Water Conservation And The Purpose Of These Posts – Americans have gotten complacent about water

Posted on January 27, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

Most people in the US assume and expect when they turn on a facet or flush a toilet that water will magically appear. When it doesn’t they have no idea what to do. The point being that global warming could change all that.

http://ag.arizona.edu/AZWATER/awr/dec99/Feature2.htm

Global Water Shortage

Looms In New Century

When most U.S. citizens think about water shortages — if they think about them at all — they think about a local problem, possibly in their town or city, maybe their state or region. We don’t usually regard such problems as particularly worrisome, sharing confidence that the situation will be readily handled by investment in infrastructure, conservation, or other management strategies. Whatever water feuds arise, e.g., between Arizona and California, we expect to be resolved through negotiations or in the courtroom.

But shift from a local to a global water perspective, and the terms dramatically change. The World Bank reports that 80 countries now have water shortages that threaten health and economies while 40 percent of the world — more than 2 billion people — have no access to clean water or sanitation. In this context, we cannot expect water conflicts to always be amenably resolved.

Consider: More than a dozen nations receive most of their water from rivers that cross borders of neighboring countries viewed as hostile. These include Botswana, Bulgaria, Cambodia, the Congo, Gambia, the Sudan, and Syria, all of whom receive 75 percent or more of their fresh water from the river flow of often hostile upstream neighbors.

In the Middle East, a region marked by hostility between nations, obtaining adequate water supplies is a high political priority. For example, water has been a contentious issue in recent negotiations between Israel and Syria. In recent years, Iraq, Syria and Turkey have exchanged verbal threats over their use of shared rivers. (It should come as no surprise to learn that the words “river” and “rival” share the same Latin root; a rival is “someone who shares the same stream.”)

More frequently water is being likened to another resource that quickened global tensions when its supplies were threatened. A story in The Financial Times of London began: “Water, like energy in the late 1970s, will probably become the most critical natural resource issue facing most parts of the world by the start of the next century.” This analogy is also reflected in the oft-repeated observation that water will likely replace oil as a future cause of war between nations.

Water Cisterns – Once you have done the little stuff there is so much you can do

Posted on January 26, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

LowFlow Showerheads are mandatory but once you start there is serious stuff you can do to save water. Cisterns. It used to be that everyone had them. Some were as simple as a hole in the ground covered with screening. Sometimes they were even built as part of the house. Sort of your own personal water tower. But with the advent of modern drinking water systems they fell by the wayside.

http://www.harvesth2o.com/plumbing_codes.shtml

History

Cisterns are an ancient technology. In the Middle East in 2000 B.C., typical middle-class dwellings stored rainwater in cisterns for use as a domestic supply as well as private- bathing facilities for the wealthy.

The world’s largest cistern may be the Yerebatan Sarayi. On the European side of Istanbul in Turkey, it was constructed under Caesar Justinian (A.D. 527-565) and measures 140 by 70 meters. It can store 80,000 m³ water. The underground structure is based on intersecting vaults. Today, it is a tourist attraction which is visited by boat, drifting through a forest of columns. Another cistern in Istanbul is called Binbirdik, believed by some sources to have been constructed under Caesar Constantine (A.D. 329-337), with a capacity of 50,000 m³. Each cistern served as centralized storage for water collected from roofs and paved streets and featured a sophisticated system of filters that assured clean water.

These municipal underground cisterns may be the only examples of urban centralized rainwater harvesting of their kind. This technique was likely abandoned for two primary reasons: 1) the construction of underground cisterns is considerably more expensive than the construction of dams; 2) there is a danger of accidental pollution through human excrement in dense urban areas and a corresponding risk of epidemics.

Water Classifications

Harvested rainwater is shrouded in confusion. Some jurisdictions consider it reclaimed water and others refer to it as gray water. Actually, it is neither. To clarify, UPC offers the following definitions.

• Black water is toilet waste.

• Gray water is untreated wastewater that has had no contact with toilet waste such as used water from bathtubs, showers, lavatories and water from washing machines. It does not include wastewater from kitchen sinks or dishwashers.

