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Lately we’ve heard many reports on the status of our water supply.  Too few people in the world have access to clean drinking water.  In just 1.5 minutes 13,000 people will become gravely sick and 4 children will die due to this problem. As it stands now, only 1 in 8 people do not have access to clean potable water which translates to about a billion people.  Until recently there seemed no real answer to this issue. In fact, as the population has increased combined with an increasingly difficult political, environmental and economic world, access to clean water supplies has only gotten worse.

Unequal access to clean water supplies as shown above

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Despite our planet being 2/3 water, most of the fresh water present is trapped in glaciers and ice caps, much of it being too remote to access.  It either comes in the form of inconveniently timed monsoons, torrential storms, hurricanes and the like and or at inconvenient locations.  In fact, one of the problems we’re having recently is the increase in weather activity which results in an increased need for on-the-spot potable water. As demonstrated during Hurricane Katrina,  a developed country like the U.S. would presumably not have a problem getting drinking water to the masses and yet it took 5 days to get fresh water to people at the Superdome.   Having ‘ridden’ through Hurricane Ike in 2008, I have vivid memories of hurricane prep that involved stock-piling water in jugs or purchasing cases of bottled water that would sit in storage for just such an event.  This becomes a regular practice if you’re living in vulnerable areas of the world that are prone to these kinds of severe weather patterns.

A village near the coast of Sumatra lays in ruin after the 2004 tsunami that hit southeast Asia

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It took 5 days for fresh water to reach people at the Superdome after Katrina

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Til now the main sources of fresh water filtration have been in the form of large-scale processing plants such as desalination or facilities requiring established energy sources not readily available in third-world countries. Fortunately there are a few really usable products available on the horizon that would not only solve the immediate problem of storm-stricken populations’, but could solve the problem in developing parts of the world.

The most recent item that caught my eye is the Lifesaver Water bottle. The Lifesaver Water Filter bottle by Michael Pritchard was developed after he witnessed in frustration the events that followed the 2004 Tsunami and 2005 Hurricane Katrina. Both situations occurring either in a developing part of the world where resources were limited or in a developed 1st world country that no one thought could be so adversely affected.  The main problem he sought to resolved was how the majority of filters currently on the market only filtered down to 200 nm (nano-meters) which is the size of the smallest bacteria (such as tuberculosis) and the smallest virus is 25 nm (such as Polio). Obviously this means contaminated water even after standard filtration.  The Lifesaver can filter down to 15nm which means every virus and bacteria can be filtered, with only clean water left behind.  The portability of this and similar products allows for a wide variety of applications which would provide not only much-needed water in crisis situations, but would save time, money and resources normally spent transporting large quantities of bottled-water.

no more Montezuma's revenge for the soldier in the field

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These new technologies would also be usable in military environments where troops are located in remote sites as well as recreational purposes for hiking, scouting and general outdoor use.

Scouting and hiking require a reliable water-filter

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As these filtration technologies advance, so does our ability to those most in need in dire circumstances. However, its cost-savings should appeal to the emergency-management community and to anyone looking for an affordable, green and convenient solution to the ever-present water supply issue.  We all share a better quality of life from these advancements.

As a girl I had a passion for anything remotely environmental. I begged to go to Nature Camp year after year at the Austin Nature and Science Center. Posters and books about endangered species and the lifecycle of various insects padded my room. I boasted that I would become an “environmental writer illustrator.” Twenty years later, I can definitively scratch out the “illustrator” part of my dream, but here I am writing about all kinds of green goodness at my discretion, and I’m not the only one. Green gals all over the world wide web are giving their two cents into the green global community. If you’re a more traditional green girl, visit Green Girl TV for creative and fashion-friendly products you can do at home! If you don’t have time to watch these fascinating, though addictive, videos, turn on one of Make-It-Green Girl’s voice recorded articles as you’re doing other things.

