U am becoming more and more annoyed with people walking atound with water bottles. It has been firmly established that all of that plastic is fouling the environment. WE di not have enough space for landfill and recycling that much plastic is not cost effective. Yet still, every time I see an athlete or celebrity on TV they are carrying water.
Believe me, none of them is in danger of dying of thirst and there are generally sources of water in buildings.That bottled water is no better for you. It usually just tap water run through a simple filter. If you ate that concerned with pollutants, just but a filter, although, in truth, most city tap eater is just fine.
In addition, you do not need to constantly sucking down water. Get a good glass of water, drunk it and you're set for awhile. Too much water is almost as bad as too little. It makes you sluggish and mentally confused.
If you are going to be away from a source of water for awhile, get a thermos, fill it and you';; do jyst fine. And think, that thermos is reusable, so no more carrying bottles and spending money needlessly.
Showing posts with label water. Show all posts
Showing posts with label water. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
Wednesday, May 10, 2017
Leaks
One of the most costly and most overlooked problems in any house is water leaks. It is so easy to ignore little drips, thinking, 'oh, I can take care of that later; it's not bad. A toilet that runs too long, a faucet, that seeps water around the edge, a pool that you are constantly adding water to, a soft spot in your lawn made by a sprinkler line leak, all of these cost.
I have, in a previous post discussed fixing pipes. It is easy and so are other plumbing issues. A leaky faucet my be as simple to fix as just tightening the fitting at its bottom. Water doesn't quite shut off? Simple. Turn off the water going to the faucet; there are usually shut off s nearby. Remove the faucet and find the washer on the bottom and the rubber O-ring a bit higher up, and replace them.
Toilet running? Replace the fluid master. Just pay attention to how you remove the old on and put the new one in the same way.
Have a drip from a faucet handle? Look where the faucet stem goes back into the assembly; you will see a nut. Tighten that and, usually, that will solve the problem.
A quick note. When you tighten any plumbing parts, you just need to get them nice and snug. Do not crank down on them like King Kong. They will break. I know because I have done that.
Another note. When screwing fittings together, use Teflon tape and/or pipe dope. They make for a better seal. Do not cross thread the fittings. If they resist tightening, stop immediately and begin again. If you jeep trying to tighten them, you will ruin the fittings.
As always, if you do not feel comfortable doing the repairs yourself, do not do them. Call a plumber. They are not cheap, but wasting water is far more expensive. Water is becoming a commodity that is more and more precious and it is both morally and financially unacceptable to waste it. A slow leak can cost you a hundred gallons a day or more. Check periodically for leaks and fix them immediately.
I have, in a previous post discussed fixing pipes. It is easy and so are other plumbing issues. A leaky faucet my be as simple to fix as just tightening the fitting at its bottom. Water doesn't quite shut off? Simple. Turn off the water going to the faucet; there are usually shut off s nearby. Remove the faucet and find the washer on the bottom and the rubber O-ring a bit higher up, and replace them.
Toilet running? Replace the fluid master. Just pay attention to how you remove the old on and put the new one in the same way.
Have a drip from a faucet handle? Look where the faucet stem goes back into the assembly; you will see a nut. Tighten that and, usually, that will solve the problem.
A quick note. When you tighten any plumbing parts, you just need to get them nice and snug. Do not crank down on them like King Kong. They will break. I know because I have done that.
Another note. When screwing fittings together, use Teflon tape and/or pipe dope. They make for a better seal. Do not cross thread the fittings. If they resist tightening, stop immediately and begin again. If you jeep trying to tighten them, you will ruin the fittings.
As always, if you do not feel comfortable doing the repairs yourself, do not do them. Call a plumber. They are not cheap, but wasting water is far more expensive. Water is becoming a commodity that is more and more precious and it is both morally and financially unacceptable to waste it. A slow leak can cost you a hundred gallons a day or more. Check periodically for leaks and fix them immediately.
Thursday, September 22, 2016
Bottled Water
Bottled water is still being consumed in ridiculous amounts. I would have thought that folks would have wised up by now. First, the plastic bottles are, at the current rate of consumption, going to cover the planet one day. Second, it, in almost all cases is just tap water, run through a simple filter (if that).
Simple filters will screen out larger particles, that is all. True, you will get rid of any sediment, but that is not the health concern. To filter out the harmful chemicals, such as lead, chlorine, fluorides, arsenic, etc. you need better filters.
