Have you thought about water as a limited global resource? It’s one good reason to pay attention to how much water we all use. According to the United Nations Development Program, water is one of the biggest indicators of social and economic health. That is, the more fresh water there is, the better off people are.
The good news is that since 1990, the number of people with access to clean water has grown by 1.6 billion. But UN computer models suggest that the combination of climate change and an increasing global population may lead to six billion people facing water shortages by 2050 unless we all get serious about conservation.
Saving water does more than make sure there’s enough to go around. It also conserves energy and helps prevent the global warming that’s harming water supplies in the first place.
Using less water means less need for water pumping, distribution, and desalinization. All of these processes require energy, and that has an impact on the global climate, too. In fact, according to the Worldwatch Institute, reducing these energy-intensive services could actually have a bigger impact than mandating that homes and business use less energy. So it’s clear that it’s time to conserve every drop.
Ugh. No one likes to clean out the garage. And it usually shows. Set aside a couple of hours and get everyone involved in “Garage Day.”
Designate some space in the yard or driveway to sort things as you take them out of the garage. Have a place for Toss, Store, Recycle, Give Away/Donate, Relocate (as in Belongs Elsewhere), and Garage. Have garbage bags and boxes ready, too.
When the garage is empty, give it a good cleaning. Sweep (and maybe spray wash) the floor. Clean out cobwebs from the corners. Wipe down the shelves with a damp rag.
Figure out what needs to go back into the garage (general categories) and where each category will be stored. For example, auto accessories, seasonal decorations, garden equipment, tools, sporting goods, lightbulbs, cold/hot weather storage, etc.
Replace everything that belongs in the garage in its designated place.
Get the trash ready for garbage day, or take it to the dump. Dispose of hazardous waste appropriately – call your city or county waste department or your waste hauler for specific information on what is hazardous and where/when it can be dropped off. This usually includes auto fluids, paints/stains and solvents, and yard and garden chemicals. Store it where children can’t get to it until you can dispose of it.
Load the Give Away/Donate stuff into your car and deliver it. Or schedule a pick up with a local charity.
Get the recycling ready for your next recycling pick up, or load it in your car to drop it at the local recycling center.
Put away whatever you found that belongs somewhere else. A random screwdriver that belongs in the basement, or beach towels that never made it to the laundry. If it has another home, put it away.
Finally, park the car(s) in the garage! Yay! You did it, and it looks great.
When your friends, family, or coworkers have an idea, need to talk, want feedback, or just need a listener, be the “yes” person – the person who listens with an open mind and always says “yes, I can see your side of it,” or “yes, I can help you with that,” or “yes, I can see how that might work,” or “yes, I’m listening.”
This doesn’t mean lose your identity in others, or ignore your own needs to meet those of others. Just be kind. Listen to people who need an ear or an honest opinion.
Check your home for hidden leaks. Take a reading from your water meter before everyone leaves the house for several hours (and no water will be used). Then check the meter again when you get home, before anyone uses any water. If your new reading is higher, you’ve got a leak somewhere.
A faucet that drips just once per second will waste 2,700 gallons per year. Hello? Fix that. Pronto.
You know those little screw-on screen things on faucets? They’re aerators – and you should have them on your faucets because they reduce water usage. You can get them at the hardware store. Is yours all crusty? Unscrew it, then soak it in distilled vinegar overnight. All clean! (Can’t get it off? Put some distilled vinegar in a baggie and tie it up around the aerator. It will unscrew in the morning.)
Install low-flow showerheads. This is pretty easy and makes a big impact.
Limit shower time. Maybe not to the 3-minute military showers, but really, you don’t need a long shower every day. Put a small timer in the bathroom, and set it for 5 minutes. Then hop into the shower, and see if you can get out before the timer goes off.
Replace an old toilet with a water-saving model. Older toilets waste as much as 14,000 gallons per year vs. new water-saving models. Until you have the resources to replace it, put a plastic jug of water or two in your toilet tank to displace some of the water there. Instant efficiency.
Showers use less water than baths. While we love our baking soda baths here at Marilu.com, it’s not prudent to take one every day. If anyone has suggestions for reusing baking soda bath water (gray water with a sodium content), we’d love to hear them.
Turn off faucet while you shave or brush your teeth. Teach your kids the same conservation ethic.
Dishwashers are generally more efficient than hand-washing your dishes. Make sure to run it only when it’s full, and don’t bother rinsing dishes first in the sink. (Research shows this doesn’t help!)
Stop using the garbage disposal. It needs a lot of water to work and wastes perfectly good compost! Compost all non-animal food scraps plus egg shells.
Keep a pitcher of drinking water in your fridge, so you don’t have to run the faucet to get cold water. Install an instant hot water tap on your kitchen sink so you don’t have to wait for the faucet to get hot.
Run the washing machine for full loads only. A small load uses proportionally more water. If it’s a lightly soiled load, use the shortest wash cycle.
Use bath towels for several days before washing them. Presumably, you’re clean when you use them, right?
Buy an energy-efficient front-loading washing machine when you have to replace your current one. Compare the cost to run a less efficient model, and you’ll see the higher initial cost will be okay in the long run.
Build up your emotional immunity – Marilu calls that your Teflon. A good coating of Teflon allows you to let the negativity slide right off. How do you build up Teflon? By spending time with yourself, knowing yourself well, and trusting your gut. A little resilience is a good thing.
