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In an attempt to crack down on excessive lawn watering, the City of Los Angeles has implemented a new law – no watering between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4p.m.  That not only applies to lawns, but all vegetation.  That means vegetable gardens as well.  While admittedly vegetable gardens require more water than, say, cacti or succulents, they produce food that help us reduce our carbon footprint.  That said, there are even ways to reduce water consumption in the garden to help lighten the load even further:

Use drip irrigation – Using ½” or ¼” tubing with drip emitters gets water right where you need it – the base of the plant.  Remember, you lose 50% or more of your water to evaporation by overhead watering.  [gasp!] You can hook up drip tubing to a regular garden hose spigot using a simple adaptor.

Get a timer – If you don’t have a built in sprinkler system, you can also hook up that drip tubing to a timer – available at many hardware stores – that connects to your hose spigot.  The battery operated timer has two dials: one for how long to water, the other for how often.  Using a timer ensures that you’ll never forget to water before 9 or after 4.

Mulch is your friend – Another great way to cut back on evaporation is to mulch your garden.  Mulch keeps the soil surface cool and dark – great conditions for moisture!  Many cities, including Los Angeles, offer free mulch that has been made from tree trimmings throughout the city.  So if you can get ahold of free city mulch, not only are you bound to save water, but you’re recycling as well.

Invest in a rain barrel – sure, you could put buckets out in your yard every time it rains, but let’s do the math here: if it rains 1”, a bucket will collect about 1 square foot of water, but a roof that measures 8 x 15 (the size of a small shack) will collect 120 square feet of water, or about 10 cubic feet of water. That’s nearly 75 gallons!  You can then use the water to irrigate your garden during the dry season.

Here are a few additional water conservation tips for your garden this spring:

• Tomatoes only need to be watered once every 7-10 days once they set fruit. Trust me – it’s really true.
• Planting lettuces in the shadow of taller plants will help keep them producing into the hot season, plus you won’t have to water them as much.
• Try out the Native American tradition of the 3 Sisters: Corn, Beans and Squash.  The beans climb the corn and use them as a trellis, while the squash forms a living mulch underneath – resulting in less evaporation and lower water needs.

Using even just one of these water-wise gardening tips this spring will ensure not only lower water bills and happier plants, but happier gardeners as well.  

Bio: Christy Wilhelmi is founder of Gardenerd.com, the ultimate resource for garden nerds.  She is a board member of Ocean View Farms Organic Community Garden in Mar Vista, California, and gardens almost entirely with heirloom vegetables. Christy teaches organic gardening classes and offers hands-on garden consulting and food garden design.

Keeping the Waters flowing to our heart

Conserving the water in our life is crucial to our survival.   This is true not only for our larger ecological systems but also for our emotional lives and relationships.  We need to begin to appreciate that being in relationship, having a family and history with someone is a precious resource. If we could understand that the huge amounts of trust, time and loving intention that we invest in our early relationships are actually renewable resources,  the currency of  our future health and well being we may be motivated to  create new strategies to maintain them.  Sustaining your relationship with loving words and actions not only keeps your own relationships vibrant, it becomes a living education of what love is for future generations.    

In my work of helping people to build and sustain a healthy Ecology of Love,  I often refer to the metaphor of water to describe how people “show up” and care for one another.  Just like the actual resource of water itself,  our time and energy is a finite resource.  And just as water is needed to grow everything,  our time and loving attention is a basic building block to keeping your relationships well.  Yet with our culture moving at the speed of technology and not of wisdom,  learning how to be together is still difficult for many families.  

In relationships, like the ocean, there is an ebb and tide to how we are present for each other, but if the water in the relationship is always out, then both people feel alone more often than they feel like there is someone at their back.   Many people go through years in partnerships where the experience of loneliness is profound.  It is something that I struggle with in my own marriage, each of us having a different sense of what togetherness means and how much of it we need. 

Showing up for someone doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with long and deep conversations, in fact, it is usually about the small details of life where showing up makes the most difference.   The day I got a flat tire and my husband came and changed it in his nice work clothes,  or the time when he needed a shirt washed and ironed, or the zillions of times when the kid juggling doesn’t quite work and he is willing to stop what he is doing to pick up the slack.  It communicates volumes of love when you are able to give up your own agenda to show up for someone else’s needs.  It is at the heart of what it means to feel safe and loved in a relationship.  

