Meat; Should you choose Grass Fed or Organic

BOTH! If you can get it, if not choose grass fed; here’s why?

Article from Eat Wild;

By Jo Robinson                                                               

Organic meat, poultry, and dairy products are now available at your supermarket, which is a change for the better. When you see the organic label, you know the food is going to be free of pesticide residues, synthetic hormones, genetically modified organisms, and a long list of questionable additives. You also have the satisfaction of knowing that raising animals organically causes less harm to the environment. But when it comes to animal production, organic is not enough. We need to be raising animals on their species-appropriate diets.

Few consumers realize that many producers of "organic" or "naturally raised" animal products, raise their animals in confinement and feed them grain—just like the operators of conventional feedlots. Feeding large amounts of grain to a grazing animal decreases the nutritional value of its products whether the grain is organic or conventionally raised. The reason is simple. Compared with grass, grain has far fewer omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E. Therefore, grainfed animals have fewer of these important nutrients in their meat and dairy products. Grainfeeding also interferes with the creation of a cancer-fighting fight called conjugated linoleic acid or CLA. I A test by an independent lab determined that milk from one of the largest organic grain-fed dairies had no more omega-3 fatty acids or CLA than milk from ordinary dairies. Similarly, meat from organic grain-fed beef has the same nutritional profile as meat from the largest Kansas feedlot.

The same story holds true for organic but confinement-raised poultry. Their meat and eggs have no more omega-3s or vitamin E than the products you find in the supermarket. (Unless the birds are given special supplements along with the grain.)

For many consumers, food safety is an even bigger concern than nutrition. Once again, grass feeding offers an important advantage. It has been known for decades that grain feeding makes a cow’s digestive tract more acid. Now we know that this acidic environment speeds the growth of potentially dangerous E. coli bacteria and, even worse, makes the bugs more acid-resistant. Alarmingly, these acid-resistant bacteria are much more likely to survive the cleansing acidity of our own digestive juices and make us ill.

Depriving our livestock of fresh greens and vastly increasing their consumption of grain has jeopardized our health in ways people never imagined. Although feeding organically raised grain reduces our reliance on pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, it does not provide the food that nature intended us to eat.

Click here for references.

Dean Foods Sells Out Organic Farmers With Release of New "Natural" Horizon Milk

From the Organic Consumers Association;

The rumors have now been confirmed.  Dean Foods’ WhiteWave division has now announced that they will bring out "natural" (conventional) dairy products under the Horizon label.  This at a time when organic dairy farmers around the country are in financial crisis due to a glut of milk. 

They are in essence creating a new product category, "natural dairy products," that will directly compete with certified organic farmers and the marketers they partner with.

This move comes on the heels of the recent decision by Dean/WhiteWave to switch almost the entire product offerings of their Silk soymilk and soyfoods line to "natural" (conventional) soybeans.  They made the switch to conventional soybeans, in Silk products, without lowering the price.  Sheer profiteering.

The likelihood is that they will create this new category and enjoy higher profits than they currently realize having to pay those pesky organic dairy farmers a livable wage.
The news story below, from the Natural Foods Merchandise quotes Dean Foods/WhiteWave officials saying these products will be "easier on the pocketbook."

Yes, they will be designed to undercut certified organic on price.

Horizon is the largest, in terms of dollar volume, organic brand in the marketplace.  Silk holds the leading market share in soyfoods and was once, prior to Dean Foods’ acquisition, a 100% organic company and brand.

SHAME!

Stay tuned.  Dean Foods has just declared war on the organic industry. Although the first shot has been fired it will not be the last.

The organic farmers, consumers and ethical business people who built this industry did so in effort to create an alternative food system with a different set of values.  We will all work hard to defend what so many good people spent so many years to create.
Mark A. Kastel
Senior Farm Policy Analyst
The Cornucopia Institute
—————————-
Horizon Organic Introduces Two New Natural Products
June 29,2009
By: Angela Cortez

Natural Foods Merchandise

Horizon Organic, the Broomfield, Colo.-based company known as one of the first certified organic dairies to distribute nationwide, is adding one new product in July and testing another in August, and for the first time in the company’s history, the products geared toward children are not organic but natural.

