earth-21
A quarterly-e-zine
nº
Choose Your Social Responsibility
Before someone chooses for you
From the Editor
Water Conservation
Are you up for the challenge?
Support
Table of contents
A rushed first issue. But even issue 18 is sometimes rushed. The foundation just needs to be built. I want to die on the bench I sat on to take this picture; in Brooklyn, viewing Manhattan. Brooklyn was limited, and obsession with one borough brought stagnancy. But "The City" always allowed you to create a new version of yourself. That's what island life offers. What defines you; Nature or nurture? It should be both. You either use your nature to nurture your choices or use your nurturing to evolve your natural limits.Self-expression is nature; basic. Nurturing is elevation. Be better.
Trying to be Better
From the Editor
Title 1
Water Conservation
You'll never know what you've got til it's gone. I know what I have today. But will I have it tomorrow? I was terrified of drowning growing up. When my family went to Coney Island Beach for the first time, my parents placed me on my back and tried teaching me to float. But I couldn't find calm, and within seconds I was thrashing my arms and legs and back on my feet.Maybe it was the dark green Atlantic Ocean seawater, hiding the inevitability of Jaws waiting for the perfect moment to bite through my torso. Or maybe Brooklyn taught me life doesn't offer any calm. Relaxing never seemed possible.Eventually, in 2013, I'd move to South Beach, Miami, and while the sun slowly crept over the horizon, I stroked and kicked through the chaos of the blue sea. At 28, I taught myself how to swim and maneuver underwater. I couldn't
Title 1
I couldn't float, tread, or stroke, but I could move through water, and that was enough. For over a decade, I reshaped my relationship with H20. Between 2013 and 2014, I walked to Miami's shoreline every morning to stretch, meditate and exercise, cooling off with a quick dive into the crystal blue Atlantic Ocean before heading home.In 2014, I found enlightenment while meditating through a summer shower that led to an out-of-body experience. In 2018, I snorkeled off the shores of Maui, flowing through coral and wading idly by a sea turtle gasping for relief. From 2019-2023, I captured snow-capped mountains through my camera lens, felt thunder pulsate through my bones while recluding under a tree during a rainstorm, and ran through the snow and rain in shorts while listening to the Death Stranding OST.My only fear of death is coming back reincarnated to a world without drinkable water. In April 2023, I ran my first half-marathon with over 500 other people. How much water did every runner consume
Title 1
May 1
This morning I woke up and saw the notification: I’m only allowed three gallons of water. This is my social responsibility for the month.
to get there? The earth is dying and I'm running for leisure. As a health coach, I watch the fitness-obsessed and worry about the amount of water consumed to train, compete, and make all the post, pre, and during-workout supplements. I know nature always balances out, but human consumption is forever. This is a daily journal entry in the not-so-distant future, where social responsibility through sacrifice is a mandate. We didn't listen.
This is my future.
Title 1
May 3
Let em know.
May 4
Working In-Shop
Icons
May 2
May 5
Yesterday I chose my monthly supplies to keep my water usage in line.
Write a subtitle here
Growth
Title 1
May 11
May 6
May 12
May 9
I didn’t need to refill my two gallon jug until 8 p.m.
May 13
Title 1
May 15
May 14
My water ration was cut down to 2 gallons a day. I'm traveling, and I'm not sure how my water retrictions will be different. But I know the community will provide for me. At the airport, I hugged the sides of the stall, so I didn’t trigger the motion sensor. I left my pee behind for someone else to flush. Thank you, stranger.
I wasted 1. 5 gallons of water flushing someone’s pee at the shop. I’ll pay the tax.
