Conserving Water and Energy With High-Efficiency Washing Machines

Being environmentally conscious comes in many forms from all angles. From reducing how much we use to reusing what we can and recycling what’s left. Conservation and preservation go hand-in-hand with these efforts.

Newer High-Efficiency (HE) washing machines conserve both water and energy, making them incredibly popular among environmentalists.

Natural Resource Conservation

The conservation of natural resources encourages the wise use of the Earth's resources. The term "conservation" came into use in the late 19th century and referred to the management of such valuable natural resources as timber, fish, game, topsoil, pastureland, and minerals. It also speaks to the preservation of forests, wildlife, parkland, wilderness, and watershed areas.

Local government agencies and municipalities have conservation committees, conservation commissions, and other councils in place to help with these efforts.

Food Surplus and....Hunger?

As we set our tables each day with nutritious meals and plenty to go around, it's hard to remember or believe that millions of people don't have enough to eat....and that's just here in the United States. USA Today estimates that an astonishing 1 in 7 rely on food banks and/or meal programs.

Within the Feeding America network, Hunger in America is a series of studies that focus on collecting demographic information about those seeking food assistance in the United States.

The 2014 study reveals that each year, the Feeding America network of food banks provides service to 46.5 million people in need across the United States, including 12 million children and 7 million seniors.

What Does It Mean To Be Sustainable?

In a world more specifically focused on conservation, preservation, and recycling, the term "sustainability" usually comes up in conversation.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), "sustainability is based on a simple principle: Everything that we need for our survival and well-being depends, either directly or indirectly, on our natural environment.

Sustainability creates and maintains the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic and other requirements of present and future generations.

Rain Barrels......Sustainable, Drainable, Attainable. Don’t Just Watch Your Money Go Down the Drain!

It wouldn’t be as beneficial to talk about recycling if we didn’t add in information and discussion on topics that round out the concept of recycling. Conservation and preservation of our natural resources remains of equal importance. For our purposes today, and along the lines of conservation, I’d like to discuss water conservation.

Even though we are a recycling company, we don’t only recycle. Our main goal is to conserve and preserve all of our natural resources while continuing to reduce the amount of waste in the landfill, reuse the items and materials that we can, and recycle the ones we can’t. Sound familiar? It may be a little cliche, but certainly right on the money.

Conservation

As our discussion of Recycling continues, again we would be remiss for leaving out a concurrent discussion on Conservation and Preservation.

These two terms are often interchanged and mistaken for being the same thing. They are different, however, while having many of the same goals and philosophies. Here we will focus on Conservation, while part 2 of this article will be dedicated to Preservation.

Conservation is considered a "hands-on" approach to the use of natural resources (such as trees, oil, etc.) to prevent them from being lost or wasted. Conservationists, people who advocate for, or work to protect, animals, plants, and natural resources, or to prevent the loss or waste of natural resources. They accept that change and progression are necessary for a better future, but only when the changes take place in ways that are not wasteful.

Water, Water Everywhere But Not a Drop to......Recycle?

 When I say the word recycling, what types of materials come to mind? Plastic? Aluminum? Paper? Water?.........Really, water? Water recycling is becoming more and more prevalent among recycling enthusiasts.

Getting people to buy in to the concept of water recycling is more difficult than it should be since we have literally been drinking and showering in recycled water for decades. Water is actually one of, if not the most, wasted natural resource, on the planet due to its abundance.

Water recycling is usually broken down into 3 or more categories: Simple Water, Greywater, and Treated Water recycling, among others. 

The Importance of Sustainability

The term "sustainability" refers to the basic premise that everything we need for our survival and well-being depends, either directly or indirectly, on our natural environment. Sustainability is important to making sure that we have, protect, and continue to have resources available to us for the protection of human health and our environment.

Ecovillages Becoming Trendy

Ecovillages are among the new trends in the United States for individuals who wish to truly live off of the land and practice sustainability. Ecovillagers, as they are referred to, are united by shared ecological, social-economic and cultural-spiritual values. Their main goal is to become more socially, economically and ecologically sustainable, or able to involve methods in their lives that do not completely use up or destroy natural resources.