• Trash your tissues. Don’t flush them—one less flush per day can save nearly 1,300 gallons of water over the course of a year. That’s enough to wash about 32 loads of laundry!
• Lighten your number of loads. Did you know washing clothes is the second largest use of indoor water? Combine small loads to eliminate one load per week, and you’ll save 2,100 gallons of water per year.
• Keep your (water) cool. Fill your water glass with cool water from a pitcher in the fridge. This way the water goes in your glass, not down the drain.

This information is provided by the U.S. EPA’s WaterSense program. Learn more at www.epa.gov/WaterSense/.

Viewer Tip: Install a rain gauge on your property in an open area away from trees, buildings and other structures to record the amount of rainfall supplied by nature.  Irrigation should only be used to make up the difference of what is still needed by your plants.

For more information on installing and using a rain gauge, visit: www.uri.edu/ce/healthylandscapes/raingauge.htm.

This message is brought to you by the Water Conservation Garden. Learn more at www.thegarden.org.

Viewer Tip: Clean, healthy rivers are vital to our health, safety and quality of life. Conserving water saves energy and money – and also keeps more water in rivers and streams to support fish, wildlife and recreation. Try these simple tips to save water at home:

• Fix dripping faucets and running toilets. A leaky faucet that drips at a rate of one drop per second can waste up to 2,700 gallons a year.
• Ready for an upgrade? Choose water-efficient faucets, showerheads, toilets and other appliances by looking for EPA’s WaterSense label.
• If you have a yard, consider installing a rain barrel to collect rain from home downspouts that can be used to water plants.

This information is provided by Living Lands and Waters.  Learn more at www.livinglandsandwaters.org.

Viewer Tip: Find native plants suitable to your region and the conditions of your yard on the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center’s native plant information network at www.wildflower.org/plants.  Also check out the Wildflower Center’s new Drought Resource Center at www.wildflower.org/drought-resource-center. It includes “How To” articles about caring for plants, Mr. Smarty Plants’ answers to submitted questions, a national list of drought-tolerant native plants and more.

This message is provided by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center . Learn more at www.wildflower.org.

• Heating Help: Keep everyone warm and save energy at the same time by using a programmable thermostat. Homeowners can save up to 180 dollars per year by using a programmable thermostat to automatically reduce heating when it’s not needed as much – such as when you are sleeping or away from home. Learn more about programmable thermostats: www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=find_a_product.showProductGroup&pgw_code=TH
• A Water Efficient H2Oliday: Prepping and cleaning up after a holiday meal can use a lot of water. Save a few gallons by thawing frozen foods in the refrigerator instead of using running tap water. Scrape dirty dishes before you put them in the dishwasher rather than rinsing to save even more. If every American household reduced their water use by 10 gallons on Christmas Day, we would save more than one billion gallons of water! Learn more about saving water at home: www.epa.gov/watersense/index.html
• Septic Smarts: For the 20 percent of Americans who use septic tanks for wastewater treatment, extra guests can overwhelm the system. Remind houseguests not to use drains and toilets as trash cans. And make sure your system is properly maintained to avoid backups and overflows – not only are these costly for homeowners, but they can also contaminate well water and community drinking water supplies. Learn more about septic systems: cfpub.epa.gov/owm/septic/

(Sources: Energy Star Program. “Programmable Thermostats.” http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=find_a_product.showProductGroup&pgw_code=TH;  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “Winter Tips.” http://www.epa.gov/epahome/hi-winter.htm; Keehner, Denise M., U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Wetlands Oceans and Watersheds. “Holidays can pose challenges for those with septic systems: Easy ways to keep your holidays smelling sweet.”)

Viewer Tip: Apply a two- to three-inch layer of mulch around plants in the fall or winter to keep soil temperatures even and reduce water evaporation.  Organic mulch can also be applied to unplanted raised beds as a top dressing.  A variety of organic and inorganic mulches are available on the market and materials for mulch may be found right in your yard.  Mulch options include shredded tree prunings, bark chips, raked leaves, grass clippings, and rocks or pebbles.