Title 1
May 19
May 20
May 17
May 18
May 31
May 21
I always wondered how I could help save water, and when I was working in a law firm in London I was extremely busy. It felt like I never had time to do household chores like cleaning or laundry - and one day it sort of clicked. Why do we do SO much laundry? One load of washing can consume up to 200L of water. The average household does between 4-5 loads of laundry each week - which equates to about 7-9 hours spent doing laundry per month (more than a full working day). It just was really clear to me that I needed something to help me instantly clean my clothes, and do less washing. That started an intense 3 year process working with scientists/engineers on the Another Day formula. CG: What are some practical ways to save water? HG: Practical ways you think people can conserve water? It's so simple - do less laundry. One load of laundry consumes up to 200L of water (it differs depending on the washing machine). If we each do one less load of laundry a week we will save thousands of litres of water, plus we'll protect fabrics from damage, shrinkage and loss of shape caused by washing machines and dry cleaners too CG: Any emerging technologies in water conservation? HG: It's surprising how technologically behind the laundry industry is. Incumbent laundry brands promote more products - more chemicals, more laundry, more more more. But we take a different approach. We
Additional Q&A w/Holly GardnerFounder, byMATTER
CG: Can you offer a bit of a background on your water journey and the mission for creating your products? HG: I lived in Cape Town South Africa, where the City was extremely low on water for many years. We had to shower with buckets, and we had to monitor our full household water usage down to our washing machines and kettle. It was serious. Living through that water crisis really sticks with you - it's hard NOT to appreciate water after you're forced to come to terms with the reality that it is such a finite resource. Ultimately this really shaped my consciousness around water. When I later moved to London, I couldn't believe how just no one seemed to notice how much water they were using. There were multiple headlines across the BBC/Sky News warning of local droughts and water shortages, yet saving water didn't really appear to be on people's minds.
that the future of cleaning (and water conservation - it goes hand in hand), is using probiotics. There is a vast amount of research into why this is - check out our science webpage). CG: Any stats on how Another Day saves water? HG: We've sold thousands of bottles of Another Day, so it's near impossible to quantify precisely how much water it's saved because each customer uses it differently! But Another Day can reduce your laundry by at least 50%. If one bottle of Another Day saves on average 1 load per week (minimum per household) and lasts for 6 months then one bottle saves around 1950 litres of water saved per bottle of another day.
Full Interview w/ Jessica Swindon
In my opnion, people need to drink more water but use smart products to reduce their household water footprint. —Holly Gardner
Title 1
SMART PRODUCTS FOR MODERN HOMES
TRIPLE C'S ART
Donate LocalLY
Live in Denver? Support a local organization that plants trees, cleans up rivers and supports your community and neighbors through education and environmental change.
Photographs from the cover page to page 8 provideD by Triple C's Art. Interested in a print? Email clifford@triplecs.art
A simple spray can keep more reuseable water in the bay.
Donate
Shop
Title 1
thank you!
On the last day of May, I saw a double rainbow. Symbolism only has as much value as you ascribe. Double rainbows signify, hope, good luck and prosperity. I feel hopeful that if I can change my relationship with water, other people can too.
At work, I decided to only use ¼ of a gallon at a time to clean dishes. Now my water lasts longer. I'm finding my rhythm.
It rained this morning, so I went for a run. I splashed through puddles, saw birds bathing and singing. My drinkable water is their bathable water.
I was introduced to Holly Gardner, Founder of byMATTER. She spent three years working with scientists and engineers to develop Another Day; a probiotic spray that can reduce laundry by 50 percent. “One load of washing can consume up to 200L (52 gallons) of water. The average household does between 4-5 loads of laundry each week - which equates to about 7-9 hours spent doing laundry per month ... The future of cleaning (and water conservation - it goes hand in hand), is using probiotics,” says Gardner.
They say it takes 21 days to form a habit. My water rationing is over, but I’m still using my two gallon jug. Still peeing in a cup, and still going to the park in the early morning or evening to poop. Last week I paid a $10 entry fee. That’s some expensive shit. Tonight two moths were in our apartment. I corner them one at a time, cover them with a cup, slide a piece of paper under, and let them out on the balcony. I hope they pollinate and add to the life cycle. The Butterfly Effect is one act can change the course of the world. I hope my actions not only change my life but the life of everything that depends on water.
It rained for 4 hours on the drive from VA to NYC. Heavy torrential, can’t see shit rain. It used to only rain this heavy during hurricane season.
- 1.6 gallons again to poop.
