Former Fat Guy Blog » Environment

10 Quick Ways to Shrink Your Waste

Scott Bird — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 02:46:45 +0000

Household waste, that is *.

Here are 10 quick ways to reduce the amount of garbage that goes into your bins every week. Even if you’re not thinking about the environmental impact of doing this; it’ll be less to carry.

* If you’re looking to shrink your waist, Rob‘s your man.

Give it away

A ‘spring clean‘ – at any time of the year – is a great opportunity to take advantage of this one. If you’ve got something which is perfectly reasonable (but no longer wanted); give it away. Donate it to charity, give it to a neighbour or find a friend/family member who’d love to take it off your hands.

This works well for low-priced items, or things which are far too heavy to consider putting up for sale.
Sell it online

Once all of the low-value goods are out of the way, there’s a good chance that you’ve got quite a few things left. Grab a couple of photos, write brief descriptions and put them up on an auction site like eBay. Alternately, use any of the larger trading sites such as Craigslist, Loot or the Trading Post.
Compost heap

If you spend many a sunny weekend raking up leaves or mowing the lawn, a compost heap is for you. This will give you a quick, simple way to turn the unwanted leaf litter and grass clippings into great material for the gardens.

To find out exactly how to make a compost pile or bin, take a look at this article.
Make your own mulch

When it comes to garden equipment, one of my favourites is a machine known as ‘The Piecemaker‘ (great name). It simply breaks up larger stems and branches into bite-size pieces – perfect for garden mulch.

Like the compost heap, a shredder or mulcher is a great way to turn garden waste into useful garden product. Beautiful.
Take your own shopping bags

Quick question for you : when you go shopping, do you take your own bags? This is a particularly easy way to cut back on your household waste. After all, the plastic or paper bags provided at each store have to go somewhere once they’re home. If you can avoid using them at all, great.

To read a little more about this, head over to the article 5 Ways To Reduce Packaging In Your Grocery Shopping.
Set up a worm farm

I love worm farms. Although I usually think of them as indoor equipment, I understand entirely if you’d rather keep yours outside. In a slightly sheltered area, of course.

A worm farm is a great way to convert unwanted kitchen scraps into nutrients for your garden. It can even work its magic on your dog’s, well, ‘markers‘. And, if you’re wondering, it’s great to have a worm farm as well as a compost heap. Slightly different functions.
Grow your own fruit & veg

One of the simplest ways to reduce your household waste is to produce at least some of your own food. This doesn’t necessarily mean opening a cattle ranch or dairy farm; growing a few fruits and vegetables will start things off.

If gardening isn’t exactly a strong point (either you never grow anything or you kill almost any plant you touch), a large pot filled with herbs is a great start. In general, they’re tough little things.

To see how it’s done (and don’t worry, it’s little more than pot + soil + plants), walk this way.
Use it for something else

This is a technique which is often overlooked – re-using an item for something else. An old bookshelf that gradually makes its way to the garage, a pair of socks that enjoy a new life as dusting cloths and so on. Before throwing something away, ask yourself if it could be used for something else.

Of course, there are many, many ways to reuse the items which you may already have. Whether you’re looking for something in the ‘arts and crafts‘ line, or are much more at home in the garage; these should give you a few ideas :
Restore and Renovate

Although the impact is somewhat more subtle, this is the second cousin of the ‘re-use‘ category above. Essentially, it’s just re-using an item for the original purpose.

Another question to ask when about to throw an item away – would you keep using it if it were in better condition? If the answer’s ‘yes‘, then it may be worth the time and effort involved in fixing it up. Especially with larger, expensive items.

As the restoration of just about anything (furniture and cars are at the top of most lists) is a specialist activity, I won’t even attempt to cover things here. I will point out though, that with a bit of time and effort (and – in some cases – money); almost anything can be restored.
Use biodegradable packaging

Back to the great outdoors, sort of. Whenever you buy something, think for a second where the packaging is going to end up. I don’t just mean ‘in the bin‘ (although that’s a start), I mean slightly further down the line. Sitting atop a massive pile of garbage somewhere?

Whenever possible, opt for materials which break down fairly easily. Think of a paper-wrapped parcel from the butcher, rather than the equivalent plastic and foam concoction at the local supermarket.

A rule of thumb here – if you’re not sure if it breaks down easily, it probably doesn’t.

Bonus : Recycle glass, paper and plastic

Remember cleaning up after the last party you had? All of the bottles and cans? Recycling is a particularly simple way to get rid of them all. And a whole lot more.

Final thoughts on shrinking your waste

Just about anything you throw away can be put under one of the headings above. For the remainder, well, keep on making it smaller. It’s a lot easier to carry.

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CFLs and Mercury

Scott Bird — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 23:12:21 +0000

The other day, Rob pointed me to an article on a topic which has been in the news quite a bit lately – the concern over the mercury contained in compact fluorescent (CFL) lamps. The original piece is here.

That article – and many others – gives the reader a somewhat inaccurate impression of the situation. Here’s a brief look at the use of compact fluorescent lighting, including the safe disposal of broken or used bulbs.

What are Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs)?

A CFL is essentially just a smaller version of the fluorescent tubes you see in many offices and supermarkets. The tubes are generally much slimmer, and twisted into a spiral or other compact design. The photo at left shows one of the more common varieties.

These lights have grown in popularity enormously over the past couple of years; mostly due to the fact that they consume far less power than the incandescent light globes we’ve all been using for decades. A low-wattage CFL will typically light the room as much as a high-powered incandescent equivalent.

The concern over mercury

Whilst they do use far less power than similar incandescent lights, CFLs require a little more attention when it comes to disposal. There are several differences between the two technologies, but the primary concern is over a single aspect of the CFLs :

CFLs contain a tiny amount of mercury.

The amount of mercury found in a CFL – even a broken one – is tiny (usually less than 4 milligrams), and extremely unlikely to cause a problem. To illustrate this, here’s a quick calculation based on a typical CFL in a medium-sized room (a child’s bedroom, if you like) :

a CFL containing 4mg of mercury breaks in a room containing 25m3 of air (a medium-sized room). The entire 4mg of mercury vaporises, resulting in an airborne mercury concentration of 0.16mg / m3. This level will fall rapidly, as air from outside / other areas of the house comes in to the room. In all likelihood, it will be at zero after an hour or so.

The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard (the level which is considered safe) is 0.05mg /m3 averaged over eight hours. Even if the air in the room (containing the broken CFL) takes 8 hours to be replaced, the level of mercury from the bulb is only a minuscule 0.02mg /m3. Well within the guidelines.

What to do when a CFL breaks

On the rare occasion when a CFL is broken, a little caution is necessary. Both the glass and the mercury need to be disposed of carefully. Here’s how :

open any windows in the room itself, and elsewhere in the house
if you have an air-conditioner or central heating system, switch it off
clean up the broken glass carefully (avoid touching it with your skin, or vacuuming it up)
wipe the area with a paper towel in order to mop up any remaining glass fragments, and mercury
put the broken light, and the paper towel, in a plastic bag and take it to a recycling centre (hazardous waste section)

Leave the room. It’ll be back to normal in an hour or so.

Safe disposal of Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs)

Although breakages are extremely rare, CFLs should still be disposed of carefully when they reach the end of their life (or are no longer required). Fortunately, there are a couple of ways to do just this.

For used or unwanted fluorescent lighting, take a look at the Tube Terminator. This thing’s superb.

To see it in action, head over to The New Inventors site (it was shown on there last year). Although the demonstration focuses on the larger form of fluorescent lighting, an adapter is available for CFLs.

Alternately, take the light(s) to a recycling centre which handles CFLs. In the US, check out the Lamp Recycle and ALMR sites.

An alternative to Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs)

If you’re looking for a low-energy alternative to the compact fluorescents, check out the current generation of LEDs. These make use of yet another technology, require even less power to run and are simpler to dispose of.

LEDs are not yet considered inexpensive, but prices are falling rapidly. If you haven’t taken a look at them in the past few months, it’s well worth your time. You’ll save a considerable amount of money over their lifetime.

Final thoughts on CFLs and mercury

Whilst CFLs do contain a tiny amount of mercury, it’s nowhere near the levels that some news reports would have you believe. As with many consumer items, all that’s required is a little common sense.

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Monitoring Your Energy Usage

Scott Bird — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 00:35:51 +0000

Having access to any sort of information – in real time – can help make almost anything more effective. A car’s speedometer, a wristwatch; that thin red line you see on televised swimming finals.

When it comes to energy use around the house, this idea certainly holds true. Having an idea of the amount of electricity, water, gas etc which is being used can help you make real changes – quickly. And as you’re likely to be saving money in the process, the first place you’ll notice the benefits may just be your utility bills.

As with most things on the market, there are a number of options when it comes to energy monitoring. Here are a few of my favourites.

EcoVision

The EcoVision – shown the other night on The New Inventors – is a real-time, touch-screen display for your home that shows the household’s current power and water consumption. The system is also geared for group or community use – showing the consumption levels of a communal building or small town.

Future versions of the device are expected to collate national and global data.

My thoughts on this : although it’s a great idea for new homes, it isn’t – yet – ready to be connected to existing houses. Once it does, and the price of touch-screen displays drops, it will undoubtedly take off. To see more, watch the New Inventors segment, or head over to www.ecovisionsolutions.com.au.

NB : You may also be interested in the MorePower Multi, which is heading along a similar path.