It is easy to confuse co-existing and showing up.  They can look almost the same when we grow accustomed to not allowing ourselves to need and be needed.   Co-existing doesn’t have the stickiness factor that showing up does, because it happens as a matter of course, not choice.   Showing up or not translates into all the dynamics of a relationship including how and what you communicate and whether you share a passionate physical love.   It isn’t possible to really open yourself up with either the spoken language or one’s body if you don’t feel safe.   And so little by little, we say less and less of what we really need to say and in our most intimate times we cover ourselves through distancing and not really being present.    

Two other important points on showing up – don’t keep score.   It doesn’t equal out like other human equations might and only serves to cut at the backbone of the relationship that you are trying to build.   The point here is that each person shows up as they can and that both people know when it happens. And last, be grateful for however it happens and whenever it does, you are one of the lucky ones     Keeping the water flowing between you and your loved ones is bound to make the other daily choices of conserving for the planet that much easier.   

Wendy Strgar,  CEO 

www.goodcleanlove.com

www.makinglovesustainable.com

 California Facing a Structural Water Deficit

Some people, both in the media and the water supply industry, continue to believe that our current water supply crisis is solely a result of drought, and that extraordinary efforts to conserve may not be as necessary as many State and local officials have repeatedly insisted.  This line of thinking is dangerous, and an incredible disservice to the public we serve.

Southern California faces a structural imbalance between its water supplies and its water demands, even in normal hydrologic years, and every Southern Californian needs to heed calls to conserve.

The State of California is in its third consecutive year of a drought. Even with the most recent improved snow pack survey results, the State is still planning on delivering eighty percent less water than has been requested by water contractors in Southern California, the Bay Area and the Central Valley. In addition, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD), from which Southern California purchases all of its imported water, will implement a Water Shortage Allocation Plan in the coming months, which will have a huge impact on communities, both in water allocation and rates.   And those communities not adequately prepared to deal with this plan will pay a price.

By far the most significant water supply issue we have involves the decline of fish populations in the Bay Delta estuary, which has led to pumping restrictions on imported water delivered from the north to the southern part of our state, where two-thirds of the population resides.  These restrictions are currently resulting in an approximate thirty percent cut in water deliveries to several regions throughout our state. In fact, just a few weeks ago, the State imposed additional protections on two different species of fish that reside in this estuary.  Over the next several months, there will be additional legal opinions and rulings to protect additional fish species, which will likely result in additional restrictions on pumping, resulting in additional cuts in water deliveries. 

Today, our most critical water supply reserves continue to remain dramatically low with little to no prospect of recovery this year.   Add to that an ever-increasing population that is demanding more and more water, and an overly-casual, business as usual attitude with regard to our water use, and we have the recipe for a disaster. 

We all need to be less reactionary and more informed when it comes to our water crisis. Relying on increases in future rain and snowfall, or a miracle weather event, to fix our water deficit, is not only short-sighted and irresponsible, but it is bound to result in failure. A permanent change in our water-using behavior is necessary, regardless of whether there is a drought or not. Conservation is an absolutely necessary component of a viable, long-term water supply and we all need to hold ourselves and our neighbors accountable. 

John Allen, President, Long Beach Board of Water Commissioners

What does it mean to ‘go green’? Why do we do it? Where does the idea come from? When you stop and think about it, are we really worried about saving the planet? Is our focus in the right place? If we’re having this big of a negative impact on the atmosphere, wouldn’t the world be a better off place without us? You know, the people causing the harm in the first place.


I read an article recently entitled ‘The Big Misunderstanding: Why We Don’t Need to Save the Planet’ – in it, the author talks about this exact idea that going green isn’t about saving the planet, it’s about saving ourselves.



Take a step back and look at the overall big picture – when we talk about recycling, conserving energy, or using water wisely, it can be an extremely daunting task. It’s almost too big of a concept to comprehend – and it’s easy to get stuck in the mindset that even though you’re doing your part, there are a million others who don’t and never will. We are a society that wants to see clear results of their actions, the fruits of our labor,  and when it comes to saving the planet, your impact matters, it starts with the individual, but changing the world can never be done alone.