- 1.3 gallon to flush 12 oz of pee at the airport. The sensors got me.
- 1.0 gallons to flush 6 oz of pee at the airport.
I'm sick. I've done my best for 2 weeks. Let the water run for a bit.
For my evening walk, the sprinklers were still broken. I’m going to send a threatening letter. Is this my villain origin story?
After my run, I spoke with Jessica Swindon, Water Program Director at Groundwork Denver. Jessica works with communities that live near high-risk polluted waters. Even with lead and e.coli present in streams, creeks, and rivers, it’s difficult to keep people out, especially during hot and dry summer spells. For Swindon, education is key. “Really, it’s [about] creating space and opportunities for people to get out[side] and have their own relationship with water.” Whether hosting events with workshops that offer free rain barrels and workshops on collecting rainwater, teaching homeowners how to build rain gardens for natural filtration, or planting native plants to support local ecosystems, Swindon believes water brings balance to life because water is life. The future of useable water is also balance. While one person works on saving water, another person works to clean current water supplies.
3 Gallons
🚰
At night I go for walks around the neighborhood to clear my head. I walked by a commercial building and two sprinklers broken. I wrote down the phone number on a nearby sign and will call tomorrow.
Sometimes no one tells someone they’ve done a poor job.
I couldn’t hold it any longer, so I grabbed a compostable bag, placed it in the tub and dropped a deuce. I haven’t seen my poop in over a week. The visuals are a reminder of health. At first, I felt ashamed, but it’d been so long since I saw my poop that I was glad to have a visual “state of health” report. I’m doing ok.
For the past five years, I rinse my face with my DIY spray every morning. Now I also use it as an all-natural hand sanitizer. My toothbrush gets soaked in a 4 oz cup. I dab toothpaste, rinse my mouth and wash the spit away with the leftover water.
I’ve been driving to the park to poop. I grab a few hand wrap-arounds of 2-ply toilet paper, because government issued toilet paper is thin and abrasive. At 7 am, the birds are chirping, the newly grown grass is a vibrant green. I’ve missed Spring.
I don't want to flush, so I pee in the tub, and pour water down the drain using my toothbrush cup. The pee splashes on the sides, so I'm tryin to angle my stream just right, so there's less clean-up.
For my bath yesterday, I boiled water in a kettle, and mixed it with cold water in the 2.5 gallon bucket. A dab of shampoo onto a rag and scrub. Soak, scrub. Repeat. It's simple. It works.
Yesterday’s downpour led to flooding throughout the park. I took my sneakers off and walked barefoot through the trail, camera in hand. The water was cold, but regualr strides with the occasional toe wiggling made the discomfort go away.
My Water Usage
- One gallon jug: drinking water.
- Two gallons jug: cleaning and hygiene
For eating: One plate, bowl, fork, knife, spoon, and steak knife The plate gets wiped and placed on the counter. The utensils get placed in a soapy water cup after use and wiped with a hand towel before use. After every meal, I add a dash of soap onto my plate, add water, and scrub with a compostable Swedish dish towel.
Supplies
I’ll sacrifice my water use, but I won’t sacrifice my lifestyle. I still need to run, exercise, hike, and explore.
Social Responsibility: Sacrifice
You wouldn’t think usable water is scarce based on consumer culture, but the Colorado River, which supplies water to seven states and 40 million Americans, has been drying up for over 20 years; boil notices and lead pipes in schools are weekly news stories; PFAS from plastic and cleaning products have been detected in the blood of 98% of Americans thanks to toxic soil runoff, prescription pill flushing and plastic waste, all while one almond gulps 3.2 gallons of water. Can I sacrifice water but not my lifestyle?
I cooked a waterless dinner tonight for me and E. A whole lotta stir-fry veggies. I saved ¼ gallon of drinking gallon since I wasn’t home. I used it to rinse down my pee and brush my teeth.
Another 1.6 gallons of water down the drain.
I’ve been holding my poop since Monday night. E and I went to the store, and as I pulled out of the parking lot. I saw an endless supply of porta potties. I’ve never been the first person to poop in a port-a-potty. It felt like heaven. I finally understood Tony from Rick and Morty.