Next month, Horizon Organic will launch Little Blends, a yogurt for toddlers. Milk Breakers, single servings of milk, will undergo a regional market test in the area of southeast Florida in August. These products are the first the company will distribute that are not certified organic. They are natural, don’t contain growth hormones and will be easier on the pocketbook, said Sara Loveday, marketing communications manager for Horizon Organic.

"We’ve only been organic in the past and the majority of our business will remain organic," she said. "They are new, separate offerings. These are our first natural offerings in the marketplace, and Horizon always tries to provide great-tasting products for moms and for families. We’ve always been focused on innovation that satisfies a broader range of consumer needs."

Little Blends is a yogurt with a fruit and vegetable purée that comes in combinations of banana and sweet potato, strawberry and carrot, and apple and butternut squash. The recommended retail price is $3.39 to $3.59 for a four-pack of 4-ounce cups. Milk Breakers, which will be available in vanilla and chocolate and are fortified with added protein, are geared to 4 to 10 year olds. The suggested retail price is $3.79 for a six-pack of 6-ounce servings.

Being natural but not organic means the company can sell the new products at a lower price and tap into a larger market. As the gap between conventional and organic widens and shoppers look to save money during recessionary times, companies are looking for ways to compete, ride the trends and offer value-priced products, said Michelle Barry, a retail and cultural trends expert and senior vice president of The Hartman Group, a research and consulting firm.

"I suspect it may be unusual, but [Horizon Organic] may be on the leading edge of companies that are struggling and in competition with other companies," she said. "I’m not surprised they’ve done this. Their competition and consumers have been heading in this direction for some time.

"There may be some core brand loyalists that will be upset, but at the same time, they could be expanding to a much dense population and the strategy may expand their reach into more households," Barry said.

But the move away from purely organic is a trend that doesn’t settle particularly well with Matthew McLean, vice president of the Organic Trade Association and owner of Uncle Matt’s Organic in Clermont, Fla.

Still, McLean said he understands that now is a difficult time for companies and they have to do what it takes to stay in business.

"As an advocate of organic, I hope organic holds firm and continues to grow, but each company has its own mission and vision," he said. "Anybody in this economy, in any industry, is looking at ways to continue to grow the company and keep the light bill paid. I can only hope the organic consumer will continue to support organic, based on the quality of the products we put out. But I hope the companies stay true to organic, as well."

Who is killing organics? Horizon, Whole Foods Market, Silk…

Alert of the Week

Breaking the Organic Monopoly and the "Natural" Foods Myth
Whole Food Market and United Natural Foods, Inc.: Undermining Our Organic Future

After four decades of hard work, the organic community has built up a $25 billion "certified organic" food and farming sector. This consumer-driven movement, under steady attack by the biotech and Big Food lobby, with little or no help from government, has managed to create a healthy and sustainable alternative to America’s disastrous, chemical and energy-intensive system of industrial agriculture.

However, the annual $50 billion natural food and products industry is threatening to undermine the organic movement by flooding the marketplace with conventional products greenwashed with "natural" labeling. "Natural," in the overwhelming majority of cases, translates to "conventional-with-a-green-veneer." Natural products are routinely produced using pesticides, chemical fertilizer, hormones, genetic engineering, and sewage sludge. "Natural","all-natural," and "sustainable," products in most cases are neither backed up by rules and regulations, nor a Third Party certifier. These are label claims that are neither policed nor monitored. For an evaluation of eco-labels see the Consumers Union Eco-Label website.

For example:

* Tests Show Widespread Presence of GMOs in So-Called "Natural" Foods

* So-Called "Natural" (non-organic) soy milk, including leading brands such as "Silk," are made with conventional soy lecithin, utilizing the hazardous chemical, Hexane, as an extraction agent.

* Dozens of "natural" and "made with organic" personal care and household cleaning products contain known carcinogens such as 1,4 Dioxane. Just about the only personal care products you can trust are those bearing the "USDA Organic" label.

