If It Is Thursday It's Going Green - Water Conservation

Water is a Basic Human Right

All people deserve the right to a clean and accessible water source. However, throughout the world people are struggling for this basic human right.

Today I am making some suggestions that may help you and your family conserve the amount of water that you use.

Think of water as sacred. Whether you live in areas with plenty of water or where water is scarce, remember water is a precious resource. Whether in the home, in the community or within industrial development, we can no longer afford to waste water.

Avoid Consuming Bottled Water: Unless it is an emergency, bottled water is not the solution. Fill re-usable containers with tap water and take them with you.

Do Not Pour Chemicals Down the Drain: Watch what you pour down your drain and what you put in your garbage. Everything you throw out will find its way back into the hydrologic cycle.

Water conservation is an important environmental issue. The average U.S. household uses over 300 gallons of water per day. Inside of our homes, toilets, clothes washers and showers are the largest water users. By making some behavior changes, and by adding some new fixture attachments and appliances, the average water conserving home could cut their daily average to less than 150 gallons with no sacrifice in comfort or performance.

How to Do It:

1. Only run full loads of dishes and laundry. Don’t waste all that water by using half loads, as this isn’t economical at all.

2. Do not hand wash your dishes or clothing if you have machines. You’ll use more water that way and you could be wasting a lot more water by rinsing off your dishes before you put them in the dishwasher.

3. Make sure to fix any leaks. Do you hear your toilet running all the time? Is there a drip, drip, drip in your tub? The water volume from these leaks will really add up over time. Leaks can account for a large percentage of your indoor water use! These are often undetected because they are small, hidden in water fixtures, walls and basements, or happen underground. Check your water meter to see if you have any leaks (shut off all water uses in your house for an hour, and see if your meter moves).

4. Turn off your faucet while you brush your teeth. Don’t let the water run; use the stopper to fill the sink with water when you wash your hands and face.

5. Get high efficiency showerheads. These are really amazing: you’ll still enjoy a luxurious, powerful shower stream but you will save thousands of gallons of water per person per year. Spend less time in the shower.

6. Get low-flow toilets. Today’s high efficiency toilets not only save water and energy, but also perform as well as their water-guzzling predecessors. You may be wasting tens of gallons a day if you live in an older house with old toilets. Pour a few drops of food coloring into the toilet tank - wait an hour - if the water in the toilet changes color you have a costly leak. Have it repaired.

7. If it’s time for new machines, it’s a very good idea to get an Energy Star approved laundry machine and dishwasher. These machines save a significant amount of energy and water and they will save you money over the long run. There are also rebates available for these appliances.

8. If you have a car, don’t use the hose but instead use the old fashioned bucket and a sponge to clean your car as this will save so much running water.

9. If you have a house - collect rainwater and use it for your gardening needs.

Just these few tips can conserve not only a lot of water but will also save you money on your water bills each year. Why not save some water today?

Remember the 4 R's - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Repair.

Together we can make a change in the world.

peacesojourner

If It Is Thursday It's Going Green - Stop Drinking Sodas

America’s first sodas were made by pharmacists for curative purposes and were flavored with ingredients like birch bark and dandelions. Today’s soft drinks are full of artificial ingredients and are proven to increase health risks.

Children in school are faced with vending machines containing sodas. But studies show that consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks not only increases weight but also increases the risk of other health issues.

Besides the sugar content which adds to tooth decay, most soft drinks are also acidic—frequent sipping of these low-pH drinks can have adverse effects on tooth enamel, namely in the form of erosion.

Recent studies show that pre-schoolers are now beginning to show up with soda in their lunchboxes.

Here are six suggestions to change your drinking habits.

1. The best alternative is water, water and water. At school, make sure your kids know where the drinking fountains are! And fill a reusable, inert water bottle with filtered water from your tap.

2. Fruit juice mixed with sparkling water. Juice is packed with vitamins, but is also high in natural sugars so consumption of straight juice should be limited to 6 ounces per day.

3. Organic milk or milk alternatives (rice milk, almond milk, goat milk)

4. Flavored milk (or milk alternative). If you absolutely can’t get your child to drink plain milk, keep this in mind: The Adolescent Health journal found that even dairy products with added sugar are significantly better than soda in the development of children and adolescents. Consider making your own with organic milk and vanilla extract or organic chocolate: This way you can control the amount of sugar.

5. All-natural, low-sugar soft drinks. These are better than conventional sodas, but they still create a “taste” for soda. It is better to get out of the soda mind-set altogether.

6. Drink lots of plain water and eat whole fruit. Also, drink chamomile tea.

42nd Anniversary of Earth Day - April 22, 2012

The Earth Flag was designed in 1970 by Earth Day founder

and pioneer John McConnell

Treat the earth gently

Earth Day promotes environmental awareness and calls for the protection of our planet.