Lorem ipsum dolor
II neded the month with a double rainbow. Double rainbows
Instead of peeing in the tub, I pee in a 12 oz cup now. I observe the color and take a whiff before I pour it down the drian. Who needs a doctor? Mellow yellow scent and visual.I washed dishes for the first time this week. I even washed E’s dishes. It felt good to share some of my scarcity.
I saved my first gallon of water yesterday. Today, I boiled water and deep scrubbed my body in the tub. I needed fresh laundry. Thinking about washing pants and jeans felt overwhelming, so I only washed my underwear, socks, and workout shorts. I poured boiled water into my 2.5 gallon bucket and tossed in a plant based detergent sheet. Instead of using the dryer, I placed everything on a drying rack, then placed the rack on our balcony. UV rays kill lingeriing bacteria and heat naturally dries.
After ten years of working remotely, I'm a hybrid worker now. I work as a marketer and operations manager for a local restaurant, and on Thursdays, I support in-shop. Since I wouldn't be home, I allotted 2 gallons of water for cleaning customer dishes. Instead of letting the water pour from the faucet, I used my gallon jug to measure and poured one gallon into a tub. While working, I thought: Instead of asking people to clean microwaves, someone should work with minimal water every day.
I went back to Heaven for seconds. But that's not how it works. Every single port a potty is locked. Can I hold it through my nieces graduation, two nights of dinners, a 5 hour drive, 4 hour flight, and another night of sleep before I can reach the park bathroom again on Sunday morning?No. So I flush down 1.6 gallons of water for a less than half a pound stool. I shave my head. I turn the faucet on. The water starts off cold. I don’t have time to boil water. I take a deep breath, fill my cup and pour the cold water over my head. Again and again. Until it isn’t uncomfortable. Im proud of my niece. Class president. Well-respected. College-bound. I remember the water conservation is for her and all those kids who are going through life believing that the adults are doing our part too.
Water Conversation
Antilles Marketing
Created on July 23, 2023
My 21-day water conservation challenge.
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Transcript
earth-21
A quarterly-e-zine
nº
Choose Your Social Responsibility
Before someone chooses for you
From the Editor
Water Conservation
Are you up for the challenge?
Support
Table of contents
A rushed first issue. But even issue 18 is sometimes rushed. The foundation just needs to be built. I want to die on the bench I sat on to take this picture; in Brooklyn, viewing Manhattan. Brooklyn was limited, and obsession with one borough brought stagnancy. But "The City" always allowed you to create a new version of yourself. That's what island life offers. What defines you; Nature or nurture? It should be both. You either use your nature to nurture your choices or use your nurturing to evolve your natural limits.Self-expression is nature; basic. Nurturing is elevation. Be better.
Trying to be Better
From the Editor
Title 1
Water Conservation
You'll never know what you've got til it's gone. I know what I have today. But will I have it tomorrow? I was terrified of drowning growing up. When my family went to Coney Island Beach for the first time, my parents placed me on my back and tried teaching me to float. But I couldn't find calm, and within seconds I was thrashing my arms and legs and back on my feet.Maybe it was the dark green Atlantic Ocean seawater, hiding the inevitability of Jaws waiting for the perfect moment to bite through my torso. Or maybe Brooklyn taught me life doesn't offer any calm. Relaxing never seemed possible.Eventually, in 2013, I'd move to South Beach, Miami, and while the sun slowly crept over the horizon, I stroked and kicked through the chaos of the blue sea. At 28, I taught myself how to swim and maneuver underwater. I couldn't
Title 1
I couldn't float, tread, or stroke, but I could move through water, and that was enough. For over a decade, I reshaped my relationship with H20. Between 2013 and 2014, I walked to Miami's shoreline every morning to stretch, meditate and exercise, cooling off with a quick dive into the crystal blue Atlantic Ocean before heading home.In 2014, I found enlightenment while meditating through a summer shower that led to an out-of-body experience. In 2018, I snorkeled off the shores of Maui, flowing through coral and wading idly by a sea turtle gasping for relief. From 2019-2023, I captured snow-capped mountains through my camera lens, felt thunder pulsate through my bones while recluding under a tree during a rainstorm, and ran through the snow and rain in shorts while listening to the Death Stranding OST.My only fear of death is coming back reincarnated to a world without drinkable water. In April 2023, I ran my first half-marathon with over 500 other people. How much water did every runner consume
Title 1
May 1
This morning I woke up and saw the notification: I’m only allowed three gallons of water. This is my social responsibility for the month.