* 90% or more of the vitamins and supplements now on the market labeled as "Whole Foods," "natural" or "food based" are spiked with synthetic chemicals.

Despite the massive popularity and demand for certified organic products, retailers like Whole Foods Market, and wholesalers like United Natural Foods Inc., continue to push "natural" products at a premium price, while, in effect slowing down the growth of organics with their near market monopoly. In fact, the majority of products sold and distributed by Whole Foods Market and UNFI are not certified organic, but rather so-called "natural." Meanwhile, independent and cooperative grocers often offer more certified organic products at competitive prices.

Will you stand up for organics?

Contact Whole Foods Market and UNFI today and tell them that you will buy only certified organic products for you and your family.

Learn more and take action

Gluten link with schizophrenia and diabetes

Gluten-rich foodstuffs such as bread could help to trigger schizophrenia in people with a genetic predisposition to the mental disease, scientists believe.

Researchers at UHI, the prospective University of the Highlands and Islands, are looking at the links between schizophrenia and diabetes. Two studies are being undertaken by geneticist Dr Jun Wei and his team at the UHI Department of Diabetes and Cardiovascular Science in Inverness, after winning £300,000 of grant funding from the Schizophrenia Association of Great Britain (SAGB).

One project is exploring the links between schizophrenia and diabetes, while the other focuses on the role of gluten – the protein commonly found in rye, wheat and barley – in schizophrenia and diabetes.

Gluten has long been recognised as a trigger for serious diseases related to the gut, most notably coeliac disease. However, it is now emerging that this dietary component might also be associated with the incidence of other auto-immune diseases, including schizophrenia and type 1 diabetes.

Professor Ian Megson, head of the UHI Department of Diabetes and Cardiovascular Science, explained: “The reason that gluten might provide a link between these apparently quite different diseases is that, in people with a particular genetic make-up that results in their bodies’ inability to handle gluten in the normal way, the immune system becomes unusually active. In this way, cells in the blood that are designed to combat infections begin to target healthy tissue, which can lead to impaired function of affected organs (gut, brain or pancreas) and disease.

“This research is at an early stage, but if the theory is correct and those at risk are identified very early in life, a simple change in diet might prevent these diseases developing in some individuals.”
Dr Wei, senior researcher and reader in genetics, added: “An individual’s inherited genes, together with factors from the environment in which they have lived, are now considered to be central to development of both schizophrenia and diabetes.

“Gluten is one such environmental factor. More than 30 per cent of schizophrenia sufferers have high levels of antibodies against wheat gluten in their body so a gluten-free diet might help to reduce the symptoms of this mental condition. We are also investigating if gluten acts as a trigger for schizophrenia in people who have a genetic predisposition to it.” Gwynneth Hemmings, honorary executive director of the SAGB, commented: “We are pleased to be supporting this very important research which we hope will benefit the many people suffering, or likely to suffer, from the illness.”

Dr Wei is being assisted in the gluten work by postdoctoral researcher Dr Matthew Law and PhD student Matilda Bradford, and in the other project by PhD colleague Aditi Mathur. They are working at the UHI department’s new base at the Centre for Health Science in Inverness. “Our unit is just over two years old and we are making fantastic progress, with funding come in from bodies such as the SAGB, the Chief Scientist Office, Medical Research Council and the Natural Environment Research Council,” Professor Megson said. “We have a wonderful facility here in Inverness to rival any in the country, and we are punching above our weight in terms of our ability to attract funding for research which will deliver significant benefits to people’s health, especially those with diabetes and cardiovascular conditions.”

Source: UHI MIllenium Institute

Food Allergies May Be Linked to Obesity

From Special Gourmet Magazine;

Researchers studying more than 4,000 children ages 2 to 19 enrolled in a larger survey of childhood health found a significant association of overweight and obesity with allergic reactions to eggs, peanuts and other common allergens. For example, overweight and obese children were over 50 percent more likely than those of normal weight to be allergic to milk. Over all, the obese and overweight children were about 25 percent more likely to have one or more food allergies.