These women are doing a wonderful job of paralleling the importance of women and the world, but whats the use if the next generation doesn’t appreciate it!? Instill a wonder for wildlife in your children. Its not too early to begin looking for a nature camp for your child!

The land, the world, earth, loam, these words are a few that we use to talk about where we live. Of course our existence is much more than simply physical, but today of all days it is brought home to me that it is no bad thing to celebrate a simple life.

I get the bulk of my opinions and attitudes about ecology from Tolkein, and I use the quotation above from Bilbo Baggins to express my own sentiments. Thanks for indulging me, BB old friend.

As expected by fans of Health Patio, I found out about an event that melded the physical and spiritual, however, as reported by Episcopal Life Online.  (I’m a long time reader of Bishop Spong, as a pertinent aside.)   “[L]eaders from ten faith traditions including the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Michigan on April 22 planted the first of 12,000 trees during an Earth Day ceremony on the shores of Lake Superior.”  It seems 20+ inches of snow could not hold back the EarthKeepers from loving their mother.  (I don’t know what is keeping them from getting their own domain name, but accolade none-the-less.)

“Our interfaith tree planting effort is more than another conservation project,” said Rev. Jon Magnuson, CTI executive director and EarthKeeper Initiative co-founder. “With prayers, hymns and the blessing of 12,000 seedlings, it’s a gentle proclamation of a new consciousness and commitment among our faith communities to care for G-d’s creation.”

An annual Jewish holiday celebrates the blossoming of the almond trees in Israel at the start of spring, said Dr. Constance Arnold, president of the board for Temple Beth Sholom.  Dr. Arnold participated in the tree planting and represented the faith tradition of Jews at the event.  “Tu B’Shvat is a very ancient holiday we observe yearly – this year it fell on February 9,” said Arnold. “This is a reminder of the importance of trees.” The holiday marks the “New Year of Trees”and customs include tree planting and eating dried fruits and nuts during an evening meal. “We get together on that day and have something to eat from as many of the fruits of the tree as you can come up with,” Arnold said. “We bring apricots, cherries, olives, dates, pomegranates and cinnamon.”

Joel’s words: Whether or not you believe carbon dioxide is the cause of global warming or not, it is harmful to the environment and reducing your carbon footprint is a great idea.

I evaluated myself at one of the several sites mentioned [Carbon Footprint], one that is based out of the UK but has data to compare me to my peers here in central U.S.A. The calculations for the primary emissions are based on a combination of metrics from the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), the UK’s Department for Transport, and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). P.s. it was fun.

I gave US dollar figures for various types of fuel (electricity, coal, natural gas, LP, others) use at home and the results:

Total for your home = 7.437 tonnes of CO2
Total for your cars = 3.124 tonnes of CO2
Total secondary footprint = 4.813 tonnes of CO2
Total = 15.374 tonnes of CO2

* The average footprint for people in United States is 20.4 tonnes.
* The average for the industrial nations is about 11 tonnes.
* The average worldwide carbon footprint is about 4 tonnes.
* To combat climate change the worldwide average needs to reduce to 2 tonnes.

The final stage of the evaluation reveals several options to donate to offset one’s personal carbon footprint!

You might have seen the article in your local paper last week: AP Probe Finds Drugs in Drinking Water or Drugs in Your Drinking Water. The Associated Press National Investigative Team found pain killers, hormones, psychotropics, bronchial dilators, antibiotics, and even veterinary medications in 24 major metropolitan areas out of only 28 water providers tested (although 62 were contacted). Some of the more common drugs were ibuprofen, aspirin, caffeine, nicotine and Salinomycin (a growth hormone for farm animals), with 56 pharmaceutical chemicals found in Philadelphia’s water supply. More than 41 million Americans from Louisville to Detroit to Northern New Jersey are effected by the waters tested.