to get there? The earth is dying and I'm running for leisure. As a health coach, I watch the fitness-obsessed and worry about the amount of water consumed to train, compete, and make all the post, pre, and during-workout supplements. I know nature always balances out, but human consumption is forever. This is a daily journal entry in the not-so-distant future, where social responsibility through sacrifice is a mandate. We didn't listen.
This is my future.
Title 1
May 3
Let em know.
May 4
Working In-Shop
Icons
May 2
May 5
Yesterday I chose my monthly supplies to keep my water usage in line.
Write a subtitle here
Growth
Title 1
May 11
May 6
May 12
May 9
I didn’t need to refill my two gallon jug until 8 p.m.
May 13
Title 1
May 15
May 14
My water ration was cut down to 2 gallons a day. I'm traveling, and I'm not sure how my water retrictions will be different. But I know the community will provide for me. At the airport, I hugged the sides of the stall, so I didn’t trigger the motion sensor. I left my pee behind for someone else to flush. Thank you, stranger.
I wasted 1. 5 gallons of water flushing someone’s pee at the shop. I’ll pay the tax.
Title 1
May 19
May 20
May 17
May 18
May 31
May 21
I always wondered how I could help save water, and when I was working in a law firm in London I was extremely busy. It felt like I never had time to do household chores like cleaning or laundry - and one day it sort of clicked. Why do we do SO much laundry? One load of washing can consume up to 200L of water. The average household does between 4-5 loads of laundry each week - which equates to about 7-9 hours spent doing laundry per month (more than a full working day). It just was really clear to me that I needed something to help me instantly clean my clothes, and do less washing. That started an intense 3 year process working with scientists/engineers on the Another Day formula. CG: What are some practical ways to save water? HG: Practical ways you think people can conserve water? It's so simple - do less laundry. One load of laundry consumes up to 200L of water (it differs depending on the washing machine). If we each do one less load of laundry a week we will save thousands of litres of water, plus we'll protect fabrics from damage, shrinkage and loss of shape caused by washing machines and dry cleaners too CG: Any emerging technologies in water conservation? HG: It's surprising how technologically behind the laundry industry is. Incumbent laundry brands promote more products - more chemicals, more laundry, more more more. But we take a different approach. We
Additional Q&A w/Holly GardnerFounder, byMATTER
CG: Can you offer a bit of a background on your water journey and the mission for creating your products? HG: I lived in Cape Town South Africa, where the City was extremely low on water for many years. We had to shower with buckets, and we had to monitor our full household water usage down to our washing machines and kettle. It was serious. Living through that water crisis really sticks with you - it's hard NOT to appreciate water after you're forced to come to terms with the reality that it is such a finite resource. Ultimately this really shaped my consciousness around water. When I later moved to London, I couldn't believe how just no one seemed to notice how much water they were using. There were multiple headlines across the BBC/Sky News warning of local droughts and water shortages, yet saving water didn't really appear to be on people's minds.
that the future of cleaning (and water conservation - it goes hand in hand), is using probiotics. There is a vast amount of research into why this is - check out our science webpage). CG: Any stats on how Another Day saves water? HG: We've sold thousands of bottles of Another Day, so it's near impossible to quantify precisely how much water it's saved because each customer uses it differently! But Another Day can reduce your laundry by at least 50%. If one bottle of Another Day saves on average 1 load per week (minimum per household) and lasts for 6 months then one bottle saves around 1950 litres of water saved per bottle of another day.