Wattson

This is at the stylish forefront of energy usage monitoring, and looks the part (as well as acting the part). In terms of functionality, it simply monitors how much electricity your house is using, and displays that information in the form of coloured lights and the cost of the power.

My thoughts on this : whilst it’s clearly a good-looking device (and made Stuff Magazine‘s ‘Cool Gadget List‘ last year), it’s a little on the expensive side. For energy-monitoring, at least.

NB : There are a number of devices similar to this – with varying prices – such as The Owl (formerly the Cent-A-Meter, known as Electrisave in the UK) and the Efergy.

EWGECO

Developed by Scottish inventor Tanya Ewing, the EWGECO is a small, hand-held monitoring device for tracking electricity, gas and water consumption. Once it learns your ‘usual‘ consumption patterns (which takes about a week), it’ll display – in real time – whether you’re higher or lower than this; and by how much.

At the moment it’s for business use only; a household model is due out shortly. More info is available on the EWGECO site.

My thoughts on this : the integrated electricity/gas/water approach makes a lot of sense to me; as does the small, handheld idea. It’s now possible to think of this offering as part of another device, such as a cellphone or television.

Kill-A-Watt

The Kill-A-Watt is much like a double-adaptor with a screen; quickly identifying the electricity usage of any device plugged in to it. A handy way to check up on your existing appliances.

My thoughts on this : although it may seem to have a limited use (after all, it’s only for one appliance at a time), it’s nice and cheap. Around $20 on Amazon.

NB : Devices similar to this include the Prodigit 2000M plug-in mains power & energy monitor and the Brennenstuhl PM230 Electricity Meter.

Other options

If you’re not in a position to spend money at the moment, there are still a couple of things you can do. The first is to grab as many of your electricity bills (from that house) as you can, and get an idea of the amount you generally use. Watch for seasonal changes, which may be an air-conditioner, pool cleaner or heating system.

The second is to use one of the free online calculators, such as this one (US only). This will give you an approximate breakdown of your electricity usage.

Final thoughts on Monitoring Your Energy Usage

These devices all have one thing in common – they make it easy to keep an eye on your power consumption; reducing your power bills in a number of cases. Whether your goals are environmentally-based, or simply related to saving a bit of cash; monitoring your energy usage is well worth considering.

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Solar Technology in the Streets

Scott Bird — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 03:26:17 +0000

The other day I noticed a solar-powered lighting system beside a main road, connected to a set of school-zone warning lights *. Once I began looking, I noted several solar-powered devices around the streets. Here are just a few of my favourites.

* As in many parts of the world, one of the road rules here (Sydney, Australia) requires a reduced speed around schools during the times the children arrive and leave each day. A set of lights and warning signs often announces this.

What are the main advantages of solar-powered devices?

Before we begin, let’s take a quick look at two of the key advantages of solar-powered devices in general. These apply to almost anything that’s solar-powered – whether it’s intended for domestic or commercial use.

Installation is often simpler. Once you remove the cables supplying power to the device itself (and I’m obviously referring to larger equipment here), the installation requirements are greatly simplified in many cases. It’s also less to worry about when you’re digging nearby.
Greatly reduced maintenance costs. A significant part of the maintenance cost for many electrical devices involves the power supply, and the transmission of this power to the core of the equipment. Solar-powered devices remove this.

Once the initial cost comes down to a reasonable level, local government bodies stand to save a considerable amount of money; both when the items are new, and on an ongoing basis.

Solar-powered devices in the streets

Now, on to the devices themselves. These are all things which are currently available, and in use in various parts of the world. If you’d like to see more of them where you live, just talk to your local council or government.

Street lights

These really show off the two advantages above. With nothing physically connecting them to each other (wireless communications sort out the timing and collective functions), they take up a very small space at ground level. Meanwhile, the reduced maintenance cost enables them to be employed along minor roads in small towns which otherwise go poorly lit.

Although there are many varieties, the one in the photo at left shows a typical setup. The overall shape of each streetlight is almost unchanged.

NB : Portable versions of these are also available – perfect for temporary uses, such as roadworks.

Parking meters

These are the first solar-powered devices I saw beside the roads, several years ago. As solar options become cheaper and more efficient, the solar-powered parking meters are making their presence felt in a number of parts of the world.

School safety lights

These are the lights I mentioned at the beginning of this article. The device itself is a simple warning sign – a series of flashing lights and an area of text – and is ideal for the solar approach.

NB : a great alternative is the SafeZone, which features a series of coloured road-based markers. Very easy to see.

Bus shelters

This seems like an obvious use for solar technology, as it’s fairly simple to modify existing shelters; without any significant change to their appearance. These are gradually becoming more common in many areas.

Buses

The Tindo Solar Bus I pointed to recently operates on a very simple model. The solar power is gathered at the bus depot, not on the vehicle itself; and simply recharges the vehicle at night (in the same way as a plug-in hybrid). Being an electric vehicle, the bus is almost silent, and perfect for the typical short journeys around urban areas.

Solar Road Markers

As you can see from the photo, these are essentially solar-powered cats-eyes. As you’d expect for devices which are going to suffer being run over many times a day, they’re extremely tough. Temperature extremes, heavy traffic – no problem at all. Great things.

Temporary Traffic lights

This is a superb combination of power from renewable and non-renewable sources – solar-powered temporary traffic lights. As with the street lights, these often make use of wireless communications to keep everything running smoothly.

Street signs

Many of the above devices have a common trait – the energy is harnessed, stored and then re-used when appropriate. Street signs are a perfect example of this. Solar energy is collected during the day, and used to power lighting (for the sign) at night.

A battery backup easily covers the dim and overcast days.

And a few that I’d like to see :

Permanent Traffic lights

Now that solar-powered temporary traffic lights are available, it isn’t exactly a huge leap to incorporate the same technology in permanent setups. After all, an intersection which is suddenly without traffic lights is chaotic at best.

Safety railings

Although several varieties of solar-powered bollards are already available, I haven’t yet come across similar options when it comes to sections of safety railing.

Public Recharge points

Similar to the solar-powered bollards mentioned above – although they’d simply store their energy, rather than offer lighting – would be public recharge points. If your electric car or hybrid is running low on power, simply pull over and plug in for a while.

The cost of maintaining something like this? Very low indeed.

Final thought on Solar Technology in the Streets

I love the idea of solar power; after all, it’s essentially free electricity. The next time you’re in town, take a look around at the ways in which solar-powered devices could really reduce costs and simplify things.

Chances are, there are more than you think.

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Saving Water : Designing a water-efficient house

Scott Bird — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 06:31:39 +0000

This is the sixth and final article (part I, II, III, IV and V) in our series on Saving Water. Living in Sydney, Australia I’m acutely aware of the value of this precious resource.

Designing a new house? Great. This article looks at the many things you can do at this point which will radically reduce the amount of water you use – without adding anything at all to the total cost.

By how much can you reduce it? In many areas, it’s quite possible to disconnect from the mains supply altogether – or at least to stop using water from that source.

Let’s get started.

Water conservation can be broken into three broad areas. These are :

reduce the amount you use
collect your rainwater *
re-use it where possible (clean it as necessary)

Looking at it this way, you’ll see that it isn’t a single problem to be addressed. Several small changes will have a major impact.

* I realise that this could be placed in the ‘re-use’ category, but it’s such a key change that it’s been given a category of its own.

Reduce the amount you use

There are a few ways to do this. The first is by changing your behaviour (brushing your teeth without the water running, using a bucket for the cold shower water); a second is by using more efficient appliances. Designing a new house gives you the perfect opportunity to do this.

When buying water-efficient appliances, be sure to find out if there are any rebates available in your area, and take full advantage of them. Unexpected income is always a nice feeling, and the extra cash may make the difference between a device that’s ‘OK’ and the one you really want.

The third way is a little less obvious. Almost any physical product you buy (a can of tomatoes, for example) will incur a fair amount of production, packaging, transportation and display. Purchasing an alternative product (or, in the case of tomatoes, growing your own) often reduces the cost of things, labour involved, power and water used. Of course it isn’t always possible – or even reasonable – to buy something else; but it can make quite a difference in the long run.

When designing your house, it’s a great opportunity to take advantage of this third approach. Although the savings involved with a can of tomatoes may be negligible, a change of housing materials or suppliers can reward you with a notable reduction. In fact, the first place you’ll notice it is often in your wallet.

For more on these approaches, see the article How to save water around your house.

Collect your rainwater

This one alone will have a massive impact on the amount of water you purchase – and the home-design stage is the perfect time to really take advantage of it. In an earlier article we looked at the various types of water tanks; all are great, however some of them are much more realistic when building a new home.

Particularly the bladder and wall tanks. Designing a deck to fit around a tank (rather than squeezing a tank into the space available) is definitely the way to go. Much, much cheaper.

In fact, you’ll probably be able to collect much more rainwater in a new home than an existing one of the same size. How much should you collect? Quite simply, as much as you can.

For more on this, see the article the benefits of using a water tank.

Re-use it where possible

Once again, there are a couple of approaches here. As with the section on ‘reduce the amount you use’, a few minor changes in behaviour can have a marked impact. Directing excess water from your washing machine on to the garden, using bathwater to ‘bucket flush’ the toilet.

When designing a new house, however, you can also take advantage of both greywater and blackwater recycling. As one of the largest costs with these systems is the plumbing, this is the perfect time to set things up.

