Rainwater Harvesting << capturing water from roof areas and hard surfaces provides an invaluable resource >>
- Unlike energy sources, there is no substitute for clean water. Groundwater depletion is a severe problem now in many localities and globally in the future. Homes, businesses and industries can be designed to use the rainwater that has been displaced by the roof area. For every 1000 square feet of roof, one inch of rain provides 620 gallons of softwater.
Dealing with Human Waste << improvements and alternatives to the conventional flush toilet dramatically reduce water use and environmental pollution >>
- All new water flushing toilets are required to use less than 1.6 gallons. Replace old toilets today to begin saving 50% to 70%. Organic and solar based systems are providing superb treatments. Man-made wetlands and the Living Machine® technologies exemplify this. Composting toilets eliminate the issue of water pollution and consumption while providing free nutrient rich topsoil for the future.
Greywater Treatment and Use << design for the reuse of water that is lightly soiled from showering and sinks >>
- How many times can I use the water before it leaves the house? Water reuse habits can be enhanced through better design. Choosing specific drains to feed indoor garden beds provides water for that garden while bacteria in the soil removes impurities in the water. An overflow catch provides the opportunity to use this water for flush toilets. Solar water distillation can produce perfectly fine water for all uses. Evaporative-Transpiratiive pumice rock beds can hold the surges of greywater to feed plants roots and bacteria slowly.
Solid Waste Recycling and Handling <<< Simplify and encourage reuse and recycling activities through improved design >>>
- Nearly everything we bring home ends up in the wastestream unless we consciously find an alternative solution or use for it, whether it is packaging, junk mail, or liquid cleaners. We first need to take issue with the fact that when there is waste there is a loss of efficiency, which translates to energy being wasted. When energy is wasted pollution is created. We rarely connect what we are putting in the garbage to this pollution (typically more carbon in the atmosphere, land stripped to extract raw resources, etc) . Creative solutions for reuse of paper, boxes, plastic containers along with purchasing less (yes, oh my, reduce our consumption) leads to design changes in our buildings.
Composting << think of your kitchen, bathroom, and paper waste as a topsoil producer, then design for it >>
- A compost pile can be exciting! Food scraps, combined with yard cuttings, paper products, straw, and sawdust create nutrient rich soil. Worms in the compost bin speed up the process so that in just one year you will have excellent garden bed material.