Week Overview of Water Conservation Challenge

Day 3 came and went...then Day 4 was Thanksgiving and well...conserving water went down the drain. Which reminds me of my trash challenge - that convenience outweighs conservation a lot.

Frankly, I am disappointed by this challenge because it is really hard to gauge my water usage. I have a friend who knows a student that is working on a water calculator. He will get me in touch with her soon. Maybe I will try the challenge again?

The only thing I know for sure is I am more aware of the amount of water it takes to do well...anything! I have trained myself to not be queasy at yellow toilet water. I also don't have the water on full blast when I do the dishes or brush my teeth. I have it at a small, steady stream.

Yeah. I'm bummed out about this challenge.

O.K. I'm over it now. On to my next challenge! The Buy Nothing Christmas! Any thoughts?

Watch Out for Scams and Bad Grammar

I am looking for a new home for my two cats. I've placed ads on Petfinder and Craigslist. You would expect scams and scuzballs to prey on craigslist, but petfinder? I'll get to that in a second.

My Folks told me about a lady who lost a few thousand in a craigslist scam. She was sent a check for some furniture, deposited it at the bank and proceeded to wire a moving company $ to send the furniture. Well, the moving company was fake. The check didn't clear. She was out a lot of dough. Here's a similar story

Not long ago, I had furniture for sale on craigslist. I got a similar response as the story above - in fact, I got a $3,000 check! But my buffet was only $200. Everyone at the office knew it was a scam. So did I because of my news junkie parents. I took the check to the bank and they gave it to the FBI.

Back to my cats. I got this email. It upsets me that they would go after people with pets...they mention petfinder. First, who would ship their pet like this? Second, my pets are not for sale. Finally, what's with the English?

Sir/ma
am Tori Scott writing from Philadelphia,PA, i came across your advert on pet finder concerning your pet,which i will like to adopt for my sick daughter who lost her pet{sholly},in a train accident when she was away for a vacation with her friend, and as a result of this her companion{sholly} died by shock.and this had also make my daughter found her self on a sick bed in the hospital,But thank God she getting better but she will never stop crying,thinking and fighting every one because of her lost companion,Mean while i promise her to get another lovely pet for as long as she can assure me a quick recovery from her sickness and thinking, so this had make me contact you about your advert to know if he/she {pet} is still available and i will like to know your asking price $$?..while i will also need to know if he/she is up to her date with her shot....? neutered....? de-wormed....?, i will also like to know if he/she is a indoor/outdoor pet...?, and how old is the pet, and how long have you been with her, and i will like to know your reason for letting him/her go?....please get back to me with all the question as well as your asking price,Mean while i want you to know that i will be responsible for the transportation for him/her from your location to our home at my own expensis okay?..Note my form of payment will be a certified check

Sick daughter? From PA and looking at a Pullman, Washington ad for a cat? Get a free kitten at the local humane society Tori Scott! And take your daughter to the hospital...and one more thing! Spellcheck and you may get more people to fall for it!

Be careful dear listeners.


P.S. Day 3 water conservation: I'm beginning to feel guilt for the amount of water I drink.

Day 2 Water Conservation

Day 2:
It started out as a good day. I took a shower, military style, and plugged the tub to gather the water. Even showering military style leaves a lot of water in the tub. So guess who gets a bath? MOCHI!


How's that for reusing water?

While the dog was on the couch, in his cozy, feather down blanket...I cooked some pasta for lunch.


I used half the amount of water I normally do and the noodles cooked fine. I then poured the hot water into the sink to wash the dishes. Notice the Eco soap!

Then I came to work. I had to flush after every visit to the Ladies Room. 3 flushes. I'll have to do some math to figure how much water I lost there.

Haven't gotten my water report yet from my fair city...

My Bangs, Spaghetti Sauce and Beans

The first day of my water conservation challenge is going well. No shower. Instead, washed my bangs in the sink. Why do bangs get so greasy so fast? Oh right! They rest on my forehead. Afterwards, I felt good. I used what I needed and curbed my excess.

