Let’s start with an obvious question: why filter your tap water? While we are strong advocates for tap, there are some good reasons to filter it. First, while the vast majority of Americans’ tap water meets or exceeds EPA standards, the EPA hasn’t been very good at keeping pace with the latest science on what constitutes a threat. Second, the piping in your house or apartment may be adding contaminants to your water. Finally, even though your tap water may be perfectly safe to drink, chlorine or rust may contribute to unpleasant taste, odor or appearance.

The easiest way to get started with home filtration is to purchase a pitcher, countertop or on-faucet unit.  Each has its pros and cons. Most people start with pitchers, such as those made by Brita. These are inexpensive and require no installation. The downside with pitchers is that you have to keep refilling them and they filter very slowly because they are gravity fed. On-faucet units, such as those made by Pur, overcome these problems, but they require installation and can be somewhat unwieldy because they protrude from your faucet. With a countertop unit, such as the Aquasana, the filtration mechanism sits away from the faucet and is connected by a hose. This has the advantage of removing clutter and provides the opportunity to house a larger, longer-lasting and more effective filter. The tradeoff is that these units tend to be more expensive and the hoses can get in the way, especially if your countertop is far from your faucet.

At my house, we’ve used all these solutions over the years, graduating from pitcher to countertop unit. When we got the new AQ-4000, I was eager to test it out. I had been using the previous version for over a year and was impressed. The new model adds some key improvements and I can now recommend it without hesitation. First, the diverter mechanism (the part that dispenses the water) has been completely re-designed. It’s sturdier, operates more smoothly, looks more attractive and provides a faster flow of water. Second, the appearance of the filtration unit has been upgraded and now comes in two new finishes (black and silver). Finally, installation is easier due to color-coding of the parts. In fact, the whole process took me all of five minutes and didn’t require any tools.

Aquasana has also upgraded its excellent filtration technology. As this chart illustrates, their two-stage filter removes more contaminants than the leading pitcher or on-faucet solution. They’re also less expensive to operate and don’t have to be replaced as often. This last point is not to be underestimated; replacing filters can be a bother. Running out is even worse. Aquasana makes things even more convenient with their Water For Life program, which provides free delivery of a new filter every six months and a 20% discount.

Sound interesting? Learn more about the AQ4000 here and automatically receive a 20% discount through korwater.com.

For America Recycles Day 2011, I pledge to:

Learn about the recycling options in my community. I will find out what materials are collected for recycling in my community at americarecyclesday.org.

Act. Reduce my personal waste by recycling. Within the next month, I will start to recycle one new type of material.

This is a real day: America Recycles Day on November 15, 2011. Here is what the day is all about, according to the website:

“Since 1997, communities across the country have come together on November 15 to celebrate America Recycles Day. More than a celebration, America Recycles Day is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to the promotion of recycling in the United States. One day to educate and motivate. One day to get our neighbors, friends and community leaders excited about what can be accomplished when we all work together. One day to make recycling bigger and better 365 days a year. Get involved!”

I guess they have been promoting this since 1997. Who knew? I didn’t. Well, I think that we can all pull together a little bit tighter and take the pledge. I am glad they gave me 30 days to figure out what new material I am going to recycle, as I am actually looking forward to figuring it out.

Hey, I just determined that I was going to go ahead and reuse the fake spider webs that I had up for Halloween. Seriously, I was just going to toss them out because they were full of leaves. But then I thought that if I buy new ones next year, within a matter of a day, they too will have leaves stuck in them — so why buy new faux webs? (I wonder if that can count for the pledge?)

This week, I reeled at the announcement that the Duggar family was having their 20th child. I really came down hard on them on my own personal blog. But I have to say, I did get one very positive comment in response to my not so positive post: what is the difference between 10 families each having 2 kids and one family having 20? The family of 20 creates a lot less waste by pooling their needs. They buy items in bulk. So rather than there being at least 10-30 different shampoo bottles being tossed into a landfill per month, there would only be 2-3 large bottles instead from the family of 22. I most certainly did not change my mind on the concept of every family having 20 kids, but I have to say that this point of creation of waste was completely valid. I think even smaller families could do much better at using the same products rather than every person having a different brand of  shampoo or vitamins or juice, etc.

Anyhow, I digress — as my regular readers know! Go to America Recyles, take the pledge and pass it on. It’s all about teamwork. Together, we can make a dent in the amount of trash we create and the amount of resources we use.

Let us know in the comments: what are YOU going to start recycling?

I, for one, am so pleased that a truly unique building with its original purpose to be a house of worship is going to maintain the designer’s original intent and inspiration. I think Philip Johnson, the architect known for his work on the Louvre in Paris, would approve. I strongly doubt that most people would have been happy with the offer from Greenlaw Partners who wanted to buy it and tear it down to build hundreds of apartments. There are lovely gardens full of unique marble and bronze statues portraying Biblical characters. Was Greenlaw going to build around them and have such communities as “Prodigal Son Village,” “Widow’s Mite Gardens,” or “The Good Shepherd Heights” (sounds like the name of a cemetary!)? Thankfully not. As if we really needed more housing at this point in the economy! These lovely pieces of art can stay there and be enjoyed by the new residents and the many people that will come from far and wide to worship at the Crystal Cathedral or whatever they chose to call it. The pews can stay and the church bells will still be rung. Who knows, maybe they can use that fountain down the middle aisle for infant baptisms?