Sunday, April 22, 2012.

Earth Day is a name used for two different observances, both held worldwide annually. While some people celebrate Earth Day around the time of the vernal equinox, others observe the occasion on April 22 each year. Earth Day aims to inspire awareness of and appreciation for earth's environment. It is currently observed in more than 140 countries around the world.

What do people do?:
The April 22 Earth Day is usually celebrated with outdoor performances, where individuals or groups perform acts of service to earth by planting trees, picking up roadside trash, conducting various programs for recycling and conservation, using recyclable containers for snacks and lunches. Some people sign petitions to governments, calling for stronger or immediate action to stop global warming. Television stations frequently air programs dealing with environmental issues.

Background:
The April 22 Earth Day, founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson, was first organized in 1970 to promote ecology and respect for life on the planet as well as to encourage awareness of the growing problems of air, water and soil pollution.
In 1978, American anthropologist Margaret Mead added her support for the equinox Earth Day, founded by John McConnell. She stated that the selection of the March Equinox for Earth Day made planetary observance of a shared event possible.

Symbols:
"The Earth Flag is my symbol of the task before us all. Only in the last quarter of my life have we come to know what it means to be custodians of the future of the Earth - to know that unless we care, unless we check the rapacious exploitations of our Earth and protect it, we are endangering the future of our children and our children's children. We did not know this before, except in little pieces. People knew that they had to take care of their own ... but it was not until we saw the picture of the Earth, from the Moon, that we realized how small and how helpless this planet is - something that we must hold in our arms and care for."
Margaret Mead, March 21, 1977

The Earth Flag was designed in 1970 by Earth Day founder and pioneer John McConnell, an early leader in the international peace movement. Inspired by the striking first photographs of the whole Earth taken during America's historic Apollo 10 space mission in 1969, this symbolic creation attained immediate world-wide recognition, including a lifetime association with renowned anthropologist Margaret Mead. Dr. Mead carried what she called "the flag for all people" with her wherever she appeared from 1969 until her death in 1977.
The Earth Flag is proudly waved at Earth Day celebrations throughout the world. The Earth Flag now flies as a matter of course in hundreds of American cities, as well as numerous countries in North and South America, in Europe, in Africa, in Asia and Japan.

So what can you do to take part in Earth Day?

Here are some opportunities for Volunteering. Why not get in touch with them and get involved. One thing that I can guarantee is that you will meet some wonderful human beings and you just might have some fun while you are helping.


Earth Team Volunteers:
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/feature/volunteers
The Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service needs people 14 and older to help reduce soil loss, protect water supplies, and more.

EPA Earth Day Activities :
http://www.epa.gov/earthday/events.htm The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency holds local events to celebrate Earth Day.

Forest Service Volunteer:
http://www.fs.fed.us/fsjobs/volunteers.html
Volunteers are the heartbeat of the USDA Forest Service. Your talents and skills are matched with your work preference to satisfy you and fulfill the mission of the Forest Service.

Take Pride in America:
http://www.takepride.gov/
Help maintain our natural, cultural and historic resources on public lands.

National Youth Service Day:
(mid-April each year)
http://www.ysa.org/nysd
The largest service event in the world, mobilizing millions of young Americans to identify and address the needs of their communities through service

USA Freedom Corps:
http://www.usafreedomcorps.gov
Find service opportunities that match your interests and talents in your home town, across the country or around the world.

Volunteer.gov/gov:
http://www.volunteer.gov/gov
Find ways to volunteer with government at all levels.

Don't just sit there - do something to make a change in your own yard, your community, state, nation, the world. Whether you work locally or globally

you and others will benefit from your efforts.

peacesojourner

World Water Day - 2012

Today, March 22, 2012, is World Water Day

Most of us have always had access to running hot and cold water and could not imagine life without it. The following paragraph is an excerpt of an article I wrote when I lived in El Salvador, Central America, some years ago.

“I am living in a small room (6’ x 6’) in the local church. I have no TV, no radio, no sink, no phone, and no fridge. Actually, I do have a sink but it is outdoors and I use it to wash clothes and dishes and to store water in daily for use during the times when there is no water available. We do have water on this street but only from 7 am to 11 am every day. (4 hours) and that is not guaranteed. It is actually very liberating washing the body, the clothes and dishes (not at the same time) outdoors in the sunshine. :-) The sink is called a pilar and is very important to the way of life here. One learns to adapt very quickly and as soon as the water is turned on in the morning I hurry to get the very cold water, wash, and get ready for the day.”