• Reclaimed water is water which, as a result of tertiary treatment of domestic wastewater by a public agency, is suitable for controlled use. The controlled use can be the supply of reclaimed water-to-water closets, urinals and trap seal primers for floor drains and floor sinks. In areas under the jurisdiction of the UPC this system is usually called a “purple pipe” system because the reclaimed water is conveyed in pipe that is purple.

• Harvested rainwater is storm water that is conveyed from a building roof, stored in a cistern and disinfected and filtered before being used for toilet flushing. It can also be used for landscape irrigation.

As noted, Appendix J of the UPC describes reclaimed water, but according to the above definition, rainwater harvesting is not reclaimed water. Plumbing officials who do not know how to classify rainwater-harvesting systems consider them reclaimed water systems and therefore require plumbing engineers to design systems that conform to Appendix J of the UPC. This is because of the lack of guidance in the code. Since these systems are becoming more prevalent in the U.S., both the UPC and the IPC must include a section dedicated to rainwater harvesting.

Rainwater Harvesting Basics

The components of the rainwater-harvesting system include:

Roof. Rainwater should only be collected from a roof and stored in a cistern. Rainwater runoff from parking areas and other outdoor surfaces typically contain harsh chemicals and other contaminants that are undesirable in a rainwater catchment system.

Rainwater conductors. Leaders and gutters or an internally piped roof drainage system that conveys the storm water from the roof to the cistern.

Cistern. A storage tank that allows large particulate matter to settle out of the water.

Overflow from cistern. A pipe that takes overflow from the cistern to the storm drainage system.

Pumping system. Provides the pressure required at the fixture most distant from the tank.

Disinfection system. Various filtration and disinfection systems can be used.

Potable water makeup. Makeup water provided to the tank during dry seasons. Appropriate backflow prevention is required.

But this is to CODE which may or may not apply…First you have to figure out where you are going to put the water.

http://www.braewater.com/index.php?/solutions/

Rainwater Harvesting

As much as 60,000 gallons of precipitation falls on a 2,000 square foot roof in Mid-Atlantic States each year. BRAE distributes Complete rainwater harvesting system solutions to put this water to beneficial use. Rainwater harvesting systems offset demands on municipal and private water supplies for outdoor watering while conserving valuable drinking water resources.

The concept of collecting and using rainwater is not new.

In addition to the advantages that rainwater is free of charge, it doesn’t have to be treated nor transported over long distances, the two most important arguments supporting the utilization of rainwater are:

1. Supplement drinking water resources
-with the benefit of saving precious potable water
2. protecting water quality by reducing impacts of stormwater runoff
-with the benefit of limiting flooding and degradation of streams and lakes

Thanks to its characteristics the use of rainwater also has positive advantages:
-Ideal for plant growth
-Better washing efficiency -up to 50% less detergent required when compared with hard water
-No calcification of fixtures and washing machines

All projects are not created equal and thus rainwater systems do not conform to a “one size fits all” sales format. There are different systems for two primary types of rainwater systems residential and commercial. Use the following resources to design and select the right system for your project.

Residential systems generally supply rainwater to toilets, washing machines, garden irrigation and hosebibs (ie car washing)

http://www.braewater.com/index.php?/products/tanks_cisterns/

Tanks/Cisterns

Water storage is the most critical component of a rainwater system. In selecting a water storage tank or cistern, there are several important questions you should ask before selecting the right tank for your project.Ask yourself…

Will I store the water above ground or below ground?
How much storage do I need?
Are there space limitations that restrict the size of water tank I may chose?
What appearance do I want for my tank?
Will the neighbors care?
Are there restrictions regarding water storage tanks?
Is my site accessible or hard to reach with a delivery truck?

Energy Consumption And Water Consumption Go Hand In Hand – Throw it away throw it awa….

