On Sun, 07 Jan 2007 01:51:23 GMT, gardenlen wrote:

how easily could our leaders save more wate than they can poke a stick
at hey??

I honestly think that the current crop of leaders are little more than
good compost going to waste...

But seriously, there are so many things that *could* be being done, but
that would challenge the way things *have always* been done. What we
need is a major mind set change, from our current approach - how can we
throw lots of resources (energy, water, materials) at the problem - to a
somewhat sustainable approach - how can we turn the problem into a
solution?

On another list, it was pointed out to me that this is the difference
between the 20th century approach and the permaculture approach:

Solutions are the Problems: how we approach things now = **** stuff up
Problems are Solutions: in permaculture, the "problem" becomes useful

Those little blue cubes are clever little devices, but better would be
to capture the nutrient for use in the garden (a permaculture approach).
However, this is a bigger challenge to the way things have always been
done, so the blue cubes, and other waterless loo ideas, are our best
option for changing the way our councils do urinals. Note also this one:

http://www.rotaloo.com/02urinal.html

I wonder whether Goublurn (NSW) is using either of these yet? (wasn't
last time I looked, and neither is my local council even after they were
advised of both options)
--
Ross McKay, Toronto, NSW Australia
"If we are serious about reducing the environmental impact
of our towns and suburbs then we need to focus a lot more
on our use of transport, home energy use and where our
food comes from and a little bit less on whether our
backyard supports three or four species of honeyeater."
- Dave Holmgren