Installing a greywater system

In the last article we looked at greywater – what it is, and how to use it. Several options were noted, ranging from small behavioural changes to complete systems to clean and re-use the water supply. When it comes to the design of a new house, there’s a great opportunity to take advantage of all of them; particularly the full recycling systems.

There are several available, and your decision will certainly come down to location and budget; however a good place to start is with the Nubian Oasis.

For more on this, see the article Using Greywater.

Blackwater

Blackwater is water which contains the waste from areas such as toilets and greasetraps; and accordingly needs quite a bit of cleaning before it can be re-used. The result is usually Class A+ water – the highest standard of recycled water possible. Although some regulations prevent you from drinking this water (and you’d be fine if you did), it’s perfectly OK for everything else.

Currently there are only a handful of options when it comes to recycling residential blackwater; though I imagine this will greatly increase over the next few years. An example of a blackwater system that can be purchased right now is this one from EcoNova.

NB : as governments around the world have different viewpoints on equipment such as this, it’s worth asking a few questions of your local council or controlling body.

It isn’t just water you’ll be saving

Throughout this series you may have noticed that in a number of cases, saving water also means saving time, money and electricity. An example of this is the KISSS roof garden system which was shown on the New Inventors a few days ago.

If you didn’t catch the show, the KISSS Ebb and Flow Mat provides an exceedingly simple and cost-effective way to manage a roof garden – even on sloped roofs. In addition to conserving water, the mats will greatly reduce the building’s heating costs (by around 30% for a typical home); as well as cutting back on the installation and maintenance times associated with rooftop gardening.

A brilliant idea.

Final thoughts on designing a water-efficient house

I love water. Tipping your head back in a light snowfall, listening to a trickling stream, watching a fountain (thanks, Marty – this is a great idea), taking a cold shower on a hot day.

Perhaps surprisingly, I also enjoy being surrounded by modern appliances. Fortunately, it’s quite possible to have both.

When designing your house, keep in mind that conserving water actually gives you greater control over your environment. Your bills will be lower, you’ll spend less time on maintenance and there’ll be absolutely no guilt whenever you decide to enjoy a long, hot shower or a soak in the bath.

Ideally, the amount of water your home collects from the rain will be enough to cover 100% of your water needs. In many parts of the world this is entirely possible – and will save you an incredible amount of money.

Designing a new house is the perfect opportunity to take full advantage of this possibility. Save money, help the environment; reduce your maintenance costs – perfect.

I hope this series has given you a couple of ideas when it comes to the topic of saving water. Self-sustainability (at least as far as water is concerned) really isn’t as difficult as you might think.

If you missed any of the previous articles, you can get up-to-speed below :

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Saving Water : Using Greywater

Scott Bird — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 04:16:28 +0000

This is the fifth article in a 6 part series on Saving Water. See part 1 on measuring your tap water, part 2 on benefits of a water tank, part 3 on gutters and drains and part 4 on saving water around the house. Living in Sydney, Australia I’m acutely aware of the value of this precious resource.

When it comes to conserving water, this is the big one. As greywater comprises around three quarters of a household’s waste water, it’s well worth looking at. After all, saving water = saving money.

What is Greywater?

First, a definition.

The water you see around the house can generally be classified as one of three types -

White / fresh water : this is the clear water you drink.
Greywater / graywater : this water contains a small amount of dirt, and is water that has been previously used within the house. The water which leaves the washing machine, for example.
Blackwater : this is the waste water from the toilet.

Just remember the greywater = previously used part, and you’ll begin to see just how much of the stuff there is available.

What can greywater be used for?

At this point you may be wondering exactly what you can do with all of this slightly cloudy water. After all, it contains everything that was washed off your hands, dishes, clothes and so on.

There are two answers to this, as you’ll quickly see in the sections on collecting greywater. It can either be used as-is for a few things, or cleaned up and re-used in any number of ways.

Using greywater as-is

There are a few ways to collect the water in the house, and use it on an appropriate (more on that in a minute) part of the garden. These are all free, and are things that anyone can start doing today. Excellent.

The Bucket Method

In an earlier article on saving water around your house, I mentioned the idea of putting a bucket in the shower, specifically to catch the cold water that comes out before things start to warm up. Once the bucket is full, put it to one side until after your shower; and then pour it on the garden.

An alternative is to use this bucket of water to flush the toilet. Simply pour the water into the bowl, instead of flushing. It’ll automatically flush everything away.

NB : Having a bath? The same thing applies. Grab the bucket afterwards.

Simple redirection

Several appliances (notably washing machines, air-conditioning units and dehumidifers) enable a hose to be connected to the back (often just a regular garden hose) to redirect the waste water. Simply attach a hose to the back of the machine, and point it to an appropriate part of the garden. Perfect.

What is an ‘appropriate’ part of the garden?

In the examples above, much of the water was already clean to begin with; putting it on any area of the garden is fine.

With greywater, however, some plants enjoy it more than others. If you have a choice, use it to water :

Lawns : most grasses are fine with greywater. If the greywater is particularly cloudy, just alternate its use with fresh water.
Trees and large shrubs : the majority of these are fine. Greywater tends to be slightly alkaline, so trees such as Oaks do particularly well with it.
Roses : roses also tend to enjoy slightly alkaline conditions, so greywater is perfect.
Alkaline-loving plants : whilst roses are perhaps the best known, a number of other alkaline-friendly plants enjoy a bit of greywater. These include bougainvilleas, agapanthus and honeysuckle.

As a general rule, use the greywater for ornamental plants rather than those you eat. Whilst there are exceptions, this will keep things running smoothly.

NB : If the garden is physically lower than the machine spitting out the water, you won’t even need a pump. Just plug in and enjoy.

Things to avoid

The vegetable garden : although some vegetables really don’t mind it, the majority don’t like it at all.
Irrigation systems with small holes at some point (even the sprinkler heads) : these occasionally become clogged with the larger material in greywater.

Cleaning up the greywater

As I mentioned earlier, the other way to handle greywater is to collect it; and then clean it up a little. When people talk of the costs associated with greywater, this filtration is usually involved. Effective, yes; but not exactly cheap. Yet.

Why clean the greywater?

By filtering the greywater, the clean water produced can be re-used to flush toilets, run the dishwasher, fill the washing machine and so on. It can also be stored for much longer periods of time.

How is this done?

There are a number of systems on the market for doing this (collection, filtration and storage), with the expected range of appearances and costs. These systems generally work by :

Collection and filtration : the water is taken as it goes down the drain, and redirected into a filtration system.
There’s absolutely no difference in appearance at this point – in fact your neighbours may already be doing it. You’d never know.
Storage : once the majority of impurities have been removed, the water is directed to a storage tank.
Re-use : the storage tank is connected to the wet rooms of the house. Whenever the toilet is flushed, or the washing machine is used (as well as many more devices) – this cleaned greywater is used.

NB : If there isn’t quite enough water in the storage tank, the regular supply of fresh water is automatically used.

Keeping the greywater clean, naturally

As you can see, greywater is simply a mix of the stuff you pour down the drain (except the toilet, of course). No matter whether you’re using a bucket or a cutting-edge filtration system; life will be much, much easier if the water is a little cleaner to begin with.

To keep the greywater as clean as possible, take a look at your household cleaning products. There are a number of items that will do a superb cleaning job (particularly shampoos, laundry and dishwashing detergents); as well as keeping your plants happy. If you’re putting greywater on the garden, these are well worth considering.

Of course, all products vary in their cost, appearance and effectiveness – ask your neighbours what they are using. Regardless of the brand, however, here are a few general guidelines :

use products which are phosphate free
use products which are low in sodium
use products which state that all of their ingredients are biodegradable
use products which are concentrated
use products which can be used in cold water

Although this sounds like a bit of work, most of the products with ‘green‘ names will tick these boxes. And your garden will look great.

Final thought on using greywater

When it comes to saving water, the use of greywater is an obvious choice. Whether you’re using a bucket or a complete filtration system; using greywater just makes sense.

Next week I’ll be taking a look at the many things possible when you’re building a new house, or renovating an existing one. Self-sustainability (at least as far as water is concerned) really isn’t as difficult as you might think.

In the meantime, check out some of the previous articles in this series. Enjoy.

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Saving water : Guttering and Drains

Scott Bird — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 01:00:06 +0000

This is the third article (see Saving Water Part I and Saving Water Part II)
in a 6 part series on Saving Water. There are many environmental benefits of saving water of course, but for the end consumer, saving money seems to be the key. Living in Sydney, Australia I’m acutely aware of the value of saving water.

Have you ever caught yourself standing indoors during a heavy downpour, wondering where all of the excess water ends up? Obviously the garden can only drink so much, the pool may take a little and the
water tank takes whatever it can.

However, the rest – the vast majority – is simply thrown away.

This article – on guttering and drains – looks at several ways to improve the flow of water around your house (so you can make the most of it), and take a few steps toward the ultimate water goal : any water that falls on your property, stays on your property. No more water bills. Ever.

Water-wise gutters and drains

If you’re planning to build a new house, or replace the guttering for your existing home; you may be wondering just what types of guttering are available. Rest assured, there are many, many varieties of each – here I’ll take a look at just a few of the more unusual options. Water-wise, of course.

Rain Handler : This is a guttering system which actually follows much of the ‘no gutters‘ thinking – water is elegantly removed, without filling up with the dirt and debris all-too-common in guttering.

