Water…water, everywhere….but not a drop that I will drink. I guess it is all those years of drinking bottled water that has me spoiled. Forgive me city officials, but I don’t WANT my water to have a taste. Water should be tasteless, with no lingering after flavor.

So what’s a environmentally knowledgeable gal supposed to do if she cannot stand the taste (or smell) of the tap water straight from her faucet? Buying bottled water is reserved only for emergencies around here, so I have had to learn to plan ahead and have palatable water available at all times.

 Some will say that using water filters is not environmentally friendly and hopefully, someday soon, there will some way of recycling those little darlings….BUT until then, I  see it as my only economical choice for providing my household with water that we like to drink.

I just love my PINK Brita Grand Water Filtration Pitcher.They are a bit difficult to come by locally now and I am kicking myself for not purchasing more for the farm house and our camper.

Guess I can suffer through it all though will my Brita 42629 Slim Pitcher for my camper…which is actually perfect for the small fridge in the camper. Now when the water from the campground hydrant tastes a little wacky, I have this handy to make up small batches of clean-tasting water. Many years ago, when we first started camping, I would buy a couple of cases of bottled water and keep those iced in a cooler. It would really upset me to find half empty bottles being left around, with no one claiming that they didn’t finish the bottle. Now each of us has our own stainless steel water bottle for which we are responsible. Want some water to take to the shore while you are fishing? Where’s your bottle? Problem solved!

The Story of Stuff Website

Several times, My Hero has asked me what I want for Christmas. Every year I beg for Mr. Clean Magic Erasers for my stocking. I am almost embarrased to say, but one Christmas the Erasers were not in my stocking, nor were they under the tree…and boy did I pout. I was so, so, so disappointed! Don’t think he will ever make that mistake again.

This year, I am asking Santa for a solar dryer! Yep! A REAL clothesline, not a make shift line tied between a pole and a hook on the garage. After a couple of days of research, I believe I have made my choice. I think I like the idea of a parallel collapsible clothesline. Whitney make a galvanized steal arm version of a parallel with 182 feet of hanging space. With this type of clothesline, I can store it away during the winter or when we have guests in the back yard.

Unless I want to drive about 150 miles, I have no way of being able to see these in person or to compare a parallel with an umbrella. The parallel above is on sale at Amazon at the moment. After searching several sites, I have found that Amazon has the best price on the Whitney Designs 4000 Parellel Clothesline, so I am thinking I will be including the url on the list I hand over to My Hero Santa.

This past summer was more than crazy for us and I am ashamed to admit that I didn’t feel I had the time to do  what was best for the environment. I never hung any clothes on the line and our electric and gas bill showed it.  Summer before last we saw a 33% energy savings over the prior summer. Soon after Christmas this year, as our household quiets down, I plan to have more time for being more environmentally responsible. The new clothesline is only a first step in the right direction.

From GreenBiz.com

Climate Change as a Security Threat

A front-page story in Sunday’s New York Times proclaimed Climate Change Seen as a Threat to U.S. Security, describing how climate change could lead to “profound strategic challenges to the United States in coming decades, raising the prospect of military intervention to deal with the effects of violent storms, drought, mass migration and pandemics.”

The story noted that “Such climate-induced crises could topple governments, feed terrorist movements or destabilize entire regions, say the analysts, experts at the Pentagon and intelligence agencies who for the first time are taking a serious look at the national security implications of climate change.”

The Times writers, like so many others, have short memories. This is hardly “the first time” the military has examined this topic.
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More HERE.

T. Boone Pickens needs to find homes for 687 giant wind turbines after calling off plans for his huge wind farm project in Texas.

Pickens Calls Off Massive Wind Farm in Texas

from the AP

By JOHN PORRETTO, AP Energy Writer John Porretto, Ap Energy Writer – Tue Jul 7, 5:29 pm ET

HOUSTON – Plans for the world’s largest wind farm in the Texas Panhandle have been scrapped, energy baron T. Boone Pickens said Tuesday, and he’s looking for a home for 687 giant wind turbines.

Pickens has already ordered the turbines, which can stand 400 feet tall — taller than most 30-story buildings.

“When I start receiving those turbines, I’ve got to … like I said, my garage won’t hold them,” the legendary Texas oilman said. “They’ve got to go someplace.”

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In Texas, the problem lies in getting power from the proposed site in the Panhandle to a distribution system, Pickens said in an interview with The Associated Press in New York. He’d hoped to build his own transmission lines but he said there were technical problems.

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Renewable energy provides a small fraction of electricity used today, but the wind and solar sectors are the fastest growing in the U.S. In 2008, the U.S. became the world’s leading provider of wind power.

Like most industries around the world, the recession has hurt wind turbine manufacturers and wind farm developers. Companies have shelved development plans and laid off workers.

Check out the video HERE.