I admire the current small group of parishioners who were so hopeful that they could gather enough funds to get the church “out of hawk,” but it was not to be. I hope that they too will be able to see the beauty of this situation as I see it. And it appears that the Diocese of Orange is going to provide them with an alternative worship location as part of their offer to purchase the grounds. Thank God for answered recycled prayer.

Recaps:

• Heavenly Reuse Idea, Part 2
• Heavenly Reuse Idea, Part 1

***It has been pointed out to me that the official announcement as to the final accepted buyer for the Cathedral will be announced on Oct. 31, 2011….so I guess there is still time for Greenlaw to come up with some more apartment complex names like “Lot’s Salt Palace Estates”.

***Update #2 – Well back on your knees folks….the Board of the Crystal Cathedral, including my next door neighbors, have voted that they prefer the Chapman University offer on the purchase of the property at 3 million less than the Catholic Church offer.  Chapman is offering to let the church lease back the building with a potential to buy it back in the future.  http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/10/crystal-cathedral-chapman-university-preferred-buyer.html  Well, I think we are going to have wait until the bancruptcy court makes the final decision.

***Update #3 – The Crystal Cathedral now is waiting for Nov. 14 for the court to rule on the sale of the property to Chapman University.  Meanwhile the Diocese of Orange has filed a lawsuit to block the sale to Chapman, as they claim that Chapman’s offer does not pay off all the creditors.  The Diocese of Orange offered a higher amount than Chapman University.  So the battle for the glass house of God continues. http://www.christianpost.com/news/crystal-cathedral-bankruptcy-diocese-files-petition-to-block-churchs-sale-to-chapman-university-59982/   But all of this is coming about as the stink gets “smellier” over the request sent by the Schuller family that parishioners bring food for the senior  Schuller family, as Mrs. Schuller is unwell.  It was noted for them to bring the food to the church where the LIMO driverS would pick it up.  Yep that was plural on the drivers….really!?

Here are some other ideas to inspire you:

Decorating Your Windows You can create spooky windows by hanging one of your white bed sheets up and putting a large newspaper cut out of a ghost pinned behind the sheet (not sandwiched between the sheet and the glass). For those of you going for a more macabre look, you can cut out a hand holding an ax. Then place a light source on a table behind the window or just leave your light on in that room. Head outside after dark and you will see a ghostly silhouette “flying” by your window. If using candles, please be extra careful to not have them too close to the sheet or newspaper cut out.

Your Own Pumpkin Patch Place uncarved pumpkins out among your flowers in your flower bed and watch an instantly attractive pumpkin patch appear. This can last many weeks and will double as Thanksgiving decor for your yard. When you are done, toss the pumpkins into the compost and you are good to be green!

Trick-Or-Treating, the Sustainable Way Whatever you do, please do not buy a container for your little ones to haul around the neighborhood to put their candy in! If you are like me, a quick trip to the basement will have you set up in no time with an old unused basket. Tie on a black bow or a little ghost made of a cotton ball and some facial tissue and you are set with the best looking treat bag on the block. And don’t forget the old standby: the pillow case.

Porch Decor, or Is It? Of course, I would be remiss if I did not mention the chair on the porch with the stuffed-clothed human sitting on it. My son gets a big thrill out of stuffing his clothes he has on, wearing gloves and putting a large witch’s hat on that covers his hair and face. When the kids come up to the porch, they think that it is just a stuffed witch or zombie — instead, he suddenly comes to life and yells, “Boo!” He is very considerate and uses me as a spotter to tell him when there are really small kids coming up the walk, so he won’t traumatize them for life!

What are some of your great recycled, precycled or up-cycled Halloween ideas? Let’s pass them on!

Kudos, of course, to the students and parents that actually do take that extra mind-boggling second to make the critical decision to use the “CAN-can” for their toss out water bottles. But these school are missing out on a huge opportunity to make some money and help save the landfills from this absurd amount of waste. The simple idea of “build it and they will come” applies here: please have a receptacle that is big enough to handle the volume of cans and bottles that are consumed at a sporting event! It’s simple math, folks!

I know that not everyone will be as “green” as I am and there will still be the careless creeps out there who won’t use the recycle trash can unless there was a million dollars in guaranteed prize money being handed out by an attractive swimsuit model in exchange for their empty Gatorade bottle. I can’t tell you how many times I have been a trash picker who reaches into the regular trash to retrieve a sticky soda can and toss it in the recycle bin. But to not even have a recycle bin near the snack stand and the exit gates should be a trip to the principal’s office for a good, old-fashioned, not politically correct swat!