While in El Salvador I witnessed many things related to water. I was in a small village outside of Santa Ana and most of the people had no running water. There was a very small waterfall at the end of ‘la linea’ (the railroad line) and the women would bathe there. Washing their hair and showering with their clothing on, while washing their dress at the same time. Then, still wearing the clothing, let it air dry in the sunshine. After this they filled large containers with water and carried them on their head to their homes.

The next village over was Masacua, and all of the people shared one water pump in the center of the village. Later, another more modern water faucet was installed (still only one for the whole village). The entire community turned out for the blessing of the water – giving thanks to God that they finally had clean running water from a deep well. There were no toilets in Masacua at the time I arrived there and a few months later some young men came from Belgium and installed some raised toilets – one for each family. The villagers would chuckle because the toilets were built up high and one had to walk up about eight cement steps to reach it - they were flushed with chemicals and a bucket of water. They named them the ‘tronos real’ (royal thrones).

I witnessed the factories from the United States pumping chemical waste into the local rivers which turned the water dark brown. No concern was given that this was the water that the local people had to drink. I agonized over the fact that in the United States they had to follow environmental safety laws and in Central America there are no such laws and the local children are dying from the contaminated water. I complained loudly to the companies but no one listened. I still feel that if the companies know that their product pollutes the water then they have a moral responsibility to put precautions in place.

In the first weeks that I was there I became very ill from drinking the water and after about two months I decided I would buy bottled water so that I would not get sick again. I'm sorry to tell you that the local people did not have the option to do that and I felt uncomfortable about it but I decided that in order to be effective in my work there I needed to stay healthy.

There was a very ingenious local water site that the men had built. There was a small river in the town from which the men had channeled the water into a swimming pool where the children could play, and the same water was again channeled into about 50 stone community sinks where the women would come and wash their clothes. The wastewater from the sinks was then directed back into the flow of the river. The women would place the clothing on the bushes along the river so that they could dry in the sunshine.

Another common sight was to see men washing daily at a public stone pilar (sink) along the side of the road on their way to work.

I had heard from the women that Health workers from other countries had come to the village to teach the women about the basic hygiene of washing their hands after everything that they do, to prevent the spread of germs. The women explained to me that they felt this was ridiculous as the one heavy container of water that they carried home daily could not be wasted on repeated hand washing.

I could give many more examples. One thing that I learned personally was to value water and when I returned to the U.S. I became very frugal with the use of water. So much so that one day the local Water Department made a visit to my home because they were sure that the water meter must not be working. My bill for several months was only $7. I explained that I had learned how to conserve water while living in Central America. They found it hard to believe but found nothing wrong with the meter. :-)

Friends, according to the United Nations, about 1.4 billion people lack access to clean water and 2.4 billion people lack adequate sanitation. Because of this, over 9,000 children die daily. Please check out the United Nations website to see what you can do to help.

peacesojourner

Did you know that today is World Toilet Day?

Did you know that today is World Toilet Day?

I am guessing that most of you reading this have lived your entire lives with access to indoor plumbing and a working toilet.

I am also aware that some of my readers may still not have running water or a flushable toilet in their home. While many of us take for granted that we will always have daily access to a bathroom there are millions of people in many developing countries who are denied this basic need every day.

You're probably wondering: Do we really need a National Toilet Day? The answer is yes. It is a day set aside to try to bring awareness to people around the world.

A group called ‘Water For People’ supports long-lasting solutions that empower communities to solve their own sanitation problems. They have asked bloggers to talk about this topic today so I am glad to do so.

Even thought at first glance World Toilet Day may seem frivolous there are activists in Washington D.C and around the world who use this day to call for increased access to basic bathrooms for everyone.

A toilet is actually a luxury in many areas of the world. Lack of toilets can spell trouble in the form of contaminated water and the spread of diseases such as cholera. Our friends in Haiti lived this experience this past year - 1,180 have died so far. The huge humanitarian operation in Haiti appears to be losing the battle against the latest catastrophe occurring in the poor Caribbean nation. 20,000 people have been treated in hospitals for the diarrheal disease, which can kill in hours through dehydration if not treated quickly.

It is estimated that 2.5 billion people worldwide do not have access to clean toilets and make do by using plastic bags or hustling off into the bushes.

Educate yourself about the lack of sanitation in the world. The facts are staggering - it is the world's biggest cause of infection. Safe disposal of children's feces leads to a reduction of nearly 40% in childhood diarrhea.

What percentage of the world uses toilet paper? The answer is: 30% –alternatives for the other 70% include hands, water, sand, small rocks, mud, leaves, rope, seaweed and corn husks.

So, when you sit down on your throne today, keep in mind that this is a day to remember that not everyone has the same ability to do what you’re doing. Not having a toilet would be like camping outdoors in the woods your whole life, don’t you think?