Posted on January 23, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

Only contrary to the new environmental mantra there really is an “away” to water. Once its befouled (I love that word), then un-befouling it is difficult. Take for instaces what is happening to the bulk of the fresh water in the world, the Artic and the Antartic ice sheets. If we are going to melt them off we would be better off trying to transport that water to some storage location like a dried up lake bed(s), than let it melt into the sea. Because then it is really hard to get it to be fresh water again. Same with pollution, once you dump contaminates into water then it is very hard to clean up. We have been doing that in a big way for 300 years.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article5562906.ece

January 22, 2009

Ecologists warn the planet

is running short of water

Leo Lewis in Tokyo

A swelling global population, changing diets and mankind’s expanding “water footprint” could be bringing an end to the era of cheap water.

The warnings, in an annual report by the Pacific Institute in California, come as ecologists have begun adopting the term “peak ecological water” — the point where, like the concept of “peak oil”, the world has to confront a natural limit on something once considered virtually infinite.

The world is in danger of running out of “sustainably managed water”, according to Peter Gleick, the president of the Pacific Institute and a leading authority on global freshwater resources.

Humans — via agriculture, industry and other demands – use about half of the world’s renewable and accessible fresh water. But even at those levels, billions of people live without the most basic water services, Dr Gleick said……..

A glass of orange juice, for example, needs 850 litres of fresh water to produce, according to the Pacific Institute and the Water Footprint Network, while the manufacture of a kilogram of microchips — requiring constant cleaning to remove chemicals — needs about 16,000 litres. A hamburger comes in at 2,400 litres of fresh water, depending on the origin and type of meat used:}

Will Barack Obama Make A Great President? If he stands as tall on the environment and energy as he talks

Posted on January 20, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

He has said some very good things on the “Green Economy” or Sustainability. If he does what he says he will be a great President. If he doesn’t, he won’t be a great President. Simple as that.

http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/Barack_Obama_Environment.htm

Barack Obama on Environment

Democratic nomine for President; Junior Senator (IL)

Government should invest in clean energy & green jobs

Q: What would you do for the environment?OBAMA: It is critical that we understand this is not just a challenge, it?s an opportunity, because if we create a new energy economy, we can create five million new jobs, easily. It can be an engine that drives us into the future the same way the computer was the engine for economic growth over the last couple of decades. We can do it, but we?re going to have to make an investment. The same way the computer was originally invented by a bunch of government scientists who were trying to figure out, for defense purposes, how to communicate, we?ve got to understand that this is a national security issue, as well.

McCAIN: We can move forward, and clean up our climate, and develop green technologies, and alternative energies for battery-powered cars, so that we can clean up our environment and at the same time get our economy going by creating millions of jobs.

Source: 2008 second presidential debate against John McCain Oct 7, 2008

Willing to suspend ethanol subsidy to keep food prices down

Q: Ethanol usage in gas is criticized for raising food prices. Would you be willing to change ethanol subsidies so that people are not using corn for ethanol, & lowering food prices?A: We?ve got rising food prices here in the US. In other countries we?re seeing riots because of the lack of food supplies. So this is something that we?re going to have to deal with. There are a number of factors that go into this. Changes in climate are contributing. There?s no doubt that biofuels may be contributing to it. My top priority is making sure that people are able to get enough to eat. And if it turns out that we?ve got to make changes in our ethanol policy to help people get something to eat, then that?s got to be the step we take. But I also believe that ethanol has been a important transitional tool for us to start dealing with our long-term energy crisis ultimately. Over time we?re going to shift to cellulosic ethanol, where we?re not using food stocks but we?re using wood chips & prairie grass.

Source: Meet the Press: 2008 ?Meet the Candidates? series May 4, 2008

Genesis teaches stewardship of earth: sacrifice for future

Q: Could you give an example of how you relate your faith to science policy?A: One of the things I draw from the Genesis story is the importance of us being good stewards of the land, of this incredible gift. And I think there have been times where we haven?t been [good stewards], and this is one of those times where we?ve got to take the warning seriously [about climate change]. And part of what my religious faith teaches me is to take an intergenerational view, to recognize that we are borrowing thi planet from our children and our grandchildren. And this is where religious faith and the science of global warming converge: We have to find resources in ourselves to make sacrifices so we don?t leave it to the next generation. We?ve got to be less wasteful, both as a society and in our own individual lives. I think religion can actually bolster our desire to make those sacrifices now. As president, I hope to rally the entire world around the importance of us being good stewards of the land.