What kind? Well, reverse osmosis is a popular choice. When used, you get roughly the equivalent of distilled water. In both distilled water and water processed by reverse osmosis, all minerals are stripped out. The down side? There are minerals in water that we need. Try raising a plant with distilled water. Unless you feed it heavily with a fertilizer containing trace minerals, it will not do well at all. You can drink completely pure water, but you best plan on taking some kind of mineral supplement.
The ideal filter is a mixed media filter. They selectively process the water, removing what you do not want and leaving what you do. If you are worried about water purity, look into this.
But, when it comes to bottled water, you are not getting anything but slightly filtered tap water. Buy a simple filter, and a re-usable plastic bottle, and pour your own. You will save much money and a lot of environmental wear and tear.
Simple filters will screen out larger particles, that is all. True, you will get rid of any sediment, but that is not the health concern. To filter out the harmful chemicals, such as lead, chlorine, fluorides, arsenic, etc. you need better filters.
What kind? Well, reverse osmosis is a popular choice. When used, you get roughly the equivalent of distilled water. In both distilled water and water processed by reverse osmosis, all minerals are stripped out. The down side? There are minerals in water that we need. Try raising a plant with distilled water. Unless you feed it heavily with a fertilizer containing trace minerals, it will not do well at all. You can drink completely pure water, but you best plan on taking some kind of mineral supplement.
The ideal filter is a mixed media filter. They selectively process the water, removing what you do not want and leaving what you do. If you are worried about water purity, look into this.
But, when it comes to bottled water, you are not getting anything but slightly filtered tap water. Buy a simple filter, and a re-usable plastic bottle, and pour your own. You will save much money and a lot of environmental wear and tear.
Friday, August 5, 2016
Emergency Preparedness
Hurricane season is here, California is having earth tremors and before you know it, snow and blizzards will set in. It is simple to be ready for any emergency. I, having grown up in S. Florida, hurricane zone, have a bit of practice at this, so let me give a few pointers.
Loss of electricity is likely. It may be a few hours, or days. After Hurricane Andrew, power was out in some areas for a couple of weeks. Generators are great but, if things are bad, you may have trouble getting gasoline. If you use a generator, use it sparingly. Propane grills are excellent, but, you better have extra tanks. A plain old charcoal grill is a great idea and charcoal is cheap and easy to store.
Make sure you only use grills outdoors, away from buildings. I have heard of people setting them up inside and dying of carbon monoxide poisoning. I have known people who set them up on their porch and burned their house down.
Water is vital and you do not want to be one of those people standing in line for hours to get a case of bottled water. I do not approve of using bottled water for every day use, the disposal of all that plastic is a n awful problem. However, having 2 or 3 cases around for emergencies only, is a fine idea. Or, you can buy hard plastic or glass jugs, like you would use for tea or juice, and just fill them with water from the tap. You cannot have enough water on hand and you must drink water.
Toilets can be a problem if the water is shut off (this sometimes happens during severe hurricanes). If you have room, fill a few 5 gallon buckets and keep them handy. Just pour water into your tank, from the top, and you will be able to flush. Note: when the danger is past, empty those buckets, unless you want to breed mosquitoes.
Food may not be available as grocery stores may be damaged. Keep some canned food around. Tuna, salmon, chicken, and ham are good as are beans. You do not want to have to heat up the grill every time you're hungry so stay away from canned chili, spaghetti and soups unless you like to eat them cold. Crackers keep better than bread (if it's hot and humid, it will mold). Dry foods, such as nuts and fruits are a great idea. Remember, you are not eating for pleasure. These are emergencies and you are in survival mode. You see advertised, dry meals; just add boiling water and eat. That is great, but again, if you have no power and no grill, they are useless.
If you are on any medications, try to have some in stock. Keep a well stocked, reasonably extensive first aid kit. Make sure you have a good fire extinguisher; the fire department may have trouble getting to you. If you live in hurricane zones, the winds will stir up rotting vegetation and you will want something on hand to deal with allergies and sinus issues. Also, at certain times of year, you will be advised to keep something like Off away. There will be no air conditioning and with the windows open, mosquitoes will be ready to feast on you.