Rainsaver gutter / tank : I mentioned the rainsaver gutter / tank briefly in my last article about the benefits of using a water tank. Quite simply, it collects the rainfall from the roof; temporarily storing it in a slim tank just beneath the roofline. If your heart is set on guttering of some sort, this is a great idea.

Gutter Monster : for those living near a number of trees, guttering such as the Gutter Monster is perfect. Leaves 0 : Water 1.

Snow Gutters : I love these. If you live in snow country, you’ll quickly see why. This is an incredibly strong, flexible guttering system designed specifically for buildings which receive their fair share of snow and ice. Rather than being allowed to build up on the roof, the snow is allowed to slide off onto the ground.

Great idea.

Atlantis Wall Drainage : these drainage cells come in a great range of shapes and sizes – ready for inclusion in walls, paved areas, gardens and lawns. To get an idea of just how they can be used, take a look at these photos of a Wall Drainage setup in a Sydney car park. Superb.

NB : These are also perfect for a number of residential uses; particularly around gardens.

Beany Block : Like many inventions, a quick look at this begs you to ask ‘why didn’t someone think of that before’. Brilliantly simple idea.

Conventional roadside guttering acts to channel the water along to a specific point, where it is poured into a massive drain. Beany Blocks – developed around two decades ago by Highways Engineer Neill S.
Beanland – are sections of guttering containing an embedded drainage channel. Each section has a large opening to allow the water to enter the channel directly.

Fantastic idea.

Adding value to your house

If you’re not ready to make massive changes to the guttering and drainage around your property, there are a number of small things you can do which will not only increase your water efficiency (saving water of course); they will also add value to your house.

They are :

Round the corners : many plumbers have a habit of creating sharp corners in water pipes – particularly outside the house. Take a walk around your property. Whenever you see a right-angled bend, replace it with a curved section of pipe. Water will flow much more easily around it.

Rainwater diverters : if you’re not quite ready to install water tanks, consider grabbing a simple rainwater diverter. This will divert excess rainwater from your roof – via a normal garden hose – to anywhere more useful. A covered garden perhaps, or a lawn that needs a helping hand.

Keep some of the stormwater : it’s common to see pipes leading from the house into the closest street, where excess water is channeled into the community’s stormwater system (thrown back into the sea). Expose these pipes, drill a few holes in them and let some of this excess flow back into the soil (in dry areas – you’re not trying to create a flood). If you have trees in front of your property, this is a great way to keep them happy.

Where do I go from here?

If you’re anything like me, the above solutions are more than enough to start the wheels turning. When it comes to self-sustainability, managing your water use – and eliminating your water bills entirely – is definitely achievable.

To get a good idea of the things that work well in your area (or the one in which you intend to live), simply wait until the next time it rains; and take a look at a few nearby houses, lawns and roads. You’ll quickly get an idea of the types of water management that are necessary.

Final thoughts on guttering and drains

Although it may seem like a small part of the water-saving puzzle, managing the flow of water around your property can prevent flooding, keep the gardens happy, the pool full and ensure there’s plenty of clean drinking water whenever you need it. It doesn’t get much better than that.

This is the third article in this series on Saving Water. If you missed the previous pieces, you can grab them here :

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Saving Water : The Benefits of Using a Water Tank

Scott Bird — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 01:28:56 +0000

This is the second article in a 6 part series on Saving Water (see part 1 on saving water). Living in Sydney, Australia I’m acutely aware of the value of this precious resource.

Today we’ll be looking at something for home-owners worldwide – the benefits of using a water tank. A rainwater tank, that is.

When I was growing up in Sydney there was no thought of restricting water use. It was common to see people watering their lawns in the evening, washing the car (with a high-pressure hose) on the weekend and standing under the cool, running water on a hot day.

In recent years (over the past decade or so), the idea has been gradually spreading that water is a valuable resource. This is particularly evident during periods of drought, when water restrictions are in place.

One thing that has made a massive difference to the amount of water we have available – taking us back to the ‘good old days‘, if you like – is the installation of a water tank. If you haven’t really thought about putting one in (regardless of where you live), here are a few things which might just have you considering the idea.

What is a water tank?

Firstly, let’s take a step back and make sure we’re both thinking of the same thing. I’m simply referring to a rainwater tank (aka rain barrel), which is simply a large container that collects the water from your roof when it rains; allowing you to re-use that water at other times. Most tanks have a tap near the base, and a common use is to connect a hose and use the water to keep the garden happy.

Of course, there are a number of other things you can do with that water – ranging from looking after your pets to use in dishwashers and washing machines. And the ultimate use; you can drink it.

Types of water tanks

Round and slimline : Tanks come in a variety of shapes and sizes, designed to suit a great range of accommodation. For existing homes there are large, sturdy outdoor models (in a range of shapes, sizes and colours). These just need a solid, flat surface (a small concrete slab or a paved area) somewhere near the guttering. Redirect a downpipe, set up an overflow, and you’re good to go.

NB : An option may be to bury the tank beneath a garden or lawn. Although it takes a bit of work to set up, it’s completely hidden from view. Perfect.

Bladder : Newer homes often take advantage of the massive, inflatable bags which are designed for use under floors or decking. Although it’s possible to install these in existing homes, it’s much easier (and cheaper) to design the floor with the bags in mind.

If you’re living in an apartment or other type of shared accommodation, it’s worth talking to the person/people in charge of things there. Not only is it a sensible and environmentally-friendly approach; it’s often much, much cheaper.

Rainsaver gutter / tank : these tanks are hidden with a fairly typical guttering system, and can hold a surprising amount of water. A notable example is the RainSaver.

Under gravel, paths and gardens : I love the idea of these – particularly for new homes or during major landscaping work.

The tanks resemble milk crates (with a finer mesh, of course), and are buried beneath gardens, paths and driveways. Excess water works its way down to them, where it is stored for later re-use. A beautiful setup.

Atlantis are the best tanks of this type I’ve seen, and there are some excellent resources on their site looking at this approach.

Benefits of tanks

There are several reasons to consider setting up a water tank or two. They are :

Cheaper : When it comes to saving money, this one’s definitely on the shortlist. After all, rainwater is cheaper than the stuff you pay to have piped in.

The only costs to offset that (and these are one-time-only) are the price of the tank itself [rebates are often available], and the installation.

NB : The installation isn’t particularly difficult. If you’re DIY-inclined you can probably do it yourself; otherwise it’s time to call the local plumber or guttering expert. The company which sold you the tank may even install it for you.

Add value to your property : Unsurprisingly, homes with reduced – or no – bills do somewhat better than their conventional counterparts (everything else being equal). Reducing or eliminating the need to buy water can increase the value of your home.

You’ll use less water : Like a lot of things, knowing you ‘can‘ is often enough. Once the tank is in place, you may find yourself using a little less water – simply because you know it’s there, if you need it.

What size tank do I need?

This depends on three main things :

The amount of water you’re using currently (see the first part in this series – How to Measure Your Water Usage for the answer to this)
The space you have available, and are allowed to use
Your financial situation (see the section on Rebates – these may make it a much more reasonable proposition)

Tanks range in size from just a few hundred litres to hundreds of thousands; so there’s bound to be something to suit your current needs. A family home may only require 10,000 litres or less to completely look after its water requirements. That’s for the garden, washing, cooking, drinking – everything.

To find out your own household water use, take a look at the first article in this series – How to Measure Your Water Usage.

How long will it take to fill the tank?

To get an idea of the time it’ll take to fill the tank, you’ll need to know two things :

the rainfall in your area (an approximation is usually available online, or you can measure the actual rainfall on your property)
the area your roof covers (although the material, pitch and installation of your roof all play a role, the area will give you a pretty good idea)

As a guide, 1 square metre of roof will catch about 1 litre of water for each mm of rainfall.

Replacing the household water supply

Although the simplest use for a water tank is to store rainwater to look after the garden on dry days, they can certainly be used to help with any water needs around the house.

The tank’s installer will give you an idea of cost here (if you installed it yourself, just call a local plumber).

Rebates

Although the price of tanks has fallen slightly in recent years, they still require a bit of an investment. One thing which may help is a government rebate.

As these vary from state to state, country to country; it’s worth taking a look to see what’s available in your area. To give you an idea though, here are several of the more common approaches :

In the US : The rebates vary from state to state, and even between water suppliers. The ones listed at Water Saving Hero are fairly typical (these ones apply to residents of California); RainMaster has a more complete list of water conservation and rebate sources here.

In Australia : Rebates here also vary from state to state, with a few of the typical schemes outlined on the Rain Harvesting site.

In the UK : Although rebates are slightly more difficult to find, there are a few available. A good starting point is the Surface Water Drainage Rebate; followed by a phonecall to your local water supplier.

NB : One of the easiest ways to find out what’s available locally is to ask the salesman at your local whitegoods store. If they sell washing machines and dishwashers, they’ll know where to look.

Other considerations

When setting up your rain harvesting system, there are a few things which will keep the process nice and smooth :

A clean roof = greatly reduced need to filter the water. If you’re planning to have your roof scraped, repainted or treated in any way; do this before you set up the tank.
As a secondary precaution, throw away the water from the first fill of the tank.
Adding a screen to the top of the tank will keep leaves and other large debris out of your water supply.
Use an overflow device to redirect the excess water when the tank is full.
Check gutters, downspouts and overflows regularly to make sure they’re not blocked.

Final thoughts on the benefits of using a water tank

I love the idea of putting fresh, clean rainwater to work – at the very least, storing it ready for watering the garden on dry days.

