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Water. The Next Gold

Submitted by steven on Sun, 06/21/2009 - 13:17
in


I recently travelled to Lake Mead, Hoover Dam to be specific. I have passed by there at least a dozen times over my lifetime, but this last time was a real wakeup call. The level of the lake that supports so many people is beyond low. As a result, I have really put some thought into how to both harvest rainwater and to conserve water in Independence Station. To start with, we have turned to the experts at Kohler and the EPA WaterSense program to stretch what we use. From ingenious shower heads to water saving faucets and ultra low flush toilets, Kohler has really come through for us.

Once we have the plumbing efficiency covered, the next crucial step is user education to break old wasteful habits such as leaving the water flowing while brushing teeth and shaving while in the shower. I’ve been guilty of this for many years and have recently started shaving after my shower. Without a committed user, all the water saving fixtures will do little good.

Once we have conservation and good habits working for us, now we can move to the fun part; rain water harvesting. Independence, OR, gets 49 inches of rain per year. (The US average is 37.) We plan on taking advantage of this free asset from the sky. We have 92,000 total gallons of rain water storage, more than enough to bridge the entire dry Summer for laundry, toilets, hose bibs and irrigation of the landscaping, green roof and the vertical garden in the main lobby. After removing these uses from the City water supply, we should have some of the lowest potable water consumption rates per square foot of any similar building in the world. Just think, if all new buildings in areas with at least 20 inches of rain per year would do this, we would not be facing such a water crisis in most parts of the county.

Today, the issue is oil. Tomorrow, the issue will be water. Think about what you can do in your own life to help conserve. My heart is after those less fortunate. Look into “Playpumps” if you are also so inclined. Another new water invention is from Dean Kaman and is called the “Slingshot”. Drop me a line and let me know what you think about these inventions and if you would like to join me in seeking ways to support the distribution of these lifesaving devices.

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Comments

Conservation is key

Submitted by millermax10 on Tue, 12/22/2009 - 15:09.

I could see a day coming when people sell water like they sell gold today. Water is really our most precious resource. We use it in everything we do, from bathing to cooking to drinking. Water sustains life, and if we as a society don't do more to conserve it, a future water crisis could be worse than any oil crisis we've seen yet in terms of ridiculously inflated prices.

using water many times

Submitted by earthship on Fri, 07/24/2009 - 13:21.

We live in a time when many parts of our planet are experiencing water shortages. The volume of water on this planet is finite while human population increases. As we gauge the depletion of our aquifers and the increase in population, we are able to predict serious water shortages in the near future.
We must begin now... learning to harvest water in each individual home. We must use this water many times before putting it back into the earth. When we do put it back, it must be in a form that works with existing nurturing forces and phenomena of the earth.
--
earthship biotecture
www.earthship.net

a valued resource

Submitted by soniaa on Mon, 12/07/2009 - 11:27.

water is the most valued natural resource and people who are using either the sun for solar panels energy or water for efficiency are giving themselves a head start. property mortgages