We are very fortunate to live in an area of the world that has an abundance of fresh water. Central New York is blessed with plentiful natural aquifers, clean lakes and streams, and a climate that replenishes them quite regularly. This doesn't mean we shouldn't conserve water when possible. If you are planning on a new home or addition in the near future, consider installing LEED's rated toilets for more efficient water use. These units are available in both 1.28 gallon flush models and also dual flush models that give you the option of under a gallon or 1.6 gallon flushes. The current standard flush units utilize 1.6 gallon only. This might not sound like much of a difference, but over time can be a considerable water savings. If you currently have an older model toilet chances are it's using between 2-3 gallons per flush, so an upgrade from that is an even better savings.
Low flow faucets are another option for water savings when building new. For existing faucets, there are flow restriction inserts available for many units that don't require replacement to cut down on water usage. Consider rain water barrels to store water runoff from your roof downspouts. This water is ideal for lawn and garden irrigation for those summer months when we sometimes see dry spells.
Leaky faucets should be repaired or replaced as soon as possible. That slow drip adds up to a lot of wasted water over the long haul. We can't take for granted anymore this wonderful natural resource we enjoy here.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future, by Bill McKibben
Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future, by Bill McKibben
“Masterfully crafted, deeply thoughtful and mind-expanding.”—Los Angeles Times
"In this powerful and provocative manifesto, Bill McKibben offers the biggest challenge in a generation to the prevailing view of our economy. Deep Economy makes the compelling case for moving beyond “growth” as the paramount economic ideal and pursuing prosperity in a more local direction, with regions producing more of their own food, generating more of their own energy, and even creating more of their own culture and entertainment. Our purchases need not be at odds with the things we truly value, McKibben argues, and the more we nurture the essential humanity of our economy, the more we will recapture our own. More about the book." Source: Author Bill Mckibben's website.
Hi all! Please take the time to preview this book - Deep Economy - and consider joining a book discussion this Thursday evening, May 8th, at 7pm at the Tully Library. This will be the first meeting for the Grow Tully Green book discussion group. We will get to know each other, discuss chapter 1 of this book, and "get organized" - setting up future meetings and potential books.
As you probably have gathered from the book review above, this book defies convential economic wisdom, which results in "economic stimulus packages", deepening the federal deficit by handing out money to Americans and encouraging them to spend the money to boost the economy. Interestingly, many Americans are planning to pay off debts and save money. Perhaps we are truly starting to realize that "more stuff " doesn't necessarily mean "more happiness".
Hmmm....
While we are on the subject of "stuff" - check out this nifty little video called "The Story of Stuff". I really think this should be shown in all schools, and on college campuses. More to come on this one... but that's another blog entry!
“Masterfully crafted, deeply thoughtful and mind-expanding.”—Los Angeles Times
"In this powerful and provocative manifesto, Bill McKibben offers the biggest challenge in a generation to the prevailing view of our economy. Deep Economy makes the compelling case for moving beyond “growth” as the paramount economic ideal and pursuing prosperity in a more local direction, with regions producing more of their own food, generating more of their own energy, and even creating more of their own culture and entertainment. Our purchases need not be at odds with the things we truly value, McKibben argues, and the more we nurture the essential humanity of our economy, the more we will recapture our own. More about the book." Source: Author Bill Mckibben's website.
Hi all! Please take the time to preview this book - Deep Economy - and consider joining a book discussion this Thursday evening, May 8th, at 7pm at the Tully Library. This will be the first meeting for the Grow Tully Green book discussion group. We will get to know each other, discuss chapter 1 of this book, and "get organized" - setting up future meetings and potential books.
As you probably have gathered from the book review above, this book defies convential economic wisdom, which results in "economic stimulus packages", deepening the federal deficit by handing out money to Americans and encouraging them to spend the money to boost the economy. Interestingly, many Americans are planning to pay off debts and save money. Perhaps we are truly starting to realize that "more stuff " doesn't necessarily mean "more happiness".
Hmmm....
While we are on the subject of "stuff" - check out this nifty little video called "The Story of Stuff". I really think this should be shown in all schools, and on college campuses. More to come on this one... but that's another blog entry!
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