Regardless of whether you own your own home, share accommodation or rent; the benefits of using a water tank are well worth considering.

This is the second article in this series on Saving Water. If you missed it last week, you may also like to check out the first part, the all-important How to Measure Your Water Usage. Good fun.

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Would You Buy An Electric Car

Rob — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:00:14 +0000

Last week, Scott Bird’s article on 10 Electric Cars You Can Buy Right Now showed the advantages and disadvantages of electric cars. The first comment on the post was from a fellow who owns a ZAP and pointed out that a few of the cars on Scott’s list aren’t commercially available yet.

It got me thinking about what the consensus is about the viability of electric cars. Would you own one? The price of oil cracked $100 recently, then fell back to the mid $90′s and environmentalism is becoming more of the “in” thing.

There’s still some minor drawbacks of course such as re-fueling them, their speed and range, but overall, if you live in a decent sized city, an electric car might just fit the bill.

It brings me to this weeks poll

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

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Saving Water : How to measure your water usage

Scott Bird — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 05:31:27 +0000

This is the first article in a 6 part series on Saving Water. Living in Sydney, Australia I’m acutely aware of the value of this precious resource.

To start with, here’s a look at something which underlies all efforts to save (and re-use) water – measuring your current water usage.

Can’t I just take a look at my bills?

Your water bills will certainly give you an approximation of the water you currently use – inside the house at least. They won’t take into account the amount of rainfall you receive (which often helps out by watering the garden occasionally, topping up the pool a little and filling up things like small ponds, water features and birdbaths).

Similarly, the bills won’t help you determine how much of your water usage is taken up by different parts of the house. When a slightly higher bill arrives, was it the bath or a leaking tap at fault?

NB : I realise that not everyone receives a separate bill for water usage. It may be part of a regular payment which is made to your local council, or other government body. If that’s the case, the following methods will definitely come in handy. After all, it isn’t free.

Measuring rainfall

This is where I slowly raise my hand and state ‘My name is Scott, and I’m a Weather Geek‘. If you’re not similarly afflicted, don’t worry – measuring rainfall is a painless and simple process. What’s more, it doesn’t involve going outdoors when it’s raining.

The easiest way to do this is to grab yourself something like the Oregon Scientific rain gauge pictured (this is actually the one I use). Essentially it’s a small bucket – which gets left out in the rain – and a small display which sits in comparative comfort indoors. The bucket communicates with the indoor display (via a wireless connection), and tells you exactly how much rain has just fallen. It also tracks the rainfall over the previous month.

All you need to do is write down the mm/inches that it says. I’ll show you how to use that information in an upcoming piece.

Checking for leaks

Before you begin checking the various appliances around your house, it’s a good idea to quickly check for leaks. No only will this alert you to a potential problem (and allow you to easily save some money), it will take ‘leaking taps‘ out of the equation.

Doing this is extremely simple :

Turn of everything which is using water, and check the meter
Wait a couple of hours
Check the meter again

If there’s any difference in the meter readings, chances are you have a leak somewhere. If possible, fix this prior to taking the next measurement.

Measuring individual items – the bucket test

Although there are many ways to measure the flow of water, one of my own favourites (for indoor measurements) is also the quickest, simplest and cheapest. The bucket test.

For items (such as the shower) where the water disappears down a drain after a brief visit, simply :

Turn it on as much as you would normally have it
Catch the water in an empty bucket, for a known time (say, 1 minute)
Measure or estimate the amount of water in the bucket

You can now work out how much water you use in a 5 minute shower (or however long it takes).

NB : This method can also be used to measure activities such as washing the car.

Measuring ‘filled’ items

When it comes to measuring items which are filled prior to use (such as a bath, or the kitchen sink); just estimate the volume. To get an idea, treat the object (bath or sink) as being rectangular, and simply multiply length x width x height.

If you’re mathematically inclined, you know exactly how to refine this. Go crazy.

NB : The toilet actually gets included in this category. Although the water ends up in the slightly weird shape of the bowl, it starts out in that rectangular box overhead. Take the lid off, see how much water’s in there, and measure it in the same way as the bath.

Measuring Whitegoods

This is where things get a little tricky. The easiest way (by far) is just to have a look in the manual, which will usually tell you exactly how much water is used per load. If it just tells you the flow rate, multiply this by the amount of time it runs.

If the manual isn’t available, grab a few buckets and measure the water which leaves the machine; before it disappears down the drain.

Adding it all up

By now you’ve got a pretty good idea of how much water you use in a shower, a bath, washing the car and so on. To get an idea of how much you use on an ongoing basis, however, keep a diary.

This doesn’t need to be a lifelong thing by any means – a week should do just fine. For 7 days, keep track of the number of loads of washing you do, showers you have etc. At the end of the week it will be a simple matter to work out the amount of water you use.

As a check – grab a couple of recent water bills and work out the amount you use per week. Alternately, note down the meter reading at the start and end of the 7 days. The totals should be reasonably similar.

Final thoughts

Naturally, the purpose of measuring your household water use is to help keep things in check. It can be a great way to see wasteful areas, or those which are in need of a little fine-tuning.

Next week I’ll be taking a look at a great way to squeeze a little more out of the water you already have – installing a rainwater tank.

These activities can make a great project for the kids. If you’d like to teach your young ones the value of water conservation in a simple and fun way, leave a comment below or send me an email. There are a lot of great resources available for precisely this.

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10 Electric Cars You Can Buy Right Now

Scott Bird — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 21:47:55 +0000

Following a brief piece on electric cars I’ve received several emails about the idea of converting or purchasing them. I’ll look at the many aspects of converting existing cars in a future article; for now though, here are 10 Electric cars you can buy right now.

There are pro’s and cons of course (advantages and disadvantages of electric cars), but by far the biggest advantage is the impact on the earth. There are also lots of options to choose from in the various models.

A few pros and cons

Before the list itself, a few words on the advantages and disadvantages of electric cars. If you’re thinking about making the switch, a few things to consider are :

Disadvantages

Cost : As the number of these vehicles is still tiny when compared to their gas-guzzling cousins, they usually cost a little more up front. Of course, the running costs can be greatly reduced.
Range : For regular trips to work or the shops, these cars are often an ideal solution. For longer journeys, however, the limited range (before recharging) is worth keeping in mind.
Reduced top speed : Although very few people put their car’s top speed to the test, some just like to know it’s their. In many cases, electric cars will have a reduced top speed.
Frequency of ‘refuelling‘ : This is a necessary evil – and relates to the car’s range and how you use it. Something to consider.
Availability of refuelling points : While there are several cars (listed below) using similar technologies, the recharging methods are not always the same. Take a look at the method your preferred car uses, and take a look around to see how many refuelling points there really are.
Conversion of your current garage : The simplest way to recharge your car is usually just to plug it in at home. In some cases, this will require a small amount of up-front work.
Lack of noise : The first time you drive through a small town you’ll notice the impact of a low-noise vehicle. When people don’t hear it coming, they are more likely to step out in front of it (when crossing the street, for example). A little noise can be a good thing.

NB : Despite these minor disadvantages, I believe the benefits completely outweigh the drawbacks. Particularly since a number of the points above are gradually being reduced.

Advantages

The most obvious advantage, of course, is a reduced impact on the environment. A smaller carbon footprint if you like.

In addition to this, however, there is another benefit which is certainly worth thinking about – they can be much, much cheaper to run. Especially since a number of these vehicles also qualify for a myriad of parking and road tax rebates.

The cars

Now. on to the cars themselves :

NB : These are in no particular order, and there are certainly more than 10 manufacturers currently producing electric vehicles. These, however, are all reasonable choices in many parts of the world – particularly the US and the UK.

Tesla Roadster
When it comes to performance and styling, this one definitely makes the shortlist. A beautiful car.

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Phoenix SUT (Sport Utility Truck)
After an SUT? Try the Phoenix. Looks great.

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ZENN
ZENN = Zero Emissions, No Noise. Not bad at all.

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Mullen L1X-75
Slightly more pricey than many cars on this list, but definitely a performer.

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G-Wiz EV
Live in a large, densely populated city? Consider the G-Wiz.

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GEM e2
Speed isn’t everything.

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Kurrent
Not a bad mix. The Kurrent.
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Silence T-REX
Although the name is somewhat misleading, this holds promise in the performance stakes.

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Tango
Very unusual.

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Wrightspeed X-1
One more in the performance column.
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As you can see, there are a number of options available – regardless of the type of car you currently drive. Which is your favourite?

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Are Electric Cars Ready for Prime-Time?

Scott Bird — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 05:29:56 +0000

A friend of mine asked me a question this morning which definitely has the wheels turning. Although electric cars have been around for decades, is it reasonable yet to drive one on a regular basis?

In coming weeks I’ll be looking at the various ‘conversion vs kit‘ options available; as well as the occasional progress report from my friend’s garage. It’s a fascinating subject.

For now, though, just a couple of quick questions. For anyone who’s already done this (either by converting an existing car, or constructing one from scratch – usually from a kit);

what are your thoughts on the experience?
is there anything you’d do differently now?

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Is it more expensive to be green?

Scott Bird — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 05:38:23 +0000

Yesterday I came across a comment to an environmental story which seems to sum up a very popular opinion – namely that it costs money to ‘go green‘. It said :

‘My biggest gripe with “going green” and all the nonsense that comes with it is that it costs so much money to be “green,” causing the larger majority of people to be unable to help out environmentally.’