“While there’s nothing conclusive about our findings,” said Cindy M. Visness, the lead author, “this is one more motivation to try to prevent obesity in children.” Dr. Visness is an epidemiologist with Rho Inc., a company that provides research and statistical services for clinical trials.

The scientists also found an association between being overweight and levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation, which suggests that systemic inflammation may also play a role in the development of allergies. The authors acknowledge that their study, published in the May issue of The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, does not prove that obesity causes allergies, and that other explanations for the association are possible.

The truth of the matter is that all humans are lactose and gluten intolerant to some degree.  Grains are devoid of nutrients, and cows milk is for baby cows!!!!

BPA-Free: In The News, In Your Soft Drink

From Green Thinkers Blog today;

BPA Free is a new running Greenthinkers feature where we discuss BPA, link to BPA-related pieces in the news, and also discuss and review all the BPA-free products you can handle. Enjoy your new BPA-free life.

Again today, we’re all about BPA in the news.

Globe & Mail: Estrogen-mimicking chemical BPA has now shown up in significant levels in energy and soft drinks. Tests by Health Canada scientists revealed the highest levels were in energy drinks, but also it in a wide variety of ginger ales, diet colas, root beers and citrus-flavoured sodas. Bisphenol A was detected in 96 per cent of soft drinks tested.

Consumerist: Suffolk County, New York enacted the nation’s first BPA ban this week when it voted to ban the chemical from bottles for children 3 and under.

CTV News: A study has found that BPA lingers in the bodies of newborns and infants. Compared to adults, newborns and infants may have up to 11 times as much BPA – reported to be linked to cancer and reproductive and behavioral problems – in their bodies, the study found.

So STOP buying food in plastic, but especially STOP drinking out of it!!

Use a Kleen Kanteen or a Pottery and Stainless Steel Travel Mug– I own both and LOVE them!! 

Betraying the Planet

By PAUL KRUGMAN

In the NYTimes today…

So the House passed the Waxman-Markey climate-change bill. In political terms, it was a remarkable achievement.

But 212 representatives voted no. A handful of these no votes came from representatives who considered the bill too weak, but most rejected the bill because they rejected the whole notion that we have to do something about greenhouse gases.

And as I watched the deniers make their arguments, I couldn’t help thinking that I was watching a form of treason — treason against the planet.

To fully appreciate the irresponsibility and immorality of climate-change denial, you need to know about the grim turn taken by the latest climate research.

The fact is that the planet is changing faster than even pessimists expected: ice caps are shrinking, arid zones spreading, at a terrifying rate. And according to a number of recent studies, catastrophe — a rise in temperature so large as to be almost unthinkable — can no longer be considered a mere possibility. It is, instead, the most likely outcome if we continue along our present course.

Thus researchers at M.I.T., who were previously predicting a temperature rise of a little more than 4 degrees by the end of this century, are now predicting a rise of more than 9 degrees. Why? Global greenhouse gas emissions are rising faster than expected; some mitigating factors, like absorption of carbon dioxide by the oceans, are turning out to be weaker than hoped; and there’s growing evidence that climate change is self-reinforcing — that, for example, rising temperatures will cause some arctic tundra to defrost, releasing even more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Temperature increases on the scale predicted by the M.I.T. researchers and others would create huge disruptions in our lives and our economy. As a recent authoritative U.S. government report points out, by the end of this century New Hampshire may well have the climate of North Carolina today, Illinois may have the climate of East Texas, and across the country extreme, deadly heat waves — the kind that traditionally occur only once in a generation — may become annual or biannual events.

In other words, we’re facing a clear and present danger to our way of life, perhaps even to civilization itself. How can anyone justify failing to act?

Well, sometimes even the most authoritative analyses get things wrong. And if dissenting opinion-makers and politicians based their dissent on hard work and hard thinking — if they had carefully studied the issue, consulted with experts and concluded that the overwhelming scientific consensus was misguided — they could at least claim to be acting responsibly.

But if you watched the debate on Friday, you didn’t see people who’ve thought hard about a crucial issue, and are trying to do the right thing. What you saw, instead, were people who show no sign of being interested in the truth. They don’t like the political and policy implications of climate change, so they’ve decided not to believe in it — and they’ll grab any argument, no matter how disreputable, that feeds their denial.

