green is universal

Dirty Little Secrets About Cleaning Your Water

Dr. Mr. Green,

My husband and I have been searching high and low for a water filtration system that doesn't waste water. All the RO (Reverse Osmosis) systems that we have researched have to waste 4 gallons for 1 gallon of purified water. We find this an unacceptable solution to our water filtration needs. Is there a better system out there that we are unaware of that can filter our tap water and not waste so much in the process?

We hope you can help,
Desperate in Arizona

Dear Water, Water Everywhere,

Fresh, clean potable water is one of our planet's most precious resources. Only three percent of the water on earth is fresh water; the rest is saltwater. And our fresh drinking water supplies are becoming increasingly scarce. Startlingly, only 20 percent of the world's population has running water, and more than one billion people have no access to clean water.

So a water wasting filtration system seems almost criminal!

Eco-conscious people have learned to immediately fix dripping faucets, and have pondered the weight of water-pollution, but only recently have we begun to consider the streams, lakes, and oceans-worth of water that gets squandered by the newfangled water-guzzling filtration systems that are installed in many tony homes, out of sight, hidden behind cabinet doors.

RO (Reverse Osmosis) water filters are the most water-inefficient devices you can possibly buy or rent. Besides delivering drinking water that's often times less pure than they advertise, they're also the biggest water gobblers in the marketplace. With the non-stop flushing required for most at-home under-sink systems, the average unit wastes 10,000 gallons of water annually. (That's enough H2O fill a small swimming pool!)

My suggestion is to disconnect the water filtration system that you're currently using. Either, return it to the company you're renting it from or, in the event that you're the proud owner of "said" contraption, the only thing left to do with it is to wrap it in burlap and apply it liberally with cute felt cutouts transforming it into the best eco-door stop you've ever had.

But seriously, instead of using the water-waster you've become used to, try one of the simpler, but so much more effective, filtered water pitcher models instead. The newer home-use pitchers now have refillable filters so there's no plastic cartridge to throw away every time the charcoal needs replacing. Sure, it's more work to manually fill it every day or several times a day (if you drink as much water as I do), but there are different sizes of filtering refrigerator models to choose from to accommodate your drinking needs...and besides, you can use those few minutes it takes to filter your water as a reminder to slow down, calm down, and smell the proverbial roses. (It's like the old Joan Rivers joke about Elizabeth Taylor standing in front of her microwave screaming, "Hurry up!")

And if you are on the fence about switching to a filtered pitcher model, you might be more inclined to do so knowing that in many states, water providers are beginning to track water-usage, and will start to levy sizable fines for instances of over consumption.

Now do you really want to pay a fine for filling that small swimming pool you don't even have!?!?

about mr. green

From re-gifting, re-cycling, to natural cleaning products for your home, Mr. Green has all of your ecotiquette answers. Our Mr. Green (aka. Michael De Jong), is the author of "CLEAN: The Humble Art of Zen-Cleansing." He lives in Jersey City with his partner (Richard,) dog (Jack,) and three goldfish (Phil, Jill and Gill) all of which benefit from his natural cleaning techniques. De Jong, who cleaned apartments in New York City while working as a fine artist, began researching and inventing many of the recipes in "CLEAN" and is continually experimenting with safe, effective and eco-friendly alternatives. Raised in the mid-West by an immigrant family that valued the environment and re-cycled before it was fashionable, his quest for non-toxic solutions comes naturally to him. He is currently writing a companion series of "CLEAN" books dealing with such topics as the body, first aid, organization, and food, as well as posting a weekly Blog on www.thedailygreen.com. "CLEAN: The Humble Art of Zen-Cleansing" can be purchased at Barnes & Noble stores across the country or on-line at www.barnesandnoble.com or www.amazon.com.

Click here to send him a question and he'll put in the elbow grease to scrub out the answers!