Make sure you have a basic, minimal tool kit handy, just because you never know what you might need
If you have advanced warning, fill your car's gas tank, and, if possible, fill a couple of 5 gallon cans with gas( store them safely, in a fairly well ventilated area). You do not want to be sitting in 2 mile long lines at the gas station. Also, keep some cash on hand as ATMs and banks may be shut down for awhile.
One last thing. You will do yourself know good if you sit and brood. Keep some non electronic pastimes on hand. A few books and a deck of cards will do.
I sincerely hope you never go through an extreme emergency, but they do happen. A little planning, and you'll come through just fine.
Loss of electricity is likely. It may be a few hours, or days. After Hurricane Andrew, power was out in some areas for a couple of weeks. Generators are great but, if things are bad, you may have trouble getting gasoline. If you use a generator, use it sparingly. Propane grills are excellent, but, you better have extra tanks. A plain old charcoal grill is a great idea and charcoal is cheap and easy to store.
Make sure you only use grills outdoors, away from buildings. I have heard of people setting them up inside and dying of carbon monoxide poisoning. I have known people who set them up on their porch and burned their house down.
Water is vital and you do not want to be one of those people standing in line for hours to get a case of bottled water. I do not approve of using bottled water for every day use, the disposal of all that plastic is a n awful problem. However, having 2 or 3 cases around for emergencies only, is a fine idea. Or, you can buy hard plastic or glass jugs, like you would use for tea or juice, and just fill them with water from the tap. You cannot have enough water on hand and you must drink water.
Toilets can be a problem if the water is shut off (this sometimes happens during severe hurricanes). If you have room, fill a few 5 gallon buckets and keep them handy. Just pour water into your tank, from the top, and you will be able to flush. Note: when the danger is past, empty those buckets, unless you want to breed mosquitoes.
Food may not be available as grocery stores may be damaged. Keep some canned food around. Tuna, salmon, chicken, and ham are good as are beans. You do not want to have to heat up the grill every time you're hungry so stay away from canned chili, spaghetti and soups unless you like to eat them cold. Crackers keep better than bread (if it's hot and humid, it will mold). Dry foods, such as nuts and fruits are a great idea. Remember, you are not eating for pleasure. These are emergencies and you are in survival mode. You see advertised, dry meals; just add boiling water and eat. That is great, but again, if you have no power and no grill, they are useless.
If you are on any medications, try to have some in stock. Keep a well stocked, reasonably extensive first aid kit. Make sure you have a good fire extinguisher; the fire department may have trouble getting to you. If you live in hurricane zones, the winds will stir up rotting vegetation and you will want something on hand to deal with allergies and sinus issues. Also, at certain times of year, you will be advised to keep something like Off away. There will be no air conditioning and with the windows open, mosquitoes will be ready to feast on you.
Make sure you have a basic, minimal tool kit handy, just because you never know what you might need
If you have advanced warning, fill your car's gas tank, and, if possible, fill a couple of 5 gallon cans with gas( store them safely, in a fairly well ventilated area). You do not want to be sitting in 2 mile long lines at the gas station. Also, keep some cash on hand as ATMs and banks may be shut down for awhile.
One last thing. You will do yourself know good if you sit and brood. Keep some non electronic pastimes on hand. A few books and a deck of cards will do.
I sincerely hope you never go through an extreme emergency, but they do happen. A little planning, and you'll come through just fine.
Friday, July 8, 2016
Dealing With Heat
Summer is here. I am sure this comes as no news to anyone and, mostly, we love the summer. Cold beer, iced tea, watermelon and ice cream. Ball games and long hours of golf. But, for those who have to work in it, summer is not fun and can be deadly.
If you must work around your house, do so early in the morning or right before dark. There is no point in making yourself sick, and, be assured, you can make yourself very sick in the heat.
If you have a job that requires you to work in the hot part of the day, use some sense. Drink a lot of water. Not tea, not soda, certainly not beer. If possible, drink it cool, not icy cold (you will get stomach cramps). As far as stuff like Gatorade, be careful. The electrolytes are great, but there is a lot of sugar. They make me hypoglycemic, but, if you can tolerate them, fine. One thing for sure; if you become dehydrated, you need those electrolytes. Older folks I know were brought up using salt tablets in the heat; they work, but be careful taking in all that salt, especially if you tend to high blood pressure.
