Saving water

Now for more important matters - water. Anyone from Australia will know what an important resource water is. There are continuing water restrictions in most capital cities. These tend to limit the amount of water that can be used outside of the house. Just because you comply with the restrictions, does not mean that you can do more to save water inside. Approximately 60% of water is used inside the house. The following list below gives an indication of average water use of some common household activities:

• Toilet flushing - 5L/flush for a dual flush system, 11L/flush for single flush system
• Leaking toilet - up to 308 L/week
• Shower - 7.5L/min for a water saver showerhead, up to 20L/min for others
• Washing machine - 40-120L/load depending on size and water efficiency
• Tap - up to 30L/min depending on type and how far it is turned on
• Leaking tap - up to 200L/day

These are just a few figures - plenty more information is available on the web. Can you identify areas where you can reduce water usage around your home? Even savings of a few L/day per person will add up in the long run.

For a more detailed calculation of household water usage, have a look at the water calculator created by Melbourne water. http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/rsrc/PDFs/Water/CalculatorWaterMark.pdf

7 weeks to go

Wow - how time flies. Only 7 weeks to go and it is time to up the training, the problem is finding the time.
Last week I discovered a 16 week marathon training guide and deciding that the first 8 weeks were overrated, I launched straight into week 8, with mixed results. The week started well:
Monday - rest day (managed to achieve this!)
Tuesday 5 miles - actually ran 6 (but on a treadmill)
Wednesday 6 miles - achieved with a nice 7 mile run to Granchester (on top of a rowing outing)
But from here, it all fell to pieces:
Thursday 6 miles, but no time so didn't achieve it. Was planning to make it up on Friday...
Friday - rest day. Following an early morning rowing outing, this day was devoted to rest and work. Had planned to go running with the orienteers, but instead we opted for eating chocolate brownies.
Saturday - 20 miles! This seemed slightly ridiculous to me and I settled for less than 1 (poor weather) followed by a hit of tennis.
Sunday - 3 miles. Finally a decent run! Today I ran just under 13 miles along the river with two friends. I stopped at 12 miles for a rowing outing before jogging the last mile home alone. After 3+ hours of exercise, I arrived home exhausted and starving but with a decent run under my belt.
Keep an eye out for water saving tips to appear on this page soon.

16 Feb 2008 - Training update and Tip 1

I am pleased to report that training is finally underway in earnest! I am now back in the UK and I have not let 30+ hours of travel, jetlag and sub-zero temperatures stand in my way. To date I have jogged (I don't run, I jog!) 14km, done 5.5km on the treadmill and had 2 rowing outings and 1 rowing race (we lost). It isn't much, and probably isn't enough but it is a start. Also, I like to think that given the fact that the treadmill was done in Singapore Airport after flying and in high humidity I can count it for more :)
Now, it is your turn! Today's task is an easy one and relates to energy consumption in the home. Some of the tips below may seem obvious, but when we are busy it is easy to forget. Here goes: Liv's tips for reducing basic household enegy consumption:

1. Turn off the lights when you aren't in the room or it is light outside.
2. Turn off appliances at the plug instead of leaving then on or on standby.
3. Only run dishwashers and washing machines when they are full.
4. Run you fridge at 3-4ºC and freezer at -15-18ºC. A change of 1ºC can affect energy consumption by up to 5%.
5. If you have a separate drinks fridge, only turn it on when you need it!
6. Check the fridge seal - this is very important! A broken seal will mean that the fridge isn't properly insulated and will run constantly.
7. Before you turn on the airconditioner ask yourself: do you really need it? Are you wearing suitable clothing, are the curtains drawn. Is it possible to use a fan to circulate air instead? If you decide you really do need the airconditioner, then run it at 22ºC. Likewise with heating - make sure you are rugged up, before you switch it on.

OK that is just a start - more will follow later. Do you have any experiences of energy related disasters or tips for others to cut energy consumption. Remember that in the end the benefits are both environmental and economical! See how much you can reduce your next electricity bill by.

Tomorrow never comes....

Tomorrow I will do this, tomorrow I will do that. Tomorrow I will start training... The problem is that tomorrow never comes. Make a change today - fix that leaky tap, have a shorter shower, turn the tap off while brushing your teeth. Do it today!
Tomorrow I WILL start my training, otherwise I may never make the 42.2km. But if we don't all start making those small changes, the consequences will be much more dire than me not finishing the race.