Comments rglater has made
White Water, Grey Water
When I lived in San Francisco I started using grey water from the bath and laundry to water the rosemary plants in the tiny front yard. (Oasis laundry soap breaks down into plant food.) I rigged a submersible pump to send water from the bath tub to garbage cans in the garage. From there it was 5 gallon buckets to the plants.
This was a neighborhood that loved concrete lawns. (Shudder). We had the only tree in front of our house on the block. When we sold the new owners cut it down. A few blocks away a block got together and planted trees in front of each house. Go figure!
In Marin we used Oasis water, warm up water from showers and kitchen water warm up. We used the grey water for toilet flushing first and white water for indoor plants. Leftover water was for outdoor plants. If a plant couldn't survive on on what I carried to it in buckets then it was allowed to die and was replaced with a native.
Now I live in a house with a lawn. I hate it. I do as little as possible to care for it. If I was healthy I would replace it. Until then I keep it as ugly as possible and try to starve it.
gabh an latha,
Richard Dietzel
Eugene, OROn Umbra on watering the yard posted 2 years, 7 months ago 7 ResponsesChlorine
Did you notice the Google Ads that came up when viewing the article?
I wonder if any of them work and are any better for us or the environment?
RDOn Umbra on chlorine posted 2 years, 8 months ago 13 ResponsesMoving Light Along
FreeCycle them! www.freecycle.org for your local FreeCycle group. If you are moving from minis to LEDs then help someone else move from big to mini. People also use them for art projects, etc. The large ones are actually best for non-illuminating art projects.
On Umbra on LED holiday lights posted 3 years, 11 months ago 5 ResponsesPet poo Converter
I have to take immune supressors so I have an automated litter box to reduce handling the litter. I have used this product for both cat and dog waste and it works great.
The Tumbleweed Pet Poo Converter is a worm farm which harnesses the power of nature to recycle pet droppings into worm castings and liquid manure (compost tea). The tea, often referred to by gardeners as `liquid gold', is highly concentrated and can be mixed one part tea to four parts water.
http://www.tumbleweedsales.us/products_pet.htmlOn Umbra on kitty litter posted 4 years, 2 months ago 25 Responses
Hirsute Yourself
Umbra-
The slightest disagreement on one comment about shaving. The shower. I shave in the shower as it feels easier with a well soaked beard and provides easy clean up, I offset enviro purity issues by using a flow valve and stop the water while I shave as well as the usual Navy Shower routine.
If I was a woman I would definitely go this route.
Save water, shower with a friend or a friendly stranger.On Umbra on shaving, part two posted 4 years, 5 months ago 5 Responses
Umbra, Umbra, Umbra...
Umbra-
First, it can be done. Second, when you buy a new thrifty car it also contains new energy and pollution (the energy and pollution associated with its production), an old car has paid, if you wil, its energy and pollution debt. By taking a paid off energy/pollution car and cleaning it up you may be making a real plus. And which is cooler, a Civic or a 1957 Willys?
Googling "alternative fuel" and "hot rod" I got 1,300 sites. The founder of Real Goods used to drive an electric powered replica of a Porsche Spyder, many kit cars are electrified, there is a company in Canada restoring and converting Reanault Dauphines if you want to go cute instead of hot. There are alt fuel dragsters, race cars, land speed record cars, planes. Leno's tank engine powered hot rod could run bio-diesel. And the whole project could be a blast for a couple.
http://www.gremlinx.com/HydrogenGremlin.htm
http://www.matadorcoupe.com/classifieds.htm
http://www.alternatefuelsracing.com/
http://www.austinev.org/evalbum/083.html
http://megawattmotorworks.com/
www.Centraliacollege.com
www.eco-outlaws.com
http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/progs/related2alt.cgi?41
http://www.godspeopleracing.org/update.html
http://www.ahanw.org/buyonline/
http://www.beaconite.com/ngvm/racing.html
http://www.ohler.com/ev/spyder/index.html
http://www.clean-air.org/Hydrogen%20Cobra%20Story/Hydrogen%20Cobra.htm
http://www.truckworld.com/4x4-OffRoad/96-1957TurboWillys/1957TurboWillys.html
http://www.zonk.com/hotrod.htmOn Umbra on whether to eco-retrofit an old car posted 4 years, 7 months ago 12 Responses