Wear a hat, preferably one that does not fit tight to your head. The air gap is insulating. I have seen folks put wet newspaper in between their hat and head and that is actually a good idea, but I know a better trick. A guy I worked with used to keep cabbage leaves, the big outer ones, in a cooler and put one in his hat, It works great.
I recommend wearing long sleeve shirts and long pants, loose fitting. You do not need sun burns. Have you ever noticed that in the Mid East, where it certainly gets hot, they wear loose, long robes. There is a reason. The loose fit traps air and that air acts as an insulation, keeping the body cooler.
Whenever possible, get out of the sun for a minute or two. This gives the body a chance to recover from heat stress.
In extreme heat, if at any point you start feeling headachy or dizzy, stop and cool off. It will not pass on its own and you are getting near heatstroke. If you find that you have stop sweating, get to a hospital. Over exposure to heat is not to be trifled with.
If you must work around your house, do so early in the morning or right before dark. There is no point in making yourself sick, and, be assured, you can make yourself very sick in the heat.
If you have a job that requires you to work in the hot part of the day, use some sense. Drink a lot of water. Not tea, not soda, certainly not beer. If possible, drink it cool, not icy cold (you will get stomach cramps). As far as stuff like Gatorade, be careful. The electrolytes are great, but there is a lot of sugar. They make me hypoglycemic, but, if you can tolerate them, fine. One thing for sure; if you become dehydrated, you need those electrolytes. Older folks I know were brought up using salt tablets in the heat; they work, but be careful taking in all that salt, especially if you tend to high blood pressure.
Wear a hat, preferably one that does not fit tight to your head. The air gap is insulating. I have seen folks put wet newspaper in between their hat and head and that is actually a good idea, but I know a better trick. A guy I worked with used to keep cabbage leaves, the big outer ones, in a cooler and put one in his hat, It works great.
I recommend wearing long sleeve shirts and long pants, loose fitting. You do not need sun burns. Have you ever noticed that in the Mid East, where it certainly gets hot, they wear loose, long robes. There is a reason. The loose fit traps air and that air acts as an insulation, keeping the body cooler.
Whenever possible, get out of the sun for a minute or two. This gives the body a chance to recover from heat stress.
In extreme heat, if at any point you start feeling headachy or dizzy, stop and cool off. It will not pass on its own and you are getting near heatstroke. If you find that you have stop sweating, get to a hospital. Over exposure to heat is not to be trifled with.
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Gardening - Watering
Water is now a worldwide problem. There is a definite lack of drinkable water and it is getting worse rapidly. Homeowners are paying more and more for water. However, this should not deter the wise gardener.
It would be ideal if you have a well and can pump water from the ground for your plants. If you can afford this and don't live in a subdivision that monitors your every move, do it. If you must depend on your municipal water system, don't despair. When you select the type of plants you want, look for the type that are native to your area. This is called xeriscaping and you can apply this to food plants as well as ornamentals. Whatever you plant, be aware that plants have different water preferences; some like to be very wet, some like little water. Group plants by their preference.
There are many ways to get water to your plants. If you already have a sprinkler system for your yard, great. Use it. But, you may have to adjust the heads a bit to get proper coverage. Just be careful when you put in the garden, especially if you use a roto tiller, or you will be spending a lot of time repairing pipes.
I spent many years working on sprinkler systems and I don't like them. If I didn't already have one, I would not spend the money to put one in. There are cheaper ways that take a lot less maintenance. The cheapest and simplest - get a hose and an old fashioned rotating sprinkler head, hook it up, stick it in the ground, and turn on the water. It works just fine.
The best system is drip irrigation, using microtubes. This is an easy system to install and it will save you a lot of water. Also, it delivers water only to the roots which is just where you want it. The problem is that, well, there is always a problem. Something is always breaking or getting plugged and they just take too much maintenance. Next best are soaker hoses. They also reduce your water usage and they are durable. However, you will likely find yourself having to move them around a lot to insure that everything gets soaked. The old way, using that rotating head hooked to a hose is the cheapest and the easiest.
However you do it, you need to know when enough is enough. That is easy. Of course you adjust according to what the plants need, but most like a good soaking. Then, they would rather you wait until the soil is almost dry before you re-water. To find that out, stick your finger in the ground. If the tip is dry or just slightly damp, water. If it is wet, don't. It is that simple. Do not over water. Overwatering will kill plants far faster than under watering.