Indeed, if there was a defining moment in Friday’s debate, it was the declaration by Representative Paul Broun of Georgia that climate change is nothing but a “hoax” that has been “perpetrated out of the scientific community.” I’d call this a crazy conspiracy theory, but doing so would actually be unfair to crazy conspiracy theorists. After all, to believe that global warming is a hoax you have to believe in a vast cabal consisting of thousands of scientists — a cabal so powerful that it has managed to create false records on everything from global temperatures to Arctic sea ice.

Yet Mr. Broun’s declaration was met with applause.

Given this contempt for hard science, I’m almost reluctant to mention the deniers’ dishonesty on matters economic. But in addition to rejecting climate science, the opponents of the climate bill made a point of misrepresenting the results of studies of the bill’s economic impact, which all suggest that the cost will be relatively low.

Still, is it fair to call climate denial a form of treason? Isn’t it politics as usual?

Yes, it is — and that’s why it’s unforgivable.

Do you remember the days when Bush administration officials claimed that terrorism posed an “existential threat” to America, a threat in whose face normal rules no longer applied? That was hyperbole — but the existential threat from climate change is all too real.

Yet the deniers are choosing, willfully, to ignore that threat, placing future generations of Americans in grave danger, simply because it’s in their political interest to pretend that there’s nothing to worry about. If that’s not betrayal, I don’t know what is.

I couldn’t agree more!!

12 most contaminated fruits and veggies

A simulation done by the Environmental Working Group shows that people can lower their pesticide exposure by 90 percent by avoiding the top twelve most contaminated fruits and vegetables and eating the least contaminated instead. Eating the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables will expose a person to nearly 20 pesticides per day, on average. Eating the 12 least contaminated will expose a person to a fraction over 2 pesticides per day.

12 Most Contaminated – Buy These Organic

• Apples
• Bell Peppers
• Celery
• Cherries
• Imported Grapes
• Nectarines
• Peaches
• Pears
• Potatoes
• Red Raspberries
• Spinach
• Strawberries

12 Least Contaminated

• Asparagus
• Avocados
• Bananas
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Corn (sweet)
• Kiwi
• Mangos
• Onions
• Papaya
• Pineapples
• Peas (sweet)

Many of the most contaminated plants are ones that can be grown at home, including bell peppers, strawberries and potatoes. These could also be grown in a hydroponic greenhouse locally, eliminating the need to import these items from countries that use pesticides. The report also addresses the question about washing produce; while it may reduce some surface residue, there is no significant effect from washing as the samples used in the tests were washed and/or peeled prior to testing.

what you personally can do about climate change!!

Two great posts from Colin Bevean- NoImpactMan;

How climate change is already affecting us

The following is an excerpt from a New Yorker article about James Hansen, NASA’s head climate scientist, by Elizabeth Kolbert:

During the past few years, researchers around the world have noticed a disturbing trend: the planet is changing faster than had been anticipated. Antarctica, for example, had not been expected to show a net loss of ice for another century, but recent studies indicate that the continent’s massive ice sheets are already shrinking. At the other end of the globe, the Arctic ice cap has been melt- ing at a shocking rate; the extent of the summer ice is now only a little more than half of what it was just forty years ago. Meanwhile, scientists have found that the arid zones that circle the globe north and south of the tropics have been expanding more rapidly than computer models had predicted. This expansion of the subtropics means that highly populated areas, including the American Southwest and the Mediterranean basin, are likely to suffer more and more frequent droughts. 

The point is that this is not something that will happen to our grandchildren. It is something that is happening to us.

Taking Personal Responsibility for Climate Change

The following is a post by Leslie Berliant. Leslie is a partner at BLU MOON Group, a cause marketing and communications firm. She writes the GoingGreen column for pnn.com and is also a contributing writer at SolveClimate.com, EnergyBoom.com, DesmogBlog.com, the LOHAS Journal and other online and print publications.