And he has been saying these things all campaign long:

http://www.grist.org/feature/2007/07/30/obama_factsheet/

Obama on the Issues

A look at Barack Obama’s environmental platform and record

In the early months of Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, enviros were skeptical of his (now heavily qualified) support for coal-to-liquids technology and unvarnished enthusiasm for ethanol, but he earned their respect with his aggressive climate and energy plan. The plan centers on a cap-and-trade system that aims for 80 percent emission reductions from 1990 levels by 2050 and calls for auctioning 100 percent of the pollution permits. It also includes a $150 billion investment to boost clean energy and create green jobs, along with fine-grained proposals to boost efficiency, build a smart electricity grid, and encourage public transportation. Enviros have also applauded Obama’s refusal to endorse a gas-tax holiday and his now somewhat qualified opposition to offshore oil drilling. Obama earned an 86 percent rating from the League of Conservation Voters for his first three years representing Illinois in the U.S. Senate (a lower score than might have been because he missed some votes while campaigning for president).

These folks are a good start:

http://enviros.barackobama.com/page/content/enviroshome

Welcome to our new website, Environmentalists for Obama!

Now, more than ever, our nation and world needs a strong environmental leader as President. The challenges posed by global warming and energy needs can only be solved by someone with a proven commitment and ability to engage all people in the critical effort to provide a safe, clean future for America. Barack Obama’s dedication to the environment has been well-established during his years as a state legislator and U.S. Senator. Environmentalists for Obama know that he is the answer to the tough challenges facing us today.

We represent people from all walks of life who are eager for a leader who will promote innovative solutions and reach across partisan and societal divides in our race to save the planet. Join us now to support Barack Obama’s vision for a cleaner, more secure future.

And please join the discussion on our blog. We only ask that participants show consideration and respect for each other. The Environmentalists for Obama blog is not an expression of the positions of Barack Obama or the campaign.

Happy Martin Luther King Day – And what a day it is

Posted on January 19, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

Environmental Justice is predicated on the idea that pollution is purposely sited to poor communities, many of which are not of European descent:

maxevents-usa.com

http://environment.about.com/b/2008/01/21/honor-martin-luther-king-by-fighting-environmental-racism.htm

Honor Martin Luther King

by Fighting Environmental Racism, Promoting Environmental Justice

Monday January 21, 2008

On Martin Luther King Day, Americans celebrate the life and vision of the late civil rights leader who has inspired generations of people to work toward a society characterized by equal opportunity and free of racial discrimination.

In 1968, Dr. King’s life was cut short by an assassin’s bullet, a violent act of racism that stunned and saddened people worldwide. Today, racism still threatens the lives of millions of African-Americans and other people of color.

That threat includes environmental racism, in which the residents of poor minority communities are subject to much higher health and safety risks than people in more affluent communities because of the proximity of their homes and schools to landfills, hazardous waste sites and factories that pollute the air and water.

Environmental racism was first documented nearly 30 years ago by Dr. Robert Bullard…

For more please read the article or this wiki article:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_racism

Industrial Waste is Huge But Household Waste Ain’t Small Exactly – If you get waste conscious at home

Posted on January 15, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

Then You Can take It To Work

There are only 2 of us in our household, a man and a woman. We recycle like crazy. Because the County and the City recycle different things we sometimes have to take our recyclables to town. For some reason Riverton will not recycle corrugated cardboard so we take that to Springfield. Everyone has a problem with colored glass so we have started saving it. Springfield does colored glass drops periodically. All of our “hazardous” waste goes to the State of Illinois at the Fairgrounds or the IDOT building. Our Electronics goes to BLH. Our light bulbs go to Springfield Electric. Our plastic bags and many soft plastics goes to Schnucks grocery stores. AND close your eyes…a small part of it we burn. After composting (we have two large piles) there is a small bit of what I call promiscuous paper and other stuff (about a cubic foot or less – ie. a small trash can full every 2 weeks). We then toss those ashes on the vegetable garden. In the end we toss out about 1 small sometimes barely filled cheap garbage bag. In it are mainly cigarette butts, food stuffs we can’t recycle, and some soft plastics. Sometimes we are so emberrassed we don’t even put it out by the curb to pick up because it’s not worth their time or gas to stop.