Full Interview w/ Jessica Swindon
In my opnion, people need to drink more water but use smart products to reduce their household water footprint. —Holly Gardner
Title 1
SMART PRODUCTS FOR MODERN HOMES
TRIPLE C'S ART
Donate LocalLY
Live in Denver? Support a local organization that plants trees, cleans up rivers and supports your community and neighbors through education and environmental change.
Photographs from the cover page to page 8 provideD by Triple C's Art. Interested in a print? Email clifford@triplecs.art
A simple spray can keep more reuseable water in the bay.
Donate
Shop
Title 1
thank you!
On the last day of May, I saw a double rainbow. Symbolism only has as much value as you ascribe. Double rainbows signify, hope, good luck and prosperity. I feel hopeful that if I can change my relationship with water, other people can too.
At work, I decided to only use ¼ of a gallon at a time to clean dishes. Now my water lasts longer. I'm finding my rhythm.
It rained this morning, so I went for a run. I splashed through puddles, saw birds bathing and singing. My drinkable water is their bathable water.
I was introduced to Holly Gardner, Founder of byMATTER. She spent three years working with scientists and engineers to develop Another Day; a probiotic spray that can reduce laundry by 50 percent. “One load of washing can consume up to 200L (52 gallons) of water. The average household does between 4-5 loads of laundry each week - which equates to about 7-9 hours spent doing laundry per month ... The future of cleaning (and water conservation - it goes hand in hand), is using probiotics,” says Gardner.
They say it takes 21 days to form a habit. My water rationing is over, but I’m still using my two gallon jug. Still peeing in a cup, and still going to the park in the early morning or evening to poop. Last week I paid a $10 entry fee. That’s some expensive shit. Tonight two moths were in our apartment. I corner them one at a time, cover them with a cup, slide a piece of paper under, and let them out on the balcony. I hope they pollinate and add to the life cycle. The Butterfly Effect is one act can change the course of the world. I hope my actions not only change my life but the life of everything that depends on water.
It rained for 4 hours on the drive from VA to NYC. Heavy torrential, can’t see shit rain. It used to only rain this heavy during hurricane season.
- 1.6 gallons again to poop.
- 1.3 gallon to flush 12 oz of pee at the airport. The sensors got me.
- 1.0 gallons to flush 6 oz of pee at the airport.
I'm sick. I've done my best for 2 weeks. Let the water run for a bit.For my evening walk, the sprinklers were still broken. I’m going to send a threatening letter. Is this my villain origin story?
After my run, I spoke with Jessica Swindon, Water Program Director at Groundwork Denver. Jessica works with communities that live near high-risk polluted waters. Even with lead and e.coli present in streams, creeks, and rivers, it’s difficult to keep people out, especially during hot and dry summer spells. For Swindon, education is key. “Really, it’s [about] creating space and opportunities for people to get out[side] and have their own relationship with water.” Whether hosting events with workshops that offer free rain barrels and workshops on collecting rainwater, teaching homeowners how to build rain gardens for natural filtration, or planting native plants to support local ecosystems, Swindon believes water brings balance to life because water is life. The future of useable water is also balance. While one person works on saving water, another person works to clean current water supplies.
3 Gallons
🚰
At night I go for walks around the neighborhood to clear my head. I walked by a commercial building and two sprinklers broken. I wrote down the phone number on a nearby sign and will call tomorrow.
Sometimes no one tells someone they’ve done a poor job.
I couldn’t hold it any longer, so I grabbed a compostable bag, placed it in the tub and dropped a deuce. I haven’t seen my poop in over a week. The visuals are a reminder of health. At first, I felt ashamed, but it’d been so long since I saw my poop that I was glad to have a visual “state of health” report. I’m doing ok.
For the past five years, I rinse my face with my DIY spray every morning. Now I also use it as an all-natural hand sanitizer. My toothbrush gets soaked in a 4 oz cup. I dab toothpaste, rinse my mouth and wash the spit away with the leftover water.