This weekend, I went to a gathering of 50 people interested in advocating for clean energy in the United States. I rode my bike there. At least a dozen people commented on what a “good girl” I was for doing so.

We poured ourselves coffee and tea into paper cups. We ate our potluck lunch on paper plates with plastic forks. We grabbed our bottles of water. We wiped our mouths with paper napkins and we grabbed our packets of printed materials to talk about how we could help push the federal government into making clean energy a reality, starting with identifying ‘green’ businesses to be our allies in this campaign.

I mean no disrespect to the good people that gave their time on a Saturday afternoon to talk about the importance of renewable energy. Nor to the folks that put together these house meetings. The idea of bringing people together around clean energy is a good one and long over due.

But the experience did get me thinking about climate change and personal responsibility. It has become very easy to say that we need sweeping institutional change since my changing of my light bulbs won’t have much of an impact. But if we look at global greenhouse gas emissions by sector, is that true?

It is hard to find consistent information on emissions percentages by sector so let’s use the World Resources Institute data to see what percent of greenhouse gas emissions are within our personal control:

13.5% of greenhouse gas emissions are transportation related, the majority of those are emissions on roads (9.9%). So, to cut those emissions, we have some personal choices we can make:

• Choose a fuel efficient car
• Choose an alternative mode of transportation like bicycle, walking or public transportation
• Choose goods that are not shipped from overseas or out of state
• Travel less

24.6% of emissions are from electricity and heat. Of those, 9.9% are residential buildings, 6.3% are oil and gas extraction, refining and processing and 1.4% is coal mining. So, cutting some of those emissions is possible on a personal level:

• Weatherize your home
• Use a programmable thermostat
• Turn down the heat and wear a sweater
• Turn off the air conditioning and open the windows
• Unplug unused appliances
• Use energy efficient appliances
• Use energy efficient lighting
• Use alternative energy sources like solar, wind and geothermal
• Purchase renewable energy credits to help fund more renewable energy sources
• Turn off lights when not in use
• Use solar outdoor lights
• Use cold water wash
• Line dry your clothes
• Run appliances like dishwashers in energy-saver mode
• Go manual instead of electric
• Keep your refrigerator full and use glass containers for storage. A full refrigerator stays colder as do glass containers

For the 10.4 % of emissions that are industry related and the 5.4% that are related to commercial buildings, we can also have an impact:

• Choose to spend your money with businesses and industries that are fuel efficient and investing in renewable energy and LEED certified buildings, producing products sustainably and reducing use of packaging.
• Encourage local businesses to become more fuel efficient. Carrot Mob has a great ‘reverse boycott’ model for doing this; ask businesses to invest in efficiency and for those that are willing, reward them by organizing a large group to come and shop there on a set day at a set time.
• Ask your city council and county board of supervisors to set minimum LEED standards for new buildings.

Land use changes like deforestation account for 18.2% of emissions. That may seem out of our control if we don’t live in a forested area, but it’s not:

• Stop buying paper products made from virgin wood; choose toilet paper, paper towels, tissues, napkins and paper made from 100% post-consumer waste.
• Use cloth instead of paper for napkins and towels
• Eat less meat. Forests are being clear cut to raise cattle or their feed. If you choose to eat meat, find local sources of grass fed beef.
• Avoid products that contain palm oil
• If you choose to drink coffee and eat chocolate, find sources of sustainably grown beans.
• Use reusable bags instead of paper
• Always print double-sided on paper made from recycled materials
• Stop junk mail. This insidious industry destroys around 100 million trees a year. Use services like Catalogue Choice, Green Dimes and others let you opt out of all kinds of junk, including credit card offers.

Agricultural emissions are 13.5% of global totals. 6% of that is soil management using petroleum and nitrogen based fertilizers and pesticides, 5.1% is livestock and manure, and 1.5% is rice cultivation. For the most part, we can control what we eat:

• Buy produce grown without chemical fertilizers and pesticides
• Plant your own organic garden as a source of fresh produce
• Buy rice that is sustainably cultivated
• Avoid products made with high fructose corn syrup, canola oil or soy.
• Avoid foods like boxed cereal that take more energy to create and package than they produce

3.6% of emissions come from waste. Here, too, we can have an impact:

• Buy fewer packaged goods
• Buy less in general
• Buy from the bulk bins
• Buy reusable instead of disposable
• Recycle
• Compost. Organic matter in landfills is a source of methane. Organic matter in your compost bin is a source of plant food.
• Ask your city council to ban plastic bags
• Use reusable bags for all of your shopping
• If you live in a country with potable water that comes out of the faucet, STOP BUYING BOTTLED WATER!