Maybe, just maybe, if we stop and think about changing our habits to save ourselves, to save our children and grandchildren – maybe the impact would be greater; the ideas may hit closer to home. It’s easy for folks to say, ‘what’s the worst that could happen’ – to those people I say, ‘the worst that could happen is the complete and utter destruction of the entire human race!’ Ok, a little extreme perhaps, but putting things into perspective and encouraging small changes can be a little easier when people know that in the end, they’re doing it for themselves.



The planet will be just fine without us, but we can’t survive without the Earth. Think about that time next time you take a one-hour shower, shave with the water running, or leave the faucet on while your hand-washing your dishes. Think about going green (which includes using water wisely) not in order to save the planet, but to save yourself and your future. I don’t know about you, but I like this planet and I want to call it home for a long, long time.

Blurb About Me: Matt Cheuvront is the architect, author, and overseer of Life Without Pants. Favorite water-saving tip: Install a garbage disposal in your shower and cook as you bathe, Kramer style.

• WUIW daily tip-DON’T FORGET TO TURN OUT FOR EARTH HOUR #
• WUIW taking the EH2ED Challenge-When washing your hands, don’t let the water run while you lather. #
• WUIW taking the EH2ED Challenge-Throw trimmings and peelings from fruits and vegetables into yard compost instead of garbage disposal. #
• WUIW blog post: EH2ED Guest Blog Feature – Sam Davidson of CoolPeopleCare.org on making the little decisions – http://tinyurl.com/d5psxn #
• WUIW taking the EH2ED Challenge-For hanging baskets, planters and pots, put ice cubes under the moss or dirt to to stop overflow. #
• WUIW taking the EH2ED Challenge-When backflushing your pool, consider using the water on your landscaping. #
• Check out our guest blog series from now until Earth Day – http://wateruseitwisely.com/blog/ and if you’re interested in contributing DM us! #
• WUIW taking the EH2ED Challenge-While staying in a hotel or even at home, consider reusing your towels. #
• If you’re a green blogger, or know one, and want to contribute to our guest blogging series let us know! – http://wateruseitwisely.com/blog/ #
• WUIW taking the EH2ED Challenge-When giving your pet fresh water, don’t throw the old water away. Use it to water trees or shrubs. #
• If you haven’t yet, check out the WUIW guest blog series running now through Earth Day – http://wateruseitwisely.com/blog/ #
• we still have some spots open if you’d like to contribute a guest blog to our series. Looking for the best environmental bloggers. #

Why Conserve Water?

Fresh water is a scarce resource, only 1% of the water on this planet is usable.  A recent government survey showed at least 36 states are anticipating local, regional, or statewide water shortages by 2013.  By using water more efficiently, we can help preserve water supplies for future generations, save money, and protect the environment. We use up our fresh water supplies faster than they can be replenished through household consumption, landscaping needs, agricultural uses, factory-farming needs, and commercial and industrial uses.

By Conserving our precious resource, you’ll:

 1. Reduce your water and sewer bills.
 2. Reduce the burden on water treatment plants, distribution systems,
    and septic systems.
 3. Reduce the amount of energy needed to treat and distribute water,
    so that fewer harmful by-products will be emitted from power plants.
 4. Reduce the need to build more water treatment plants and to drill
    new community wells.
 5. Have fewer public sewage system failures caused from excess water
    overwhelming the system.
 6. Have healthy, rather than depleted and dried up, natural pollution
    filters such as downstream wetlands.
 7. Reduce water contamination caused by polluted runoff due to
    over-irrigating agricultural and urban lands.
 8. Reduce the need to construct additional dams and reservoirs or
    otherwise regulate the natural flow of streams, thus preserving
    their free flow and retaining the value of stream and river
    systems as wildlife habitats and recreational areas.
 9. Reduce the need to construct additional water and wastewater
    treatment facilities.
10. Eliminate excessive surface water withdrawals that degrade habitat
    both in streams and on land adjacent to streams and lakes.

This is a guest post by Joyce Benson, writer & editor of GreenStrides and owner & lead green consultant of GreenStrides Living.

