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Steve Thomas is the host of Planet Green's Renovation Nation, a program that focuses on making green renovations to homes across the country. In his regular column on PlanetGreen.com, Steve goes behind the scenes of the show and offers additional tips and insight on green renovation.
In Texas, during the Big Bucks for Retirement episode of Renovation Nation I had the opportunity to go caving in an aquifer. Over the eons, the water has carved this honeycomb of limestone caves all through the substrate. It's really something to see.
What's alarming is that the aquifer is dropping as people pump it dry. It's arid there, pretty much desert. Yet there are free-flowing springs and streams. As you pump the aquifer down, then springs stop flowing. When the springs stop flowing, then the wildlife that relies on those water sources, stops coming. So if people don't reduce the amount of water that they are pumping out of the aquifer, we could be looking at the absolute desertification of the area. I wanted to really illustrate that in the show, so we went caving to see where the water is or was.
Here are a few ways that you can save water.
1. Collecting rain water in a rain barrel.
2. Install a low-flow shower head
3. Water your lawn before 8 am and after 4pm
4. Keep the water off while you are shaving or brushing your teeth. Turn on the water in short, quick bursts to rinse.
5. Replace your top-loading clothes washer with a front-loading one.
Watch the Renovation Nation Episode: Chesapeake Bay, MD—Big Bucks for Retirement