I’ve been driving to the park to poop. I grab a few hand wrap-arounds of 2-ply toilet paper, because government issued toilet paper is thin and abrasive. At 7 am, the birds are chirping, the newly grown grass is a vibrant green. I’ve missed Spring.
I don't want to flush, so I pee in the tub, and pour water down the drain using my toothbrush cup. The pee splashes on the sides, so I'm tryin to angle my stream just right, so there's less clean-up.
For my bath yesterday, I boiled water in a kettle, and mixed it with cold water in the 2.5 gallon bucket. A dab of shampoo onto a rag and scrub. Soak, scrub. Repeat. It's simple. It works.
Yesterday’s downpour led to flooding throughout the park. I took my sneakers off and walked barefoot through the trail, camera in hand. The water was cold, but regualr strides with the occasional toe wiggling made the discomfort go away.
My Water Usage
For eating: One plate, bowl, fork, knife, spoon, and steak knife The plate gets wiped and placed on the counter. The utensils get placed in a soapy water cup after use and wiped with a hand towel before use. After every meal, I add a dash of soap onto my plate, add water, and scrub with a compostable Swedish dish towel.
Supplies
I’ll sacrifice my water use, but I won’t sacrifice my lifestyle. I still need to run, exercise, hike, and explore.
Social Responsibility: Sacrifice
You wouldn’t think usable water is scarce based on consumer culture, but the Colorado River, which supplies water to seven states and 40 million Americans, has been drying up for over 20 years; boil notices and lead pipes in schools are weekly news stories; PFAS from plastic and cleaning products have been detected in the blood of 98% of Americans thanks to toxic soil runoff, prescription pill flushing and plastic waste, all while one almond gulps 3.2 gallons of water. Can I sacrifice water but not my lifestyle?
I cooked a waterless dinner tonight for me and E. A whole lotta stir-fry veggies. I saved ¼ gallon of drinking gallon since I wasn’t home. I used it to rinse down my pee and brush my teeth.
Another 1.6 gallons of water down the drain.
I’ve been holding my poop since Monday night. E and I went to the store, and as I pulled out of the parking lot. I saw an endless supply of porta potties. I’ve never been the first person to poop in a port-a-potty. It felt like heaven. I finally understood Tony from Rick and Morty.
Lorem ipsum dolor
II neded the month with a double rainbow. Double rainbows
Instead of peeing in the tub, I pee in a 12 oz cup now. I observe the color and take a whiff before I pour it down the drian. Who needs a doctor? Mellow yellow scent and visual.I washed dishes for the first time this week. I even washed E’s dishes. It felt good to share some of my scarcity.
I saved my first gallon of water yesterday. Today, I boiled water and deep scrubbed my body in the tub. I needed fresh laundry. Thinking about washing pants and jeans felt overwhelming, so I only washed my underwear, socks, and workout shorts. I poured boiled water into my 2.5 gallon bucket and tossed in a plant based detergent sheet. Instead of using the dryer, I placed everything on a drying rack, then placed the rack on our balcony. UV rays kill lingeriing bacteria and heat naturally dries.
After ten years of working remotely, I'm a hybrid worker now. I work as a marketer and operations manager for a local restaurant, and on Thursdays, I support in-shop. Since I wouldn't be home, I allotted 2 gallons of water for cleaning customer dishes. Instead of letting the water pour from the faucet, I used my gallon jug to measure and poured one gallon into a tub. While working, I thought: Instead of asking people to clean microwaves, someone should work with minimal water every day.
I went back to Heaven for seconds. But that's not how it works. Every single port a potty is locked. Can I hold it through my nieces graduation, two nights of dinners, a 5 hour drive, 4 hour flight, and another night of sleep before I can reach the park bathroom again on Sunday morning?No. So I flush down 1.6 gallons of water for a less than half a pound stool. I shave my head. I turn the faucet on. The water starts off cold. I don’t have time to boil water. I take a deep breath, fill my cup and pour the cold water over my head. Again and again. Until it isn’t uncomfortable. Im proud of my niece. Class president. Well-respected. College-bound. I remember the water conservation is for her and all those kids who are going through life believing that the adults are doing our part too.