“Members of the AP National Investigative Team reviewed hundreds of scientific reports, analyzed federal drinking water databases, visited environmental study sites and treatment plants and interviewed more than 230 officials, academics and scientists.” AP

And if you thought bottled water was any safer, you ought to read this article. There is no legal standard for testing for bottled water. Luckily, the amounts of these chemicals found in the water were measured in parts per billion. The EPA’s Bottle Water Basics is a helpful guide to buying clean water. To ensure pure water in your home you could invest in a very fine filter for your faucet, buy your water in 5 gallon jugs from a water store (my family uses The Pure Water Shop), or collect and purify your own rainwater. When it comes to disposing of medication, put them in a plastic bag with your coffee ground or kitty litter. Both absorb the medication’s chemicals and prevent them leaking into groundwater.

Wal-Mart has taken a bad rap the last several years for being environmentally and socially unconsious. It represents all that has gone wrong with commercialism, right? Maybe not. Wal-mart might actually be a leader for a people-centered form of environmentalism. While green technology is often blamed for being overpriced, Wal-Mart has brought prices way down on flourescent bulbs and solar lights, recycle bins, and EnergyStar appliances. In fact, they have a “Earth Friendly Products and Budget Friendly Prices” link of their website. Even the buildings themselves are becoming more environmentally friendly.

A few years ago, Wal-Mart conducted a detailed study that showed shoppers bought significantly more products when natural light showed on the area. Other researchers have found that natural lighting increases morale and health in the workplace. As a result, skylights might be coming to a Wal-Mart near you. They have also been playing with more environmentally friendly buildings. A new supercenter in Las Vegas boasts a 45% decrease in energy use compared to other Wal-Mart supercenters. They are also endorsing a Kids’s Recycling Challenge, in which participating schools earn $5.00 for every 60-gallon collection bag filled with plastic grocery bags they bring to a local Wal-Mart store for recycling by March 31, 2008.

Still trying into the hour spring forward? So are environmental researchers! Traditionally, daylight saving has been seen as a positive switch for the environment because of the decreased need for artificial lighting, which, with small appliances, accounts for 25% of United States’. In fact, the installation of daylight savings has always been for energy saving reasons (although not always environmental). According to the California Energy Commission, 1% of California is saved by each day daylight savings. New research that took place in Indiana indicates, however, that energy use increases just after daylight savings. Lara Grant and Matthew Kotchen, researchers at the University of California in Santa Barbara, conclude that electricity consumption increase 1 to 4 percent as a result of Daylight Savings Time.

According to the dates of DST practice prior to 2007, we estimate a cost to Indiana households of $8.6 million per year in increased electricity bills. Estimates of the social costs due to increased pollution emissions range from $1.6 to $5.3 million per year. (Does Daylight Savings Time Save Energy?)

While Americans might be leaving their lights off for longer, they seem to be turning their air conditioning in the Spring and heaters on the Fall. Remember to change your thermostats daily – turn it off when you leave for work and school and lower it when you get into bed.

Lighters are made from and filled with fossil fuel based materials and they can take a millennium to breakdown when thrown away. Matches, on the other hand, come from a precious, but renewable resource. Which is the better of the two evils? According to The Tampa Bay Times and Hawaiian sustainability expert Malama Kaua’i, matches are a more sustainable choice. Even better are cardboard, rather than wood, matches. Cardboard matches are made up largely of recycled paper, while wood matches come straight from the spruce, I mean source.

When it comes to the most eco-friendly ways to serve and consume and consume food, real dishes and silverware are always the most sustainable. They are reusable and you can always adjust how much water and what type of dish soap you use (less phosphorous is better). They also tend to be cheaper in the long-term, and generally classier looking. However, if you’re on the go or must use plastic and paper kelim, there are some environmental alternatives to bleached paper plates and plastic forks. New plastics are now biodegradable. Try BioPlastics by WorldCentric or Eco Products. Both sell plastic utensils, cups, straws, and more. Most local grocery stores also carry Seventh Generation brand items, if you’d rather not drive to the closest Whole Foods or order these items online.