For more information on using mulch in your garden, visit: www.ccwater.com/files/Drought101Mulch.pdf.

This information is provided by the Water Conservation Garden. Learn more at www.thegarden.org.

Viewer Tip: If you are searching for ways to save money on your water bill, look for the WaterSense label at your local home improvement store. A WaterSense labeled toilet is independently certified to use 20 percent less water than a standard model, while still providing flushing power. By replacing an older, inefficient toilet with a WaterSense labeled toilet, each person in your family can save 10 gallons of water per day!

Want to save even more water? Give your bathroom a mini-makeover: add a WaterSense labeled  faucet and showerhead, in addition to the toilet. Your family can save enough water to wash six months’ worth of laundry, enough electricity to run the refrigerator for two months, and 80 dollars in utility bills every year!

This information is provided by the U.S. EPA’s WaterSense Program. Learn more at www.epa.gov/WaterSense.

Viewer Tip: Try using weather-based controllers, which can save water by sensing changes in the environment, like rainfall and soil moisture. These devices will automatically adjust the amount of water applied to your landscape to prevent overwatering.

For more information on smart irrigation controllers, visit www.epa.gov/WaterSense/products/controltech.html and www.a4we.org/Smart_Irrigation_Controllers_Introduction.aspx.

This information is brought to you by the Water Conservation Garden. Learn more at www.thegarden.org.

Viewer Tip: The Water Conservation Garden recommends that homeowners use drip irrigation to apply water directly to the roots of plants in order to save water.  Drip irrigation is the only method recommended for watering on windy days and is an ideal method of watering on hillsides.

For more information on drip irrigation, visit: www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/04702.pdf.

This tip is provided by the Water Conservation Garden. Learn more at www.thegarden.org.

Viewer Tip: Looking for a little home improvement project this Labor Day weekend? Making some simple changes around the house can save water and money.  Just check, twist and replace.

• Check toilets for leaks.
• Twist on a WaterSense labeled faucet aerator.
• Replace an old, water-hogging showerhead with a WaterSense labeled model.

Visit www.epa.gov/watersense/pubs/simple_steps.html for additional water-saving tips.

This information is provided by the U.S. EPA’s WaterSense Program. Learn more at www.epa.gov/watersense.

Viewer Tip: Conserving water at home doesn’t have to be a chore.  Just a few simple changes to your daily routine can add up to big water savings.

• Save 5 gallons: Shorten your shower by just two minutes.
• Save 5 gallons: Turn water off between rinsing dishes, rather than running water continuously.
• Save at least 20 gallons: Water your lawn and garden in the early morning or evening hours, when the weather is cooler and water is less likely to evaporate.

These easy steps will save at least 30 gallons of water in one day.

Want to save even more? Check out The 40 Gallon Challenge at www.40gallonchallenge.org for more simple ways to save water at home. Track your savings and see what others in your community are doing.

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Viewer Tip: To make sure you’re watering only when your lawn needs it, step on your grass. If it springs back, then it doesn’t need water. If it does need water, sprinkle in the early morning or late evening, when it’s a bit cooler, so the water doesn’t evaporate.

This information is provided by U.S. EPA’s WaterSense Program. Learn more at  http://epa.gov/watersense/water_efficiency/when_its_hot.html.

Viewer Tip: Take these steps for a beautiful landscape with less water.

• Add mulch to plant beds to reduce evaporation, limit weed growth, keep soil temperature cool, and prevent erosion.
• Raise the lawn mower blade so your grass will grow deeper roots, which means less watering.
• When you water, make sure to spray only on the lawn and plant beds—not the sidewalk, driveway or street.
• If you have an irrigation system, visit www.epa.gov/watersense to find a WaterSense irrigation partner who can audit your system for water-efficient opportunities.

This information is provided by the U.S. EPA’s WaterSense Program.  Learn more at www.epa.gov/watersense.

Viewer Tip: Provide a layer of mulch (shredded leaves work well) around plants , which helps retain soil moisture.  Measure rain water with a rain gauge and only water when your garden really needs it.  These strategies will help you save money and resources this summer.

