Sorry, Interweb problems; short blog
From early childhood I was taught to switch off lights, tvs, etc, you're not using, and that water was extremely precious, eg, you do not stand there with the tap running while you brush your teeth. Whilst this was mostly a financial imperative to reduce bills, it was also about living in the dryest state on the driest continent, etc; it is a responsibility that we must all accept.
Without me banging on about Flouridation, other than to mention it...flouridation...it is an absolute luxury to have fresh potable water literally on tap...flouridation. (I don't like Flouridation)
Apart from solar panels, rain water tanks, etc, electricity, gas, and water generally do not just happen in most homes, they come from somewhere and always at a cost; environmentally and financially.
Sourcing, supply, safety; they all cost money; from exploration and/or accumulating, to infrastructure implementation and maintenance, Research and Development, etc, and always at a cost to the environment. But I digress...sort of.
Water is the fundamental element...I am, you are, we are all Aquarians...in that we are effectively gravity defying puddles with some bony, meaty bits...we're literally made of approx 70% water...roughly...I think.
I'm lucky to have a shower/bath so that even without specific plumbing I can re-cycle most of my water for flushing the toilet, on the garden, washing the dog, car, etc, and washing water goes out on the garden via a bucket.
Particularly in metropolitan Australia, buildings should be 'aspect/climate' designed not tabletop planned buildings dumped higgledy-piggeldy onto blocks as they best fit; have solar panels; individual rainwater tanks and grey water re-cycling incorporated into the plumbing should be compulsory, etc.
I am very much re-inventing the wheel because alot of this does happen already, just nowhere near enough.
Every drop of the South East Aquifer(s) is critical for Mt Gambier, local horticulture and agriculture, the local environment, and of course the coastal environments both on and offshore; a healthy environment is a productive, profitable environment.
As an example, I think it was Robarra(?) at Robe who were doing 20(?) years ago what I am about to suggest as the three minimum ways to use water for maximum benefit with minimal loss and/or pollution,.
In it's very basic form; first use: on-land aquaculture (fish) with collected rain water supplemented by fresh ground water; drained to second use: marron/yabbyies, etc; drained to third use; hydroponic vegetables, herbs, etc, and that run-off potentially used again, a fourth use.
Use the clean water for fresh water fish, the run-off for more tolerant species like yabbies, that now nutrient rich run-off for hydroponic production, and the relatively clean water that drains off that for cleaning vehicles, floors, etc, or even run back into the system at the appropriate point.
In that context you could use the same litre several times through the system before it was fully absorbed and there is no pollution or even 'run-off'; water only goes into the system. All solid wastes could be composted for crops, etc.
I believe that every dairy should use its cleaning water and abundant effluent in immediate conjunction with agriculture, cropping, etc - from crap production to crop production - and again I know that there are some examples of this already happening.
A fifth use? Very large aquaculture or dairy (any) sheds catch alot of rain, that goes down pipes from a height; can that be harnessed for temporary hydro-electric production to complement solar panels, methane harvesting, very small individual turbines, etc? A catchment tank just under the gutters could steadily feed a small turbine just below it; the same way bag-pipes work, all overflow going straight into ground tanks.
This may provide enough energy for lighting on cold wet nights, etc.
So, catch rain water and utilise it for energy production, and then use it three or four times...could it be that simple.
Sorry, blog keeps dropping out, will finish whilsteth I canneth...eth....thankyou for 'third-hand' feedback that someone has tried to leave comments but was unable too...not sure why not...I just assumed that nobody wanted to be officially connected with my blog....honestly... I thought I had enabled comments but will look at problem,.
Sorry no Arvo Blog at this stage...surely these Interweb problems aren't just because it's so windy...is that possible?
Tomorrow: Propellerganda - More Pro-Wind Turbine Spin
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