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Fact versus Fiction — Five Eco Myths…

Don’t be fooled by these eco myths…

Eco Myth:  Shutting down your computer at night and rebooting in the morning uses more energy than leaving it when you hit the sack. 

Fact: Get eco savvy and shut down your computer — you’ll conserve energy, reduce mechanical stress, and prolong the useful life of a machine.

 
Eco Myth:  Big oil loves alternative energy and they’ve created some nice tv commercials to prove it. 

Fact:  In reality, they’re lobbying Congress for more offshore drilling rights and gouging us at the pump.

Eco Myth:  The word natural on packaging labels means no preservatives and harmful chemicals. 

Fact:  The word natural doesn’t mean much.  Many marketers toss around “natural” irresponsibly; the FDA does not hold companies accountable to specific standards or a particular definition.  Dig deeper to see if the ingredients listed on food, drug, cosmetic, household and personal care product labels are non-toxic.  Check out Environmental Working Group and Consumer Reports Greener Choices for info about product ingredients.

Eco Myth:  Washing dishes by hand is more eco efficient than using a dishwasher. 

Fact:  Just be sure the dishwasher is fully loaded and set on eco/energy saver/light wash mode.  Before stacking plates in the dishwasher — scrape, don’t rinse. Switch off your dishwasher when the cycle is completely done, it consumes electricity on standby.  Switch off the machine and open the door while it’s in the dry phase — air dry, and you’ll save even more energy.  (The average energy efficient dishwasher uses just four gallons of water per cycle, saving up to 5,000 gallons of water per year compared to hand washing, as well as $40 in energy costs and 2300 hours of your time, according to the EPA.)

Eco Myth:  We can’t live without bottled water. 

Fact:  Your tap water may be perfectly safe and absolutely tasty. According to Sierra Club tap water quality is more regulated than bottled water.  If your home’s H2O needs treatment use a filter like pitcher filters from ZeroWater, Brita or Pur to filter your tap water; or install a tap-mounted or under the sink filtration system. Before going all the way by investing in a whole-house filtration system consider how much such an investment could bump-up your home’s energy load.  While we’re at it, stop contributing to landfills and the energy required to recycle plastic bottles — fill up at home with a reusable steel bottle (that’s BPA-free) to stay hydrated on the go.  BPA (Bisphenol-A), a chemical in some plastics, can leach into water.  Check out otterbottle, KOR ONE or klean kanteen.  Save money, the planet and your health by avoiding disposable plastic bottles.

Water, Water Everywhere and Not a Drop to Spare…

How are you planning to make a difference in your life or maybe on Earth Day? If you have no idea where to begin conserving, try starting with your water. A few simple changes and additions to your home and the way you live can reduce your water expense and preserve a vital resource. Below are some water saving tips that can help you begin to live a water-efficient lifestyle. 

Harvesting rain is a way to capture raindrops for other uses, and rain barrels can easily be installed on the sides of your house. The rain from the roof or the gutters can be used to water plants or hydrate your garden. More expensive rain barrels can even filter the water and make it drinkable, so this might be feasible if you don’t own a well but receive an abundant amount of rain year round. 

Another option is to implement some ground rules for your backyard pool this summer. For example, limit your family and friends’ diving, splashing and water fights. Also, reduce the temperature and keep a pool cover on when it’s not in use. Simple rules such as manually cleaning your filter and maintaining proper chemicals in your pool can eliminate your need to refill. 

Do you know how to read your water meter? Better yet, do you even know where it’s located on your home? If you answered ‘no’ to both of these questions, you could be wasting water every day without even knowing it. Learning how to read your meter can enable you to determine if there are any leaks as well as how much water you use. First, find out what type of meter you have (straight-reading meter or round-reading meter) then watch for abnormal activity when water isn’t in use. 

There are numerous ways to conserve water and all will have a positive impact on the environment. For more ways to be eco-friendly, check out the Green Tips on AboutMyPlanet.com (AMP). Or if you have an environmental question you’re dying to ask, post it on AMP’s new Green QuestionVille and receive several helpful answers from the site’s eco-conscious community. Be sure to share your green expertise with others by commenting and answering some questions too. 

This is a guest post by Marina Hanes an environmental writer for AMP Blogs Network (www.ampblogs.com)