I happen to live in central Los Angeles, the most water-intensive part of Southern California. Because of my involvement with KOR, I’m probably more water-aware than the most of my neighbors. So perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised when I encounter what you see in these photos. These are puddles in my neighborhood caused by malfunctioning lawn sprinklers. It’s an everyday occurrence here. You’ll find them on nearly every block. But you’ve got to get there early. By noon, the hot SoCal sun has usually  dried up all but the biggest puddles.

I’ve lived here three years and the more I learn about our precarious water situation, the more these puddles bother me, and the more I see them as a symbol of our collective ignorance. The constant malfunctioning of these sprinklers -– and the city’s seeming lack of enforcement — is bad enough. But the puddles beg a larger question: Are these lawns and ornamental plants worth the price of keeping them watered? Wouldn’t be better to use native plants? At this point, I don’t have answers, but I intend to get them. As of today, I’m stepping out of observation mode and into action to learn more about the problem and what I can do to help. I’ll be sharing my findings and progress on this blog. Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, please share any comments below that you may have about water waste in your community.

In my original complaint, I said that all four of the park’s fountains were broken. Well, the good news is that two have been fixed! While i’ts not a perfect score and I’m annoyed with the city’s lack of response to my letter, at least I can take solace in the fact this has been a cooler-than-normal summer here in Los Angeles. Still, we are talking about Southern California; on most days our high temperatures have been in the 80′s and even 90′s. Under those conditions, the danger of dehydration is ever-present, especially for children, the elderly and expectant mothers. Here’s’ hoping the Parks Department gets a clue and fixes the other two fountains.

This week, we were greeted with an inbound email from Mrs. Carter’s 11th grade science summer class who were engaged in a project that involved finding ways for the student’s families to “go-green” and help improve the environment. During their research project, they had discovered KOR and more specifically, our efforts at “giving back,” and asked if we might publish the curated list of other great resources they had discovered. Of course, we were flattered and thrilled to see so many high school students focused over their summer on how they could “be the change” they wanted to see. So, to pay it forward, please visit these great sites selected by Mrs. Carter’s class and take a moment to find out how you might help improve our environment.

Resources on Helping the Environment, from Mrs. Carter’s Science Class

• Craft for Kids
• Bedroom Furniture Spot
• Great Ways to Go Green
• Daily Activities for Students
• Greener Choices
• Appliance Help – Energy Saving Tips
• Energy Savers
• Global Green
• Built Green

Last week, I received a notice from my local water company that my home had been allocated a “water budget” based upon some sophisticated calculation of my lot size, landscaped area, number of family members, etc. If I stayed under this water budget on a monthly basis, I could expect my monthly bill to stay at its traditional average rate. However, if and when I exceed my allocated budget, I would be assessed water charges at a significantly higher rate. Say that again? You mean after decades of charging every home the same rate for their water consumption — regardless of how efficient they were — homes would now pay rates more in line with a free market system? The price of water is now being set to reward conservation. Wow, what a novel idea.

“GOLD” (PSA) from Play Group Media on Vimeo.

You can bet that if this letter (shown below) did not grab my attention, the next water bill will. I’ve always said, “no pain, no change.” When gas climbs to $5 per gallon, it’s not hard to understand why mass transit usage climbs and SUV sales decline. When variable water rates are applied, suddenly that 30-minute shower we used to take doesn’t seem like a smart idea.

I applaud the new sobriety taking hold that addresses the increasing water shortage we face. Mark my words: the price of water will exceed the cost of energy (electric/gasoline) in less than 20 years. As Benjamin Franklin once stated, “When the well’s dry, we know the worth of water.”

Making the Kitchen “More Chipper”

You may remember that my husband and I do house flipping, which involves serious renovation projects. You don’t remember? Don’t sweat it. This last week, I had to purchase tile for the back splash in the kitchen. I was on a mission to find something gorgeous and as Franc from Father of the Bride says, “More chipper.” I found a very nice-looking black and grey modeled mosaic tile for the great price of $4.97 a sheet. In my exuberance over finding such a wicked, good deal, I didn’t read the fine print on the back.

Don’t Ignore the Small Print

Ah, the small print; we so often just ignore it. One would think that after being in business this long, I would learn that whenever there is small print, it probably is the most important information on the document. You know, the old “gotcha clause.” Well, imagine my utter giddiness when I finally read the fine print and it said “made of 100% recycled glass”! Not only had I found a good-looking tile within my budget, but I had accomplished a much more rewarding feat, I had “gone green.” I plan to advertise this when I sell the house, too. I mean if you got it, flaunt it!

Sweat the Small Stuff — Really!

We may not be able to change the world, but we can take steps in our daily lives that do make our world a better place. So sweat the small stuff. Make choices that are friendly to our bodies and to our earth, no matter how small of a difference it can make. Remember, it takes 100 pennies to make a dollar and if you are missing just one, you don’t have a dollar.

Please make the effort to recycle all cans and glass. I will think of you when I put your reconstructed pickle jar up on the wall next week — it’s stunning. Thank you!