Personally, I don’t agree with this at all. In fact, living an environmentally-conscious lifestyle can actually save you money. How?

I’m glad you asked.

What does ‘going green’ actually mean?

Before we dive into the many cost-effective ways of living la vita verde, let’s take a quick look at what is meant by ‘going green‘. Quite simply, it’s having a minimal impact on the environment; while you live your life.

There are a number of ways to do this, and save money at the same time.

Use energy and water efficient appliances

Whenever you’re in the market for a major appliance (anything from a washing machine to a television), get the most energy-efficient and water-efficient one you can afford. Although it may cost a bit more to begin with, you’ll save money every time you use it.

Improve the efficiency of the car you already have

No matter where you stand on the ‘cars vs global warming‘ debate, you’re probably interested in saving a bit of cash. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to do this using the car you already have – regardless of what it is.

This article goes into a little more detail, but a few quick suggestions :

Reduce the weight. If you’re carrying stuff ‘just in case‘ (such as roof racks, spare jackets or a pile of extra sauces from your last trip to McDonalds), leave it at home until you need it. If you spend a fair bit of time on the road, this alone will make a noticeable difference.

Use a higher gear. By always using the highest gear possible (as long as you’re going fast enough – trying to take off in 3rd isn’t such a good idea), you’ll be saving fuel. Avoiding unnecessary idling will also help.

Keep it clean. Apart from appearance, there’s good reason to keep your car clean. Getting rid of rubbish will reduce the weight, and cleaning the outside will make it more slippery (less drag, less fuel). Small differences to be sure, but they add up.

Reduce consumption

Last week I looked at 5 ways to reduce the number of plastic bags, glass jars and other types of packaging you may have around the kitchen. Now it’s time to think about the rest of the house.

There are several contenders here for financial savings, including :

Lower your electricity bills. There are many, many ways to conserve electricity – which can have a big impact at bill time. In general, though, simply switching things off when you’re not using them will make quite a difference.

Use less water. Water is great to drink – in fact, most people don’t drink enough. However, when it comes to using it everywhere else (for washing, the garden and the pool); it’s easy to waste it. Try not to use more than you need – after all, it isn’t free.

Only buy things you need. It’s easy to fall into the consumer mindset (and a quick glance at my bank statements tells me I was there for a number of years), and buy every shiny new thing that comes along. If you can cut down on this a little, your wallet will definitely thank you.

Purchase goods locally when reasonable

If given a choice between filling their car just down the road or driving interstate first, most people would go for the local option. When it comes to buying things from a store, that logic still applies. Some goods simply have to travel further than others, and that transport costs money.

Whenever you’re faced with a choice of two similar products – one of which was produced locally, and one which was imported – go with the local one.

Grow your own food

When I was quite young (probably 3 or 4), I was wandering around a large garden with my grandfather. Every few metres he would stop, pick something off a nearby plant, and eat it. Magical.

Creating a garden like this isn’t actually that difficult to do. There are thousands of plants that are cheap, quick and easy to grow; and certainly edible. What’s more, home-grown food always seems to taste better. Nice and fresh.

To get things started, pop down to the garden centre and grab some beans, tomatoes or herbs (if you recognise the name, get it – they’re all nice and easy to grow). Plant them, add a bit of water every day or two; and sit back. In a few months you’ll have your own fresh supply of colourful, easily recognisable food. Beautiful.

NB : I can see a few of you shaking your heads. These things are almost impossible to kill – particularly beans. Give it a shot.

Recycle, and use recycled items

Depending on where you live, you may or may not be used to recycling. Many countries have structured recycling schemes in place, where paper, glass, plastics etc are collected regularly in bins or special bags.

One aspect of recycling that’s often overlooked, however, is the repurposing of items within the household; or within the community. This is just a matter of thinking about the possible functions of an object – rather than the original intended use.

The next time you need to stack things out in the yard, grab an old bookshelf; need a bucket, use a paint tin; turn an old laptop into a portable video player. OK, perhaps I’m showing my inner-geek there; but you get the idea. Be inventive.

Minimise household waste

It’s garbage collection day here, so I’m definitely mindful of this one. Reducing the amount of stuff you throw out not only makes your life easier, it saves money. After all, someone has to pay for it (even if it’s indirectly).

This is actually quite easy to do. In fact, if you’ve already started doing the things above; you may notice a difference the next time trash day comes around. Just in case, here are a few other things you can do :

Construct a compost bin or worm farm. Both can be a great ways to get rid of most of the organic matter.

Buy items with less packaging. Although this one can apply to almost everything, the simplest place to begin is in the supermarket. If it’s something that doesn’t really need that extra bag, can be easily carried as-is or doesn’t require any sort of packaging at all (say, a piece of fruit); get it. Less packaging often equals lower cost.

Give it away. There a number of items which you may no longer want, and fall somewhere inbetween the ‘let’s sell this on eBay‘ and ‘where’s the bin?‘ ideas. In these cases, just give it to a local charity.

NB : Before you say ‘nobody would want this‘, think twice – if you were living on the streets, or in very basic accommodation; would you want it?

Final thoughts on the cost of ‘going green‘

As you can see, being environmentally-conscious doesn’t need to be expensive – in fact, you’ll often be saving money. Nor does it have to be difficult or time-consuming.

Perfect.

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5 Ways To Reduce Packaging In Your Grocery shopping

Scott Bird — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 02:40:12 +0000

One of the simplest ways to be kind to both your wallet and the environment is to reduce the amount of packaging you collect. Ultimately, less wrapping equals lower costs for everything you buy. Definitely a good thing.

Here are 5 simple ways to cut down packaging in one of the key areas of your life (mine, at least – I love to eat) – grocery shopping.

Grow your own food, wherever possible (and desirable). Not only are there health, cost and taste benefits; it doesn’t need to be wrapped in plastic prior to purchase.
Buy food from individual suppliers whenever it’s reasonable to do so. Meat from the local butcher, fish from the fishmonger and so on. You’re much more likely to get exactly what you want, at about the same price; and with far less packaging.
Make use of the heavier, reusable shopping bags when available. This undoubtedly varies from country to country, but re-usable bags are commonly seen in stores here (usually free, or available for a nominal fee). No more stockpiling plastic bags.
Only accept a bag when you really need one. If you’re just buying a single, small item; put it in your pocket (after paying for it, that is) rather than take yet another plastic bag.
Re-use glass bottles. Have a go at brewing your own beer. Make your own jams and preserves. Experiment with flavoured olive oil (start with chili and garlic – mmm). Throw the empties in the bin (recycling, of course) only as a last resort.

No matter how hard you try, however, some things will always require one form of packaging or another. In these cases, try to stick to those things which can easily be broken down (in a worm farm or compost bin) or recycled. Unwaxed paper, cardboard and glass are the simplest.

These few small changes can have a real impact on your grocery bills. Give them a try.

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Happy Halloween 2007

Rob — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 22:36:19 +0000

It’s Halloween night again here in North America. Naturally this holiday brings up thoughts of costumes and candy, but what about the environmental impact? The writers of this blog have been hard at work providing environmentally friendly tips, Halloween pumpkin recipes, Naughty costumes and a way to remove any fears that originated with your first scary experience many years ago.

Scott Bird, from Australia is passionate about the environment and posts something environmental related each Sunday. His Halloween contribution is about 10 Environmentally Friendly Halloween Tips. Scott also writes about food and cooking and his newest project is on worm farms. He’s hard at work, writing a book about building a worm farm from start to finish. Expect that soon

With all the Halloween pumpkins available for carving, Darlene and I thought, “why not come up with some recipes and cook them?”. So we did just that.

Halloween Recipes

This is Darlene’s Pumpkin Apple Curry

Darlene and I release a new whole food recipe each Saturday and we’ve still got two more recipes yet to post, one of which we made just this morning, a pumpkin pancake recipe and the other a pumpkin and butternut squash soup. The soup is yummy.

I first asked Michele if it was possibly pets that she was passionate about, but she told me in no uncertain terms that it was in fact relationships.

Michele has been contributing some great articles on the subject including a Naughty Halloween Costume article to spice up your bedroom. Great any time of the year.

My buddy Scott Tousignant, author of The Fit Bastard and The Fit Chic e-books contributed a Halloween Workout video that makes use of the Halloween decorations you might have around your house. Proof that you can make use of anything handy to get in a workout.

Halloween Fear

Yes, it’s real. I remember as a kid seeing some pretty scary shit out there on the streets and at such a young age, can wreak havoc on our little, impressionable brains.

What if scary experiences from our childhood Halloween nights have now caused us fear of other things? And more importantly, how can we get rid of the fear?

Dawn Murray is a friend of mine who I turned to for help with my own emotional shit. Dawn is a Emotional Freedom Technique practitioner and does work by phone or in person. She recently contributed her Fear of Halloween Night article.

Emotional Freedom Technique is a major contributing factor in weight gain and weight retention as far as I’m concerned. That fear and negative emotion is also toxic and can be stored as acidic waste in our bodies. Any sort of work you can do to remove these fears will take your body to a new level of health and peace. I highly suggest you have a look at it. Talk to Dawn for more information.

Please be safe this Halloween everyone. Kids may have a hard time seeing you in your car through their Halloween masks. Their attention is elsewhere, so please be extra careful when driving. If you don’t have to drive tonight, don’t.