When I lived in El Salvador I met people in the rural communities who did not have electricity, running water or indoor plumbing. They dug out an open pit in the ground to dispose of fecal waste and when it was almost full they would cover it in with soil and then dug out another. In one community that I spent time in, some Dutch volunteer workers had built each family a raised commode (with a door) outside of the home which was built up high on cement cinder blocks. One had to go up several steps to use the commode and the waste would fall into a chemical filled site below. The villagers laughed and said that they now had royal thrones.

I once attended a gathering in the village where the local pastor conducted a religious service of thanking God for the gift of access to running water. Every villager was in attendance to give thanks to God and to witness the blessing of the water. The same volunteers from Holland had dug for water and it was finally being channeled into a pipe and one faucet. This single outdoor faucet was for the entire village to share. Before the installation of this faucet the villagers had to travel long distances to collect water and carry it in containers, balanced on their heads, back to their homes.

I also witnessed similar conditions in rural India, especially in the Dalit (formerly known as the Untouchables) community.

So there you have it - World Toilet Day is a day marked to make us aware that over 2.6 billion people in other countries across the globe do not have basic sanitation, causing widespread diseases and deaths every day.

Some may pooh-pooh the whole idea – yes, I said it :-) but really, why not stand up so that others can sit down this World Toilet Day!

******

1 out of 5 children die of diarrheal disease, which means the mother in this photo can expect to bury at least one of her children before their 5th birthday.

*****

To learn more about this go to - http://www.worldtoiletday.com

UNICEF is also committed to improving toilet and sanitation conditions worldwide.

Why not volunteer to help with labor or a financial donation? Check them out.

peacesojourner

If It Is Thursday It's Going Green - Water Conservation

If it is Thursday it's Going Green

WATER HEATER: Check your water heater to see if it needs insulation by touching it. If it feels warm, wrap it in a heater blanket. Installing an insulating blanket on your water heater can cut your water heating costs by up to 9 percent. (cost $10) Leave the heater’s thermostat access panel uncovered when you apply the blanket, and set the temperature below 130°F to avoid overheating the wiring.

WATER CONSERVATION: Turn off the tap when brushing teeth and washing dishes.
You may be amazed to know how much water a leaky faucet wastes. For instance, if your faucet drips at a rate of one drop per second, 2,700 gallons would be down the drain each year. So fix the leak. For less than a dollar, you can stop the waste and end up saving money on your utility bill.

A leak from the toilet tank into the bowl is a stealth problem—you can’t see it, but water is wasting constantly. To check for a leak, put three drops of food coloring in the tank and wait a half-hour. If the color appears in the bowl, repair or replace the flapper valve, an easy operation that can save 100 gallons of water or more daily.

Take a few minutes to install a low-flow showerhead. It will make a big difference in conserving water and lower your monthly bill too. Federal standards now require that new showerheads operate at 2.5 gallons per minute. According to EPA figures, replacing old showerheads (that spritzed 4.5 gallons per minute) can save a family of four about 20,000 gallons of water each year.

As the water for your morning shower heats up, fill a watering can with the cold water before it goes down the drain. A ten-minute shower can expend one-third less water than a bath. You can save still more water and heat with the technique known as the ‘navy shower.’ Instead of running a constant stream of water, lather up with the water off and then turn it back on to rinse. Try it and let me know what you think. :-)

Together we can make a difference!

Remember the 4 R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repair

Blessing the Niagara Waters - Squaw Island , NY

Water.......a Blessing

A Ritual Commitment to Our Niagara Waters

In the background the Peace Bridge between the United States and Canada

Water Dance by the Spirit Dance Company

View from Squaw Island, Broderick Park, Buffalo

Looking across the border, yes, the shoreline  you see is in Canada.

 This past weekend, March 21, 2009, a fairly large group of people gathered at the edge of the Niagara waters to celebrate the Vernal Equinox - the coming of Spring - and the recognition of the United Nations World Water Day.

The event was sponsored by the Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper (wwwbnriverkeeper.org)

As I view these photos that I took, I am again grateful for many things. 

1. That I live very close to this wonderful body of water that runs directly into the Niagara Falls.

2. That the United States and Canada , though different countries and governments, exist border to border in peace and harmony.  I wish that it could be so in every country in the world.

3. That whatever happens in our lives Mother Nature never fails us and quietly, gently continues with the process of the changing seasons, the migration of the animals and the budding of flowers that will soon be in full bloom. 

4. And that I continue to have the privilege of being a joyful witness to it all.

*****

The Waters

We give thanks to all the Waters of the world for quenching our thirst and providing us with strength. Water is life. We know its power in many forms - waterfalls and rain, mists and streams, rivers and oceans. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to the spirit of Water.

Now our minds are one.

  From Haudenosaunee - Words Before All Else