This information is provided by the New England Wild Flower Society.  Learn more at www.newenglandwild.org.

Viewer Tip: Weather keeping you inside? Keep these water-saving tips in mind:

• Keep a pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator instead of letting the faucet run until the water is cool.
• Wash summer fruits and vegetables in a bowl of water, and use a vegetable brush to clean them instead of rinsing.
• Scrape, don’t rinse, dishes before loading into the dishwasher, and wash only full loads.
• If you’re remodeling your bathroom or replacing plumbing fixtures this summer, look for the WaterSense label for products that save water and perform well.

This information is provided by the U.S. EPA’s WaterSense Program.  Learn more at www.epa.gov/watersense.

Viewer Tip: If you have been careful to fill your sunny spots with plants that like full sun and are adapted to Texas climates, great! Most plants native to Texas or adapted to the state’s weather should be fine with about one deep watering a week. Consider adding mulch around the base of all plants, which insulates the roots and helps retain moisture. You can also build plant shade tents using a tomato cage and ventilated shade cloth for tender new transplants. Locating sun-sensitive plants in the shade of other plants that provide dappled sunlight is another approach. Trees offering good partial shade include Huisache and Anacacho orchid trees.

This information is provided by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Learn more at www.wildflower.org.

Viewer Tip: The 40 Gallon challenge tracks individual water savings county-by-county across the United States.  Using the 40 Gallon Challenge’s interactive map, you can see how much water counties and states are saving and what water-saving techniques are most popular.  Help put your state on the map by pledging to adopt new water-saving techniques at home – like fixing leaky toilets and broken sprinkler heads – to save at least 40 gallons of water a day.

Why 40 gallons? Saving a minimum of 40 gallons a day for 30 days adds up to more than 1,000 gallons per month. Most water providers bill in thousand-gallon increments, so you should see real savings on your water bill if you put to use the recommended water-saving practices.

(Source: The 40 Gallon Challenge, www.40gallonchallenge.org)

Viewer Tip: Saving water is especially important during a drought. The 40 Gallon Challenge tracks individual water savings county-by-county across the United States.  Using the 40 Gallon Challenge’s interactive map, you can see how much water counties and states are saving and what water-saving techniques are most popular.  Visit www.40gallonchallenge.org to pledge to save water at home and compete against other counties to help your state save the most water in the country!

Why 40 gallons? Saving a minimum of 40 gallons a day for 30 days adds up to more than 1,000 gallons per month. Most water providers bill in thousand-gallon increments, so you should see real savings on your water bill if you put to use the recommended water-saving practices.

(Source: The 40 Gallon Challenge, www.40gallonchallenge.org)

To celebrate EE Week, Earth Gauge will provide daily “Ocean Connections” information and tips to share with your audience this week.  Find additional tips in English and Spanish at http://eeweek.org/ocean_connections/facts.

Friday: Water Connects Us

The ocean is connected to major lakes, watersheds and waterways because all major watersheds on Earth drain to the ocean. Oceans provide us with food, cycle our water, generate most of the oxygen we breathe, balance our climate, supply us with medicines and much more.

• Humans consume 90 million metric tons of seafood every year. This translates to more than 900 fully armed aircraft carriers being dredged up from the world’s oceans every year.
• Carrageenan is an important ingredient in many of the products we use every day – such as toothpaste, shampoo and ice cream – and it comes from seaweed.
• Oil is an ingredient in many of the products that are part of our daily routine, from sneakers to dish soap, and it’s also used to heat and light homes and fuel cars. Nearly one third of the world’s oil comes from offshore fields in our oceans.
• More than 90 percent of the trade between countries is carried by ships and about half the communications between nations use underwater cables.
• Marine microbes hold great promise for drugs and agricultural processes including anti-inflammation chemicals from sea feathers, virus killing proteins from sea grass molds and cancer cell killing compounds from soft corals.

Thursday: Biodiversity

The diversity of major groups of organisms is much greater in the ocean than on land. Of the 1.5 million known species on Earth, some 250,000 live in the ocean.