Yes, we need institutional change. We need to have government investment in clean, renewable energy sources and regulations that set higher CAFE and efficiency standards. We need to stop the development of new coal-fired power plants and oil exploration. Federal, state and local governments need to incentivize individual and corporate efficiency like weatherization, plug-in hybrids and efficiency retrofitting.

The EPA is currently working on a report to inventory emissions sources and sinks in the U.S. Hopefully, this is to assess how the EPA can best regulate and reduce emissions. And while this is happening, there is much we can each do, as individuals, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

20 gallon challenge…

Look how easy it is to save just 20 gallons of water a day! I have added notes outlining what I do, a way more radical approach to saving water!!!

Indoor Conservation Tips                       Estimated Savings

Run the dishwasher only when full                        2-4.5 gallons per load

Better yet, hand was using 2 pans and pour the water in your flowerbeds when you finish.

Don’t leave water running while rinsing dishes     2.5 gallons per minute

Turn off water when brushing teeth                      2 gallons per minute

Shorten showers                                                      2.5 gallons per minute

I have a 5 gallon bucket I put in the shower to catch runoff, I carry it outside to water the garden. If I take a bath, I use a bucket to carry a lot of it outside (a GREAT workout for upper body!)  I am trying to talk my landlord into setting up a greywater system. No luck so far!

Don’t use the toilet as a wastebasket                   1.6 gallons per flush

Use a sawdust toilet, save 40 gallons per day per person!!!

Wash only full loads of clothes                             15-50 gallons per load

Wear jeans and pants more than once, use your bath towel for a week by hanging it to dry, use soapnuts to wash with, route your wash water outside to water your trees.

Fix leaky toilets                                                      30-50 gallons per day per toilet

Use a sawdust toilet!-  http://www.jenkinspublishing.com/manual.html 

Fix leaky faucets                                                   15-20 gallons per day per leak

Install a new high-efficiency  clothes washer      20-30 gallons per load

Replace older, high-volume flushing toilets            2.2-3.8 gallons per flush

Water Wise Landscaping

Are you following the basic principles of water wise landscaping in your garden?

1. Use less-than-thirsty plants in your garden. Keep turf grass (the thirstiest plant of all!) to a minimum. Look for plants that are well-suited to regional and local conditions.
2. Group plants thoughtfully. When selecting trees, shrubs, ground covers, perennials and annuals for your garden, look for those that naturally grow together and use about the same amount of water.
3. Use water wisely. Water plants only when needed, not by the clock or calendar. Water at night, when evaporation is much lower and air is calmer. Avoid runoff and overspray.
4. Improve your soil. Routinely cultivate your soil, incorporating organic matter such as compost. Doing so improves the soil’s ability to resist evaporation and retain moisture. Aerate heavy or compacted soil around trees.
5. Mulch. A two- to four-inch layer of mulch also evens out temperature extremes, keep soil cool on hot days and warm on cool days. It also prevents soil from crusting, allowing better water penetration. Take a cue from nature and choose one of many organic mulches that add great visual texture to your landscape, such as shredded bark or chips, wood grindings, compost, aged sawdust or even low-growing ground cover. Inorganic mulches, such as gravel or rock, let the most water in and are frequently used with plants susceptible to crown rot.
6. Plant trees. Trees help to lower air and soil temperatures, reducing plant and soil moisture loss.
7. Group container plants. Arrange containers so they shade one another. During droughts or periods of drying winds, place them in the deepest shade they can tolerate. Wet the entire rootball; double pot by setting small pots inside larger ones with a layer of sand or gravel between. Top-dress pots with a layer of mulch over the soil.