Then if there’s a kernel of truth to the criticism, you have the confidence to hear that perspective and gain some insight – perhaps making a change as a result. And you know in your heart if there is no truth to those comments. You can just let them slide.
As a former approval junkie, the idea of Teflon has made a big difference in my happiness and peace of mind. A small dose of indifference to what people think of me at any given moment frees me up to be true to myself and be the BEST person I can be.
Serve this bright and tasty fish with salad and/or vegetables – grilled asparagus, or sautéed zucchini, onions and red pepper would be great. You can substitute boneless, skinless chicken or tofu for the fish.
1 cup lime juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ginger root, peeled and grated
4 cloves garlic, pressed
1/4 cup olive oil
4 firm fish steaks or filets (halibut or mahi-mahi) OR 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts OR four slices tofu (drained and pressed)
Put all marinade ingredients in a large, zipper-topped plastic bag, mush it around to mix, then add the fish (or chicken or tofu). Place in the refrigerator and turn whenever you remember. Not necessary, but it will give you a more even distribution of the flavors.
When the fish is marinated to your liking (you’ll marinate fish about an hour; chicken or tofu up to 4 hours), pull it out, throw it on a medium high barbecue (preheated for at least 10 minutes) and cook to desired doneness. Can be done on an indoor grill like George Foreman, or outdoor gas or charcoal grill. Throw away the marinade.
Eating “in season” is the best way to get cheap, delicious produce.
Plus, you can often get it locally grown (that means less environmental impact), sometimes even organic, and sometimes from the farmer’s market (that’s helping your local economy).
Of course, growing seasons are different in different parts of the US and different parts of the world, so the list here is just a guideline for what you can look for.
June is known for BERRIES – and berries are great for antioxidants. For a healthy treat, try a cup of fresh berries topped with half a cup of plain or vanilla soy yogurt, 1/4 cup of sliced raw almonds (or your favorite nuts), and drizzled with a teaspoon of agave nectar. Yummy!
Many of us pick at food throughout the day instead of (or in addition to!) eating regular meals. This constant, indiscriminate eating — especially when you’re focused on another task, such as talking on the phone or watching TV or surfing the web (or Facebook) — is the downfall of many people trying to lose weight, but it doesn’t have to be.
To curb daytime grazing:
Don’t eat while you’re standing up, in the car, or on the go, or when you don’t have time for a full, proper meal. Seriously. Plan time for meals in your schedule. If you’re “too busy to eat,” then you really are TOO busy. And don’t blame it on your kids’ schedules. You’re the parent. Plan time for real, sit-down, talk-and-eat meals.
Sit down at mealtime and pay attention to every bite. You’ll enjoy your food more, you’ll be more relaxed – and you’ll notice when you’re satisfied so that you won’t overeat. Try to take 20-30 minutes to sit down for your meal.
Don’t skip meals. I mean it. You might think you’re saving yourself calories, but it will only leave you famished and more likely to consume extra calories later on to feel full. This goes back to planning – make time to eat.
To curb nighttime grazing:
Most people graze and snack at night because they’re bored. If you’ve been thinking about taking up knitting, sudoku, Ping-Pong, learning Spanish, or some other hobby that will keep your brain busy in the evening, now is the time to do it. Take a community ed class, sign up for a class or personal training at the gym, join a recreational volleyball league. Turn off the television, the computer, and the video games. Get busy. Stop eating.
Brush your teeth. Food never seems quite as appealing when you have that fresh, minty toothpaste taste in your mouth.
Try a cup of hot tea; the warm liquid in your stomach can help you feel satiated. Peppermint tea has that minty, desserty thing going for it.
Set your lawnmower to cut the grass high – it helps keep soil moist and promotes deeper roots that need less watering.
Leave your grass clippings on the lawn – they form a healthy mulch, which helps keep soil moist and replenishes it with nutrients, too.
Aerate your lawn by poking deep, nail-sized holes in it at roughly six-inch intervals. This will help water soak into the soil rather than run off the surface. You can rent an aerator at most general rental shops.
Measure the rainfall in your yard by putting out an empty straight-sided baking pan. If you’re getting at least an inch of rain per week and the weather isn’t scorching, you probably don’t need to water your lawn. If you do water, make sure to do it in the early morning before the day heats up to prevent wasteful evaporation, and make sure your sprinkler is hitting only lawn and not sidewalks or driveways.
Use a rain barrel to collect rooftop runoff for flower garden and houseplant use. Don’t use the runoff for vegetable gardens unless you know your roofing material is safe. Special 55 gallon barrels are easily connected to your gutters, and have faucets at the bottom.
Practice xeriscaping, the art of landscaping with regionally indigenous plants that don’t need a lot of water. Check with your local county extension agent, university horticulture department, or nursery for information about good plants in your area.
Use mulch on vegetable and flower gardens, and around shrubbery, to help soils retain moisture and reduce the need for waterings.
If you have any shoreline, consider “naturalizing” with tall grasses and native plants to protect the shoreline from erosion.
Using less water means less need for water pumping, distribution, and desalinization. All of these processes require energy, and that has an impact on the global climate, too. In fact, according to the Worldwatch Institute, reducing these energy-intensive services could actually have a bigger impact than mandating that homes and business use less energy. So it’s clear that it’s time to conserve every drop.
