Stop your toilet cistern running with FixaFlush

Another great little Aussie invention; this little device can be fitted to your water cistern to prevent it from continually flushing and wasting water. The FixaFlush adapter can be fitted to most toilets and doesn’t require a plumber for instillation. Basically the device only allows the valve to lift and stay lifted while your finger is on the flush control button, thus preventing you cistern from getting stuck and continually running.
Check out the FixaFlush website for details.

ABC’s 40 hour Drought

Over 2,000 people across Australia eager to save water have risen to ABC Radio’s challenge of using just 40 litres of water in 40 hours, with around three-quarters successfully staying below the lean quota.

Read more about the hugely successful 40 litres in 40 hours challenge.

Central Highlands Water Meter

The CHW water level meter tells a sorry tale for water storage in the Ballarat region in Victoria.  As of the writing of this post , the water level is at 12.6% of capacity. Other local regions aren’t doing much better.
CHW are doing plenty do reduce water usage in the region. Project Aquarius has been setup to replace 5000 homes with water saving devices such as shower heads and tap fittings.

World Water Day

Tomorrow is world water day, so do something to reduce your water consumption. Here’s a few no-brainers:

• Shower for one minute less
• Make sure the dishwasher or washing machine is chocka block before you turn it on
• Only use half flush when flushing the loo.
• Catch your shower water in a bucket and water the garden with it
• Don’t leave the tap running when you’re brushing your teeth
• Install a water efficient shower head
• Install water efficient tap aerators and flow limiting washers
• Put a brick in your toilet to reduce the amount of water going into the cistern

It’s not hard to save water if you’re conscious about it, start treating it as a precious resource and you begin to be more careful with how you use it.

Shower head Exchange Program

Yarra Valley Water is currently running a trial program, inviting customers to exchange their existing shower head for a water efficient shower head. Check out this great initiative from Yarra Valley Water - The Showerhead Exchange Program.

Rainwater harvesting with The Garden Water Saver

This nifty Canadian device diverts water from your downpipe into any container you like.  Not sure if this is available in Australia, however there’s plenty of similar products on the market.  Check out The Garden Water Saver website for details.

Ten’s Cool Aid raises awareness

If you’re anywhere near as scared as I am about the future of our planet then you may have given up the usual Sunday night movie to tune into Ten’s Cool Aid - the national carbon test  program.
Now I may be a little cynical about Ten cashing in on the whole Inconvenient Truth bandwagon, but when all’s said and done, any exposure that raises awareness on the global warming issue is a good one.

As Dr Karl said last night, “You learn something new everyday”, and here are a couple of little chestnuts I learned during the 2 hour program that I’d never really thought of.  Once you read them, it’s pretty bloody obvious, but sometimes I guess out of sight is out of mind:

1. Your hot water system is one of the greatest energy uses in the home, besides the fridge. Look at switching to solar and make sure your hot water pipes are insulated.
2. Halogen lights use as much as 60 watts per globe. There are fluro replacements for halogen downlights available from the Neco online store.
3. Buy local beers - the importation of foreign products contributes massively to carbon emissions.  If you’re not a CUB fan there’s plenty of good local brews, just to name a few.  For that matter, buy local full stop - as if you needed another excuse.
4. Upgrade you appliances, apparently newer ones don’t use as much energy when in standby mode. Failing this, switch them off at the wall.

It’s not rocket science, but the more we save energy and save water, the better off our planer will be.

Alternative Technology Australia’s Renew Magazine

Check out the latest issue of ATA’s Renew magazine, it’s chock full of water saving tips and ideas along with other ways to reduce your energy usage.  See the Renew 98 page for details.