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10 Ways To Make Your Halloween Environmentally-Friendly

Scott Bird — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 02:33:10 +0000

Halloween (aka All Hallows’ Eve, or All Saints’ Eve) can be a great occasion. Of course, as with any major event there’s a bit of cleaning up involved the following morning.

Here are just a few of the ways (10, to be exact) you can make your Halloween more environmentally friendly, and spend more of that clean-up time in bed. Perfect.

When trick-or-treating

Walk from house to house : Leave the car at home. It’s really that simple.
Make your own trick-or-treat candy : There are plenty of Halloween recipes available both online and in books. Experiment, have fun and save money in the process.
Take canvas bags or pillow cases : Sure, there are plastic bags available for doing this; but why not keep things simple? Grab a few canvas bags or pillow cases from around the house, and just throw ‘em in the wash afterwards.
Make your own latex rubber masks : This is not only a great project for the kids, it’s a cost-effective way to go about things. What’s more, it can be a whole lotta fun.
Make a costume from old clothes : When combined with the ‘make your own latex mask‘ project above, this one turns recycling into an art form. Besides, do you really want to look the same as everyone who buys a disposable one from a local store?

For Halloween parties

Send invitations via email : Rather than making up (or purchasing) paper invitations for your Halloween party, invite people electronically. Send out emails, text messages, build a website – whatever seems appropriate for those involved. Or just go out and talk to them personally.
Reinvigorate old party games : Try bobbing for apples, or pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey. Not only will you save money, you’ll save preparation time and people will have just as much fun.
Use re-usable cutlery and crockery : No matter where your party is, why not add a touch of class by using ‘proper’ cutlery and crockery instead of disposables. Much cheaper, and easy enough to clean. There’ll also be considerably less garbage to put out the following day.
Put leftover food scraps in a worm farm : As pointed out earlier, worms will eat just about anything. Including pumpkin.
Re-use Halloween decorations : many of the Halloween decorations around the house can be easily kept and reused next year (a few small changes will make sure they actually look quite different). Think of it as recycling.

Final thoughts on having an environmentally-friendly Halloween

As you can see, having a ‘green‘ Halloween isn’t exactly hard work. Go out and have fun.

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Worm farming : What do Worms Eat?

Scott Bird — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 23:29:06 +0000

Now that many of you are considering setting up your first worm farm, you may be wondering just what they eat. After all, isn’t that the point of the exercise – getting rid of stuff you don’t want, in return for nutritious soil for the garden?

Here’s a look at just what’ll it takes to make them happy. It’s easier than you might expect.

From the kitchen

Vegetable scraps and peelings : For many people (myself included), this is the big one. Any sort of vegetable matter is fine – those peas that your kids tried to hide under their knife, potato peelings; leftover pumpkin (though why there’s any left over is beyond me – I love the stuff).
Coffee grounds, tea bags and tea leaves : As a regular drinker of both coffee and tea, this one’s fantastic. Let the coffee grounds, tea bags and tea leaves cool down a little; then just pour them in. Worms love them.
Egg shells : Think of these as roughage for the worms. They’ll chomp through a few of them quite happily; just don’t get carried away.
NB : The worms will thank you if you crush the egg shells a little before you throw them in to the farm.
Small amounts of unwaxed paper : This one alone makes life that much easier. As the worms really don’t mind eating small amounts of paper, things like the tea bags mentioned above are no problem at all. No need to try and break them down – just throw the whole lot in.
You can even put in small amounts of cardboard. Just soak it in a bit of water first, to make it easier for the worms to break down. Leftover pizza cartons? Perfect.
Hair : worms will eat small amounts of hair. I’m talking about the amount that’s wrapped around your hairbrush, not the sweepings from your local barber shop.
Soil and leaves : garden waste such as soil and leaves certainly can be added to a worm farm. However, given the amount of space these things often take up, a compost bin is often a better option. More on that later.

Try to avoid

Citrus fruit peelings : These are quite acidic, and don’t fall under the heading of ‘Foods the Worms Enjoy‘.
Onions, tomatoes and chilies : As with the citrus fruit peelings, these are quite acidic.
Meat, bones and animal fat : Although the worms will probably eat these things, they’ll attract unwanted insects and rodents to your worm farm. Best avoided.
Waxed or glossy paper : Don’t panic if a small amount of glossy paper ends up in the worm farm. There are, however, much better options for getting rid of it. Keep an eye out for the compost and recycling articles.
Dairy products : Think of the worms as vegans. Dairy really isn’t their thing.

The worms will eat all of these things, but slowly and reluctantly. Avoid them when you can.

From the yard

Dog poo : This one’s interesting. If you’ve got dogs, you know the routine. Cleaning up after them is all part of the fun.
There’s good news and bad news here. The good news is that worms will happily eat this stuff. Really. They’ll be as happy as pigs in … well, you get the idea.

The bad news is that it’s not a good idea to put the dog poo in with your regular worm farm – especially if you’re putting the resultant casts on your vegetable garden. Separate worm farms are advisable – one for vegetable matter and one for the dog poo.

The casts from the vegetable matter one are great for the vegetable garden; the dog poo one supplies fertiliser for all of the plants you don’t eat.

A Final Thought on Food for Worms

Worm farms are a great way to convert much of your kitchen waste into stuff you can actually use – fertiliser for your gardens. Your plants will thank you for it.

If you’re wondering just what to do with the things in the ‘try to avoid’ section above, keep an eye out for Becky’s upcoming articles on composting. Rest assured, there’s a place for everything.

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5 Ways to Save Money With Your Kettle

Scott Bird — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 06:27:31 +0000

Ready to save some more money on your bills? Great. You’ve come to the right place.

This week I’ll be taking a look a 5 simple ways to use your kettle more efficiently.

If you drink as much tea as I do, that’s definitely a good thing.

Why pick on the lowly kettle?

The kettle is an extremely common appliance – in many countries, almost everyone will have at least one. It’s also used on a regular basis; often several times per day.

In terms of energy efficiency, however, it isn’t exactly the best around. A typical kettle draws an astonishing 3kW of power. To give you an idea of just how much this is, here’s a look at how other common appliances stack up :

computer – 100 W
vacuum – 200 W
blender – 300 W
dishwasher – 1,200 W
kettle – 3,000 W

As you can see, the kettle deserves a little attention.

How can you get that 3,000 watts down a bit?

Unlike most appliances, there isn’t much to be gained by simply going out and buying a new one. Current models aren’t much more efficient than those of several decades ago.

There are, however, a number of minor changes you can make that will really pay off when the bills come in. A few suggestions :

Only boil as much water as you need

If you’re only making a cup of tea for yourself, there’s no need to fill it up. It’ll just take longer to boil, and use a lot more power in the process.

If your kettle already has a see-through window with markings on it, great. If not, just fill the cup you’re about to use (with water) and tip it into the kettle to gauge the right amount.
Keep the water hot, longer

The warmer a kettle’s water is to start with, the less effort is taken to boil it the next time. Whenever possible, leave the kettle in a warm spot.

You can even – and I never thought I’d say this – use a tea cosy. Just not one of the excessively frilly ones, please.

The starting temperature of the water can also make a big difference. Fill the kettle from the hot tap (most water heaters are reasonably efficient), or – even better – with water that’s already been heated for cooking. I’m not talking about the contents of your saucepan here, but if you’ve been doing a little steaming, use that. The water’s fine.
Switch it off before it reaches boiling point

Different hot drinks enjoy water heated varying amounts, but none of them requires the water to be boiling. Why do kettles boil the water then? It’s easier.

If you’re making a cup of tea (black, green or white), the ideal temperature is around 71C – 76C. For those of you who don’t happen to have a kitchen thermometer around, this is roughly when the water starts to move around in the kettle (you can hear it, even if your kettle doesn’t have a window). When the water starts to stir, switch the kettle off. You’ll not only save power, the tea may taste even better.

For Oolong tea (especially the finer cuts), leave the kettle for a little longer. The temperature to aim for here is 90C – 100C. The finer the cut, the lower the temperature (within the 90-100 range).

Coffee varies according to both type and process, but temperatures are generally in the 88C – 100C range.
Keep the kettle’s insides clean

If you live in a hard-water area, you may notice the occasional build-up of lime-scale inside your kettle. In order for the kettle to heat your water, it must first heat up this limescale coating. Get rid of it.

This is actually quite easy to do. When the kettle’s cool, fill it up to the heating element with water; and add a little vinegar. Let it stand there like this overnight, and wash it out in the morning. The limescale will be gone, and you’ll have a more efficient kettle.
Use a Thermos flask

If you’ve ever had hot drinks whilst camping, having a picnic or just travelling somewhere, chances are you’ve used a Thermos flask. These work well largely due to their insulation – which is extremely good. Hot drinks stay hot for a very long time.

This can also be a good idea when you’re at home. Just boil a few cups of water in the kettle, then fill up the Thermos flask. Use that hot water for your next few cups of tea or coffee.

Final thoughts on saving money with your kettle

I once knew a Scotsman (OK, several – I used to live there) who boiled eggs in his kettle when he made himself a coffee in the morning. You don’t have to go that far, but the above changes will make a noticeable difference in your power bills. After all, a kettle’s a pretty big hitter in the energy stakes.

Now, time for a cup of tea. At 71C-76C, of course.

Review : The Can-O-Worms Worm Farm

Scott Bird — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 05:50:14 +0000

As I noted recently, I love my worms.

For the past couple of years I’ve had a Can-O-Worms worm farm in the backyard (although they’re also fine in the kitchen, if you have room). In fact, I love it so much that it came with me when I moved overseas.

