garden or landscape … more…

already covered in previous posts: general water saving tips, saving water in the kitchen, and saving water in the bathroom … today, i discuss:

how to do laundry … (and save water) …

general washing tips …

* i think the most important tip i can give straight away is that clothes can be worn more than once … even more than 2x or 3x … if clothing is stained or odouriferous, then it is understandably ready for a washing … however, the majority of people avoid re-wearing clothing due to purely aesthetic reasons … if your clothes aren’t dirty, fight the urge to throw them into the laundry pile … cutting back on the number of times you do laundry and the size of your loads is the best way to cut back on water use … also, the more you wash your clothes, the faster they wear … more…

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…

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…

in keeping with the theme of plastic bags and the importance of minimizing our use of them, i’ve been thinking a lot about how interesting it is that certain trends evolve and spread like wildfire when the media, industry, politicians, and the general public finally believe in the worthiness of a cause … we should all learn from success stories and keep in mind how powerful we are and how easily effective changes can be made … more…

i love to retreat from the city core to my friend’s farm on the weekend … at the farm, we live with 7 (soon to be 8 ) holstein cows  … they are each such lovely animals, unique in personality and grace …

we live with very minimal use of electricity … surprisingly, it’s a lot easier than i had originally thought … we cook with gas, warm ourselves by the wood stove, and occasionally (albeit rarely) use a generator when we need it … we have an organic garden to grow almost all of the food that we eat throughout the summer … we milk our cows, make yogurt and cheese, and buy eggs from a neighbour … more…