This does not take into account our own dodo and caca, however that will take a huge shift in infrastructure and agriculture to do. Nor does that take care of both of our car exhausts. Again this a huge infrastructure problem in ground transportation. Still it feels real good to minimize our waste.

Here is a really reall real rea re r really cool site to help out.

http://www.astc.org/exhibitions/rotten/rthome.htm

The Rotten Truth web site was created in 1998 by the Association of Science-Technology Centers Incorporated and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service. All rights reserved.
Disclaimer: Rotten Truth (About Garbage) links to a number of activities and resources provided by institutions other than ASTC and SITES. Every effort has been made to ensure that these links are accurate, but because neither ASTC nor SITES controls the content of these web sites, outside links are not guaranteed to be correct or active. Neither ASTC nor SITES shall be liable in the event of incidental or consequential damages connected with, or arising out of, providing the information offered here. External sites are not endorsed by ASTC or the Smithsonian Institution.

I put this up because I wanted them to know that I know that they know that I know….SO THERE

Rotten Truth (About Garbage) takes an in-depth look at the complex issues surrounding municipal solid waste. This on-line exhibition is organized into four major sections.

What Is Garbage? looks at how we define garbage, and why it consists of more than what we throw away.
There’s No “Away” explores how burying, burning, and recycling garbage doesn’t really get rid of it, and that reducing what we use is the only real solution to the garbage problem.
Nature Recycles shows how the natural process of decay makes new life possible by recycling the limited number of nutrients present in the environment.
Finally, Making Choices provides some helpful hints on how we can all create less garbage.

Throughout the exhibition, you can:

Read about people who have made a difference in how we think about municipal solid waste today;
Try a variety of activities at home or school; and

You can also consult an extensive resource list to find out more about garbage and what you can do about it.
For exhibit developers or those who work in museums:
Visit the section for exhibit developers to learn how Rotten Truth (About Garbage) was created. Find out how lead exhibit developer Kathy McLean became interested in the subject of garbage, or learn some tips on how to create environmentally-conscious exhibitions.

Who created this exhibition?
This exhibition was researched and developed with the help and expertise of many individuals and organizations.

Finding your way through the exhibition:
By following the icon, you can sequentially visit each exhibit area. (Clicking on the icon will enable you to return to the previous page.) Please note that several activities, resources, and profiles are located at other web sites. After visiting them, click on your web browser’s “back” button to return to your place in the exhibition. Finally, if at any time you want to visit a different exhibit area, return to this page by clicking on the “home” garbage bag icon, and selecting the desired exhibit area below. Enjoy your visit!

START :}

So get started now!

What Have Been The Top 10 Environmental Stories Over The Last Couple Of Years?

Posted on December 31, 2008 by Doug Nicodemus

Happy New Year Everyone! So how has the environment been doing lately?

Merry Christmas From Everyone at Community Energy Systems

Posted on December 25, 2008 by Doug Nicodemus

If you think Christmas is about crass comercialism than go here:

http://www.merry-christmas.com/

But if you think Christmas is about lowering your use of fossil fuels, and other scare resources, please try here:

http://www.csecenter.org/

(:=}

SeaGen – Need I say more?

Posted on December 24, 2008 by Doug Nicodemus

A generation ago those of us in the alternative energy world, utility policy and energy conservation had a one word battle cry. Hood River. The town in Oregon that demonstrated many of the priniciples that we had fought for and Energy Corporate America had fought against. Well SeaGen is one of THOSE.

http://ecoscraps.com/2008/04/06/animation-seagen-tidal-power-turbine/

SeaGen Shatters Tidal Power Generation Record

Written by Timothy B. Hurst

Published on December 18th, 2008

Posted in alternative energy

Since its inception, we have been keeping a close eye on Marine Current Turbine’s SeaGen project in the UK, the world’s first commercial scale tidal stream turbine. Well, today there is more big news to report from the strong tidal flows of Strangford Lough as SeaGen has generated at its maximum capacity of 1.2MW for the first time. Thus far, this is the highest power produced by a tidal stream system anywhere in the world and exceeds the previous highest output of 300kW produced in 2004 by the company’s earlier SeaFlow system, off the north Devon coast.