I saw this video on water conservation and laughed!

With this video in mind, and the story on Marketplace about celebrating American excess and charity. I started thinking about our Food Banks.

I called the Walla Walla Food Bank and asked what were their most needed items. Spaghetti's sauce! That surprised me. It was also what I ate for lunch. It was also in that video...he was washing dishes with spaghetti sauce.

Here was their list: Holiday foods, spaghetti sauce, pasta, cereal, peanut butter, and for areas with a higher Hispanic population - beans. Bottom line - food banks need protein.

So with my conservation - I am also looking at my excess. What can I give so others have what they need?

List of Washington Food Banks
List of Idaho Food Banks
List of Oregon Food Banks

Ready? Set? Slash!!!

Here I go! Monday, Nov. 19th is when I start my water conservation challenge. I will end on Nov. 26th.

My goal: Decrease the amount of water I used by 50%!!! My fair Pullman is mailing me my household average. I will post that on Monday. But so far, I have learned the average person uses 80-100 gallons a day. I wonder what my average is? 90?

RULES
1. All my water usage counts. So visits to friend's toilets count in my challenge.

2. I will recycle my water as much as possible - example: Used Bath water in the washing machine. Which is going to be a pain because my washing machine is in the basement.

3. While there may be medicinal reasons people drink urine, I will not.

4. Alcohol does not count. hehehe


Those are my rules. If you have suggestions let me know before Monday!

Sometime next week I will have an interview with Mike Barber, who works for the State of Washington Water Research Center. I'll share with you what I learn!

Robin and Sueann

WSU sent a very nice photographer to take photos of Robin and I. They plan to use one on their website's Staff section.

I hope they use this one! LOL! We have a lot of fun here!

Sueann's on the Radio and Brused Books n Gifts

Here is the Marketplace Money interview by Tess that aired on Sunday.
Tess Interviews Listeners...Sueann is in here!

How fun is that?

I was at Brused Books in Pullman looking for some travel books with a dear friend. I came across a section in the book store that sold Ten Thousand Villages Giftsn and recycled goods. I was impressed with the newspaper coasters. I have been thinking about doing a "no new, no purchase" Christmas this year. These goods gave me some great ideas. But if I had to purchase gifts, I would buy from this store, or the website. It makes me feel like my money is more powerful...that I'm getting an even bigger purchase than just a coaster.

Hmmm...reminds me of public radio! How's that coffee by the way? I tried some and WOWZA! That's a kick! Thanks D&M coffee and a big thanks to you for renewing!

I'm pretty sure I was suppose to start my water challenge today. But, instead, I will begin next Monday. I plan to call my water works folks to get some numbers to compare to.

Hope you're having a great day!
Cheers!
sueann

Water Conservation Suggestions

I had a great conversation with T in Yakima about conservation. He had some helpful suggestions for my new challenge; Water Conservation! During my Trash Challenge I was taken aback by the amount of...well...EVERYTHING that I use. Trash was on my mind, but then I began to realize how much water I was using. I mean, I love baths. I love super soapy, hot dish water, I love my dishwasher. I really like to flush my toilet every time...Then I hear this report on NPR: Southern States Drought My baths and flushing seems foolish and wasteful when humans need to drink it to live. What luxuries we love but what do they cost?

I need your suggestions on water conservation; Websites you have been to, organizations you know of and your stories too. I plan to start monitoring Nov. 12th. I will do this for 7 days. My goal is to decrease the amount of water I use by 50% - more if possible. The first week I will monitor how much H2O I use. This includes drinking water, all household and outdoor water, and somehow water used at other places. I MAY try to figure out how much water is in my hard liquor too. Which reminds me of Mark Twain:
"Whiskey is for drinking, water is for fighting over!"


You know what I'm thinking of right now? Dune. I'm thinking of that scene when they take the dead and squish out the water and drink it. OH! And right before they squish the body, everyone spits - because water is so precious to spit is a honorable action.