• There are more than 360 known species of shark in the sea. Sharks are much older than dinosaurs – their ancestry dates back more than 400 million years.
• Great White Sharks migrate long distances. Some make journeys from South Africa to Australia – a round-trip of 20,000 miles. It’s the longest recorded migration of any fish.
• The largest mammal on Earth is the blue whale, which can be 100 feet long and weigh 200,000 to 300,000 pounds – equivalent to 15 adult male elephants.
• Coastal mangrove forest ecosystems shelter over 200 species of fish, 180 species of birds and dozens of reptile, amphibian and mammal species.
• Coral reefs provide habitat for over 4,000 species of fish and about 25 percent of marine life. Deep-water corals on Davidson Seamount, off the Big Sur coast, may grow to ten feet tall and live for several hundred years. The Great Barrier Reef is the largest structure ever built by living organisms on Earth.

Wednesday: Ocean Exploration

The ocean is the last and largest unexplored place on Earth—less than five percent of it has been explored.

• Deep below the ocean’s surface is a mysterious world that takes up 95 percent of Earth’s living space. It is so deep that it could hide 20 Washington Monuments stacked on top of each other. But it remains largely unexplored.
• Deep sea vents are openings in the ocean floor that release scalding hot water and toxic chemicals into the cold, dark water surrounding them. Some very unique animals, such as giant clams, 8-foot tall tube worms and fish with no eyes, have adapted to living around the vents.
• Scientists estimate that there are at least a million new species to be discovered in the deep oceans.
• Tens of thousands of underwater mountains, called seamounts, dot the ocean floor. Less than one percent have been explored.

Tuesday: Climate & Ocean Acidification

More acidic waters mean there are fewer carbonate molecules in the water available to the organisms that build their bodies out of calcium carbonate, such as coral, oysters and tiny plankton. All of these organisms are crucial for the health of ocean ecosystems that provide the fish that humans eat. Did you know…

• The oceans are currently absorbing about 22 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) each day.
• The oceans have absorbed an estimated 525 billion tons of CO2 over the last 200 years.
• As oceans take CO2 out of the atmosphere, the waters become more acidic.
• On the pH acidity scale (which ranges from zero to 14, with zero being the most acidic and seven being neutral) the world’s oceans have fallen from a pH of 8.2 in the late 18th century to a pH of 8.1 today, a 30 percent increase in acidity.
• The tiny planktonic foraminifera that live in the Southern Ocean around Antarctic have shells that are now one-third thinner than they were in pre-industrial times.

Sources: Hoegh-Guldberg et al. “Coral Reefs Under Rapid Climate Change and Ocean Acidification.” Science 318 (2007): 1737 and “Oceans Becoming More Acidic, Potentially Threatening Marine Life.” Science Daily 23 February 2009. Accessed Online 25 February 2009 <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090223091752.htm> and Moy, AD et al. “Reduced calcification in modern Southern Ocean planktonic foraminifera.” Nature Geoscience 2 (2009): doi:10.1038/ngeo460.

Monday: Oceans and Weather

• The ocean controls weather and climate by dominating the Earth’s energy, water and carbon systems.
• Most rain that falls on land originally evaporated from the tropical ocean.
• Coastal wetlands, like salt marshes and mangrove swamps, help to shield coasts from hurricane storm surges and flooding.

Everyone is connected to the ocean! As part of National Environmental Education Week 2011, Earth Gauge meteorologists from across the United States have shared videos explaining the ocean’s role in weather in their regions.

Image courtesy of NOAA.

• Check for leaks. Look for dripping faucets, showerheads and fixture connections. Find silent toilet leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring into the tank, waiting 10 minutes and seeing if color appears in the bowl before you flush. Don’t forget to check irrigation systems and spigots outdoors.
• Twist and tighten pipe connections. To save more water in the bathroom without a noticeable difference in flow, twist on a WaterSense labeled faucet aerator.
• Replace fixtures if necessary. Look for WaterSense labeled models, which are independently certified to use 20 percent less water and perform as well or better than standard models.

This information is provided by the U.S. EPA’s WaterSense Program. Learn more at www.epa.gov/watersense/water_efficiency/fix_a_leak.html.