Here’s a look at this superb piece of equipment.

What is a worm farm? What do you do with it?

Before discussing the Can-O-Worms itself, let’s take a step back and look at worm farms in general. After all, they’re not as common as they should be.

A worm farm is like a potted plant, without the plant. It’s a large container filled with soil, with drainage holes in the bottom and some sort of a lid to keep out the rain. Living in the soil are several hundred worms.

The idea behind it is simple : your kitchen scraps (teabags, potato peelings, eggshells and so on) are put in the top, and the worms convert this into nutrient-rich ‘casts‘ and fertiliser. These can then be added to your vegetable garden, and the process starts again.

NB : The ‘casts’ (sometimes called ‘vermicasts‘) are really just lumps of soil that have already been processed by the worms.

The Can-O-Worms

When I bought this, there really wasn’t all that much choice. However, it has several features which have kept at the top of the worm-farm list for some time. These include :

The bulk of the device stands on several ‘stilts’, which allow airflow under and around the worm farm. In addition to preventing the setup from smelling foul, this height also enables a watering can or bucket to be easily placed beneath the tap (for liquid fertiliser – aka ‘worm tea’).
The Can-O-Worms is made up of several layers, which are simply ‘shuffled’ when the top one becomes full. The worms will automatically find their way to whichever one is on top; where the food is.
This is an extremely low maintenance device. However, the replacement items (such as a mat for the topmost section, to keep moisture out) are easy to get in garden centres around the world.

Kitchen to Yard : using a worm farm

When it comes to transferring the kitchen scraps to the worm farm, there are several ways of handling things. As I like to keep things simple, I :

use a dedicated ‘peeling rack’ above the kitchen sink. This just catches peelings and other scraps when I’m preparing a meal. The worms will eat almost anything, so I always end up with a fair bit of material.
I keep an empty ice-cream container (any reasonably large plastic container with a lid is fine) beneath the sink. When I’m clearing up, the contents of the ‘peeling rack’ go in here. I also add teabags, coffee grounds, eggshells and small amounts of paper whenever they become available.
Whenever the container is full (every few days or so) I take it out and empty it into the top of the worm farm.

That’s it.

Great, where can you get the Can-O-Worms?

There are two main sources for something like this. They are :

garden centres, or almost anywhere you buy plant pots, soil or fertiliser
environmental stores, such as Wiggly Wigglers in the UK, Happy D Ranch in the US or Kookaburra Worm Farms in Australia

Final thoughts on the Can-O-Worms

There are two main reasons for getting the Can-O-Worms – or any other – worm farm. These are :

There’ll be a lot less garbage to put out in the trash can each week
The fertilizer it produces is great for the veggie garden, so you’ll end up with more – and tastier – food

Additionally, it can be a great project for the kids. As long as they don’t try to name all of the worms, that is.

As far as I’m concerned, the combination of less work/more food (healthy, of course) is a definite winner.

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10 Ways You Can Help The Environment (and save money)

Scott Bird — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 22:48:12 +0000

As you may have noticed, Rob cares deeply about the environment. If you’re wondering how you can help out in this respect, here are 10 simple things you can do. As a bonus, you might just save yourself some money in the process.

No matter where you stand on the many environmental issues we are all faced with daily, chances are that you’re in favour of saving a little money. Here are 10 ways in which you can help out both the planet and your pocket.

Leave the car at home occasionally. In many cases it’s cheaper to take public transport to work, cycle or even walk (if that last one seems odd, move to Hobart – it’s very much a normal thing). If possible, work from home one day per week.
In addition to the environmental benefits, you’ll most likely find you save money, increase your fitness and reduce stress. There’s absolutely no downside.
Switch off lights and appliances when you’re not using them. How’d you like to reduce your power bills? Personally, I’d like to get rid of mine altogether. To avoid paying for lights and appliances when you’re not using them, switch them off.
NB : Putting things into ‘standby mode‘ still uses power. If you’ve got your television, DVD player, cable box etc all set up just the way you like them; just plug them all into the one power strip and plug that into the wall. That way it’s a simple matter to switch everything off/on at once.
Take your own shopping bag. Many shops these days will provide a heavy-duty reusable shopping bag, designed to bring with you each time you go shopping. In addition to helping out the environment by reducing the number of shopping bags produced, these are generally much stronger, larger and harder-wearing than their disposable counterparts.
Grow your own herbs and vegetables. This is one of my favourite ways to help the environment, my diet and my pocket – all at the same time. A herb and vegetable garden requires a surprisingly small space (my own is roughly 2′ x 3′) and is incredibly easy to set up.
If you’re not exactly known as a ‘green thumb’, start with tomatoes, peas, beans or parsley. They’ll grow no matter what you do to them (although water and sunlight are always welcomed).
Set up a worm farm. This one seems to get mixed reactions. As I’ve always associated worms with good soil and plants growing well, I love the things.
Why would you want to raise worms? Simple – they eat your kitchen scraps, and break them down into a nutritious material which is perfect for the herb garden mentioned above. This means you’ll be filling up the garbage bin less often (which ultimately means you’ll be saving money – after all, you’re the one paying for rubbish collection), have even more herbs and vegetables to feast on and you won’t have a bin filled with scraps for several days whilst waiting for your next collection. Perfect.

NB : Worm farms don’t smell, and there are models available for both indoor and outdoor use.
Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth. Growing up in Sydney (which is currently in drought) I’ve been exposed to a number of water-saving measures. As a bonus, the water bills are kept nice and low.
This one simply means that instead of leaving the tap running throughout the tooth-brushing procedure, just switch it on at the end for a few seconds to wash everything down the drain. On average you’ll save around 9 litres of water per minute – enough each day to wash your car.
Take four minute showers. Paired with the above item, this will often have a dramatic impact on your water bills. Four minutes is generally long enough to wash thoroughly, without slipping into ‘daydream mode‘.
NB : The four minutes is only a guideline, and it applies to the time in which the water is running. If you’re shaving in the shower, just think of it in the same way as the tooth-brushing above. Run the water at the start and end of the process.
Buy energy efficient appliances. When it comes time to replace the fridge, dishwasher or washing machine – in fact almost any electrical appliance – buy the most energy and water efficient one you can afford. Although this will often cost a little more at the beginning, it’ll save you money on running costs. Think lower bills for many, many years.
If you already have a bag, there’s no need to get another one. When you’re out shopping at a number of stores, it’s easy to get a new bag for every single item you buy. Very quickly you run out of fingers.
For a number of items, however – especially the smaller ones – it’s easy enough to pop them into one of your existing bags. Not only does this make it easier to carry things, it saves producing the bags in the first place – and saves you money. After all, the cost of the bags gets included in the things you buy.
Switch to a Green electricity plan. I’ll say up-front that the cost of this one varies from place to place; so shop around. In some cases it will represent a cost saving; in others there may actually be a slight increase in your power bills. Look carefully.
A Green electricity plan simply ensures that you’re buying electricity produced by renewable means – solar power, wind farms, hydroelectric schemes and so on. The electricity itself is exactly the same.

How do I do this? Call up your power supplier and ask them what green plans they have available. In most cases they will simply send you out a form to confirm the transfer; and the switch itself takes place silently in the background. Very straightforward.

Final thought On Helping The Environment

Of course there are many other ways in which you can help the environment, as well as saving yourself a little money. It definitely can be a win-win situation.

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Former Fat Guy Blog » Environment

10 Quick Ways to Shrink Your Waste

Give it away

Sell it online

Compost heap

Make your own mulch

Take your own shopping bags

Set up a worm farm

Grow your own fruit & veg

Use it for something else

Restore and Renovate

Use biodegradable packaging

Final thoughts on shrinking your waste

CFLs and Mercury

What are Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs)?

The concern over mercury

What to do when a CFL breaks

Safe disposal of Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs)

An alternative to Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs)

Final thoughts on CFLs and mercury

Monitoring Your Energy Usage

EcoVision

Wattson

EWGECO

Kill-A-Watt

Other options

Final thoughts on Monitoring Your Energy Usage

Solar Technology in the Streets

What are the main advantages of solar-powered devices?

Solar-powered devices in the streets

Street lights

Parking meters

School safety lights

Bus shelters

Buses

Solar Road Markers

Temporary Traffic lights

Street signs

And a few that I’d like to see :

Permanent Traffic lights

Safety railings

Public Recharge points

Final thought on Solar Technology in the Streets

Saving Water : Designing a water-efficient house

Reduce the amount you use

Collect your rainwater

Re-use it where possible

Installing a greywater system

Blackwater

It isn’t just water you’ll be saving

Final thoughts on designing a water-efficient house

Saving Water : Using Greywater

What is Greywater?

What can greywater be used for?

Using greywater as-is

The Bucket Method

Simple redirection

What is an ‘appropriate’ part of the garden?

Things to avoid

Cleaning up the greywater

Why clean the greywater?

How is this done?

Keeping the greywater clean, naturally

Final thought on using greywater

Saving water : Guttering and Drains

Water-wise gutters and drains

Adding value to your house

Where do I go from here?

Final thoughts on guttering and drains

Saving Water : The Benefits of Using a Water Tank

What is a water tank?

Types of water tanks

Benefits of tanks

What size tank do I need?

How long will it take to fill the tank?

Replacing the household water supply

Rebates

Other considerations

Final thoughts on the benefits of using a water tank

Would You Buy An Electric Car