Generating at full power is an important milestone for the company, and in particular our in-house engineering team. We are very pleased with SeaGen’s performance during commissioning,” said Martin Wright, Managing Director of Marine Current Turbines (MCT). “It demonstrates, for the first time, the commercial potential of tidal energy as a viable alternative source of renewable energy.”

According to company officials, now that SeaGen has reached full power it will move towards full-operating mode for periods of up to 22 hours a day, with regular inspections and performance testing undertaken as part of the project’s development program.

Or You can go to the website itself:

http://www.seageneration.co.uk/

Welcome to the SeaGen

Project Website

SeaGen is the name given to the 1.2MW tidal energy convertor that will be installed in Strangford Lough in April 2008. Sea Generation Ltd is the project company which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Marine Current Turbines Ltd. SeaGen has been has been licensed for a maximum installed duration of 5 years.

Marine Current Turbines Ltd have been operating the 300kW Seaflow tidal energy system at Lynmouth, Devon since May 2003 and are recognised as being one of the worlds leading tidal energy system developers.

Just Can’t Seem To Find That Cat – This is my third and maybe final try

Posted on December 18, 2008 by Doug Nicodemus

Still no luck finding the car I saw in San Francisco. I even tried searching images to see if I could locate a picture. It was a Volkswagen like car but it was narrower in the body and had wheel wells that were not integrated into the body like this littles electric from India:

http://www.revaindia.com/

http://www.nepalitimes.com.np/issue/2008/12/5/Business/15418

Sunny side up
Lotus Energy’s solar technology shines a light on the future

PAAVAN MATHEMA

It is a sad irony that Nepal, with its sunny winters and the highest hydropower potential of any country in the world, suffers from endless power cuts.

The country is better placed than most to take advantage of renewable energy sources, but successive governments have done almost nothing to make this happen. Private entrepreneurs, however, have stepped in and one of the pioneers in this field has been Lotus Energy.

“You see the dark houses, the power cuts, you see the pollution on the road and you feel that you have to do something,” says Adam Friedensohn who set up Lotus Energy when he moved to Nepal 15 years ago to promote solar and wind energy technologies.

With partner Jeevan Goff, Friedensohn has set up the company to provide Nepalis with affordable solar alternatives for lighting. Starting with just three staff in 1993, Lotus now employs 100 and has branches across Nepal.

Friedensohn started out with trying to light up rural areas of Nepal with solar power, but quickly got involved in trying to find a solution to the extremely polluting Vikram three wheelers. Lotus collaborated with other parters to start Electric Vehicle Company (EVCO). The project to replace the diesel powered smoke belchers with battery-powered three wheelers became a runaway success, and ‘Safe tempo’ has today become a household word.

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2008/05/reva-takes-2008.html

REVA Takes 2008 Frost & Sullivan European

Automotive Powertrain Company of the Year Award

30 May 2008

Frost & Sullivan presented its 2008 European Automotive Powertrain Company of the Year Award to Reva Electric Car Company (RECC) for demonstrating excellence in sales volumes, superior market penetration and high levels of customer satisfaction within the electric vehicle (EV) industry. In 2007, on average one REVA electric car was sold per day in the United Kingdom.

RECC has successfully tested and evaluated lithium ion batteries for the REVA quadricycle. The newly developed lithium ion batteries provide a driving range of more than 140 kilometers (87 miles) compared to 60-80 km from the existing lead acid battery pack.

The company’s current REVAi has been designed to facilitate upgrades to li-ion packs when they are made available for sale this year. With the incorporation of the new AC electric motor, the REVAi increases the mid-range torque by 40% and offers a boost mode for short term acceleration.

Community Energy Systems

Censys.org

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