• Vancouver Water Resource Center
    COMMUNITY,  Education,  Human Interest,  Nature

    Vancouver Water Resources Education Center

    If you haven’t been to this hidden jewel at 4600 SE Columbia Way in Vancouver, put it on your list and visit. It opened its doors in February 1996, in concert with a new, innovative and advanced Marine Park Water Reclamation Facility, but many people have yet to discover it. Their mission: Teach people of all ages how to better care for and make wise decisions about water. They do this with interactive exhibits, aquaria swimming with fish, classroom laboratory, toddler-friendly Puddles Place, inspiring White Sturgeon gallery, natural gardens, wildlife-friendly wetlands and more! Inside and outside, the Water Center is brimming with things for visitors of all ages to do…

  • jeff yeager in shower
    Education

    10 Things I Learned While Living Without Running Water

    It is much easier than I thought to conserve resources. My wife and I recently endured fifteen days of living without running water while a new well was being drilled on our property. If I was a more conscientious blogger, I suppose I would have chronicled the experience daily, as it unfolded. But the truth is, I couldn’t spend much time at the keyboard during that period. Every time I stopped moving, I felt like Pig-Pen in the Peanuts cartoon, READ MORE

  • water tap
    Think Piece

    Should You Drink What’s In Your Tap?

    Water treatment has come a long way since we washed our clothes, bodies and livestock in the same bodies of water we used to dispose of our bedpans. In fact, diseases like polio, hepatitis A, and other horrific ailments have been all but eradicated since we’ve learned proper water treatment en masse. Although now we’re facing a whole new set of health problems as new issues are being raised about the side effects of current chemical additives. Is Portland Water Safe? Portland’s wastewater collection and treatment system works around the clock to monitor the millions of gallons of dirty water that the city and area residents produce.. This process begins…

  • RE-THINK,  Recycle

    The Value of Wastewater Recycling

    Sorting your water bottles and soda cans into recyclable and non-recyclable isn’t enough to live completely green and cut down on waste. One of the most important recyclables is water. According to the Water Information Program, daily water consumption of an average American is about 176 gallons per day and the United States uses a staggering 3.9 trillion gallons of water per month. Global wastewater programs are working to create efficient ways cities and towns can repurpose water. You can do your part by recycling lightly-used household water to reduce the amount you use every day. Reusing Grey Water At Home Recycling companies, such as recycling services from republicservices.com, are developing…

  • HEALTH & HOME,  Home Garden,  Money,  Think Piece

    5 Unconventional Ways to Cut Home Utility Costs

    . For the average American household, monthly utility bills represent a significant chunk of the family budget, usually 5 – 10 percent of monthly expenses.  Since utilities are such a big chunk of your expenses, there are probably a number of ways that you can effectively cut your home energy costs each month. While many people may see “going green” as an additional expense, there are a number of green practices that can help you slash your monthly bills. At this point, we all know how to set the thermostat higher when we sleep or leave the house. We know that we can turn the water heater down a little…

  • Personality Profiles,  Publisher's Page,  Think Piece

    History, Habits & Water Bottles

    In early 1946 when my dad returned home from the Philippines after the end of WWII, he brought with him a treasure trove of neat stuff to fire the imagination of a seven year old. All the right stuff was there for exploring the empty lots in our Long Island