Welcome back everyone!  I hope you had a fantastic summer!  It’s hard to believe that school is already in session.  But here in California, I’m afraid we still have plenty of hot days ahead of us.

I was fortunate enough to spend the month of July at my cabin on Lake Superior in Northern Michigan.  They don’t recycle there as much as we do.  It’s not as easy for them as it is for us.  We are so lucky here to have the utility companies and the City of Burbank help us to make a difference.  And now with the Stevenson Green Team, we’re going to make it even easier for you to “Go Green!”  Contact Tiffany Bakas at tnt.illuma.net if you’d like to get more involved.

This article is going to be about water.  Looking out onto Lake Superior every day, I really thought about water.  Superior is the largest fresh-water lake (by surface) in the world. It’s one of the cleanest too.  But it is in danger.  The nitrate levels are rising. Over-fishing has become an issue. (I think that’s partly due to the amount my family eats when we’re there!)  Then there’s the temperature increase (Global Warming).  If trends continue, Lake Superior, which freezes over completely once every 20 years, could routinely be ice-free by 2040.  That’s not very far off.  And it’s a problem.

On a more personal note, I’m allergic to chlorine – and we have a pool. Chlorine contaminates the earth’s soil and water and it evaporates into the atmosphere where it eats away at the ozone layer. I’ve recently started looking into alternative ways make our pool cleaner and safer to swim in.  Not sure what I’ll go with yet, but here’s a list of what I’ve found in case you’re thinking about it as well:

• Salt Water:  Salt water or saline pools use small portions of salt to clean water through electrolysis. To some, this may not be the greenest optiondue to the fact that it still utilizes chlorine albeit in a natural, bacteria fighting, and non-threatening form.
• Ionization: Ionic pools use small amounts of metals such as copper andsilver to kill bacteria and stop algae growth.
• Oxidation: Oxidation pools use UV light or electricity to produce ozone, which disinfects the water.
• Sonic Waves: New sonic wave pools use specific patterns of sound waves to kill algae and contaminants.
• Natural Pools: Natural or green pools use external or internal plants to create mini ecosystems that enrich the pool water with oxygen, support beneficial bacteria that consume debris and contaminants, and deprive algae of nutrients.
• Natural Products: If you do not want to convert to a new system, one option is to use natural cleaning products such as PristineBlue and Natura Chemistry.

Another “type” of water I’ve thought about recently is “Greywater.”  That includes any and all wash water that can be collected – from showers or leaky faucets to when you empty out your partially consumed water bottle.  Here are some ways you can use “Greywater” in your home:

• While you’re waiting for the shower to heat up or daydreaming under the spout, place a big bucket in the corner to collect the extra runoff from going down the drain. Use greywater to hydrate your plants or lawn.
• If you plan on upgrading your home and are willing to make more of aninvestment, a greywater system is the perfect fit for an eco-homeowner.  State-of-the-art systems filter used water from the shower, bath and laundry and then reuse it in the toilet’s flushing system.

When emptying out your ice chest after a trip to the beach or camping, put it in your flowerbed.  You can try lowering usage in other ways too. Run the washing machine and dishwasher only when they’re completely full.  Don’t forget to change your sprinkler system timer too.  You’re allowed to water on Monday and Thursday for 15 minutes per zone.  And only late in the evening or at night.  Don’t hose down your driveway or sidewalks, sweep them.  We all must do our part!

I’m thirsty.  Gotta go.  Until next month, remember, it is easy being green!

Jennifer Jefferson

p.s.  If you’re interested, contact Tiffany Bakas to get involved with Stevenson’s first ever Green Team!  tnt@illuma.net