Eco-Friendly Plumbing - Conserving our most precious commodity!

The plumbing system in your new or remodeled house is critical to living in a green home. While one goal is to reduce the use of water, another equally critical goal is to be more energy efficient. There are essentially six areas where you can make a difference through good plumbing practices. These include.

•  Using water efficient plumbing fixtures.

•  Hot water delivery.

•  Appliances.

•  Landscape design.

•  Irrigation systems.

Ideally, your home will incorporate a hot water distribution system that decreases the amount of time it takes for hot water to reach the faucet or shower. Waiting for hot water wastes thousands of gallons of water per year. Monitoring your water pressure through regular bills will also reduce the flow of the water going to the home, thereby reducing the maximum water pressure and the likelihood of leaking pipes.

Tankless water heaters are a major advantage in reducing water waste and increasing energy efficiency. These water heaters are ideal for natural and propane gas, and they only heat water when the demand is sensed. As well, these tanks usually will save space and allow you to reclaim space where your hot water tank currently is located.

Your bathroom and kitchen fixtures are the most important source of water saving. The EPA has created a program called WaterSense. Look for the WaterSense label on showerheads, faucets, and faucet accessories such as attachable aerators, attachable Laminar flow devices and attachable spray devices.

Some of the major manufacturers include:

•  Delta
•  Moen
•  Price Pfister
•  NEOPERL

The EPA states, "By installing WaterSense labeled bathroom sink faucets or faucet accessories, an average household can save more than 500 gallons each year. Also, since these water savings will reduce demands on water heaters, households will also save energy. Achieving the savings can be as easy as twisting on a WaterSense labeled aerator, which can cost as little as a few dollars. If every household in the United States installed WaterSense labeled bathroom sink faucets or faucet accessories, we could save more than $350 million in water utility bills and more than 60,000,000,000 gallons of water annually - enough to meet public water demand in Miami for more than 150 days! In addition, US homes could avoid about $600 million in energy costs for heating water."

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Natural Alternatives to Pool Chlorine

by Alison Kroulek, GoingGreenResources.com

Think back to the summers of your childhood, and you'll recall long afternoons spent at the local pool. Remember the sharp smell of the chlorine used in the water? Chlorine is excellent for disinfecting swimming pool water, but it is not necessarily the best choice. If you have a pool and are interested in going green, resources for a chlorine-free pool can be tricky to locate. Most mainstream pool companies have been using chlorine for decades, and have no desire to change their ways. Fortunately, there are other options to keep your pool clean without the harsh chemicals.

Why are people looking for more environmentally friendly alternatives to chlorine? Chlorine reacts with germs and organic materials in the water and breaks them down. This process keeps the pool free from disease, but it also produces byproducts called trichloramines that can irritate your lungs and skin. For example, a study conducted by researchers at the University of Utrecht in Holland in 2007 found that swimming pool employees had an increased rate of asthma and other breathing difficulties.

What resources are available for "going green" in your swimming pool?

•  Ozone: Ozone gas can disinfect the water in a pool and break down organic matter, but small amounts of chlorine are still required to keep germs from growing. Ozone systems are expensive, but are typically cheaper to maintain than conventional systems.

•  Minerals: Some systems use minerals such as copper and/or silver iodide to purify the water. Often systems require small amounts of chlorine, some do not. One such product, Chlor-Free, claims to keep your pool so clean that you can keep fish in it!

•  Persulfates: This type of pool sanitizer is very popular in Europe. However, persulfates do a poor job of fighting algae, and they are difficult to find in the US.

•  UV light- Just as with ozone, these systems are expensive and small amounts of chlorine are still required.

Remember, if you own a swimming pool, going green using the resources above will help keep you and your family healthier and happier!