Technically, it is best to water in the hours just before sunrise or just after. Well, that is best and if you don't get up that early, you can put a valve between your water source and the pipes or hose carrying it to your garden then add a timer They are easy to install, just follow the instructions. However, this can lead to overwatering. Say, your system is set to go off and you have a heavy rain that night. You will be wasting water and possibly damaging your garden. Or suppose you water thoroughly and you have several overcast days, leading to less evaporation. You can manually over ride your timer, or shut it off, or wire in a rain gauge, but, now you have added work. Let me tell you a secret. You can water in the daytime, you just have to water a little more to comp for evaporation. Just try not to water right before dark; plants really don't like that. With daylight saving time most folks can get home, water, and the plants have time to dry off before dark, and late spring, summer, and early fall is when most of you will be gardening, so, no problem.
Watering is something you have to play around with until you get a feel for it. Fortunately, most plants are pretty hardy and can abide our mistakes fairly well. Of course, if you are an apartment dweller and are gardening indoors or on your patio, no problem; you just port water around the plants when you see the need.
One final word. From time to time, droughts happen and water restrictions and even rationing are imposed. Don't violate these rules. Officials are telling you the truth; there really is a problem, so follow their orders. If the drought is severe, skip that growing season. Work on improving your soil so you are ready for the next year.
It would be ideal if you have a well and can pump water from the ground for your plants. If you can afford this and don't live in a subdivision that monitors your every move, do it. If you must depend on your municipal water system, don't despair. When you select the type of plants you want, look for the type that are native to your area. This is called xeriscaping and you can apply this to food plants as well as ornamentals. Whatever you plant, be aware that plants have different water preferences; some like to be very wet, some like little water. Group plants by their preference.
There are many ways to get water to your plants. If you already have a sprinkler system for your yard, great. Use it. But, you may have to adjust the heads a bit to get proper coverage. Just be careful when you put in the garden, especially if you use a roto tiller, or you will be spending a lot of time repairing pipes.
I spent many years working on sprinkler systems and I don't like them. If I didn't already have one, I would not spend the money to put one in. There are cheaper ways that take a lot less maintenance. The cheapest and simplest - get a hose and an old fashioned rotating sprinkler head, hook it up, stick it in the ground, and turn on the water. It works just fine.
The best system is drip irrigation, using microtubes. This is an easy system to install and it will save you a lot of water. Also, it delivers water only to the roots which is just where you want it. The problem is that, well, there is always a problem. Something is always breaking or getting plugged and they just take too much maintenance. Next best are soaker hoses. They also reduce your water usage and they are durable. However, you will likely find yourself having to move them around a lot to insure that everything gets soaked. The old way, using that rotating head hooked to a hose is the cheapest and the easiest.
However you do it, you need to know when enough is enough. That is easy. Of course you adjust according to what the plants need, but most like a good soaking. Then, they would rather you wait until the soil is almost dry before you re-water. To find that out, stick your finger in the ground. If the tip is dry or just slightly damp, water. If it is wet, don't. It is that simple. Do not over water. Overwatering will kill plants far faster than under watering.
Technically, it is best to water in the hours just before sunrise or just after. Well, that is best and if you don't get up that early, you can put a valve between your water source and the pipes or hose carrying it to your garden then add a timer They are easy to install, just follow the instructions. However, this can lead to overwatering. Say, your system is set to go off and you have a heavy rain that night. You will be wasting water and possibly damaging your garden. Or suppose you water thoroughly and you have several overcast days, leading to less evaporation. You can manually over ride your timer, or shut it off, or wire in a rain gauge, but, now you have added work. Let me tell you a secret. You can water in the daytime, you just have to water a little more to comp for evaporation. Just try not to water right before dark; plants really don't like that. With daylight saving time most folks can get home, water, and the plants have time to dry off before dark, and late spring, summer, and early fall is when most of you will be gardening, so, no problem.
Watering is something you have to play around with until you get a feel for it. Fortunately, most plants are pretty hardy and can abide our mistakes fairly well. Of course, if you are an apartment dweller and are gardening indoors or on your patio, no problem; you just port water around the plants when you see the need.
One final word. From time to time, droughts happen and water restrictions and even rationing are imposed. Don't violate these rules. Officials are telling you the truth; there really is a problem, so follow their orders. If the drought is severe, skip that growing season. Work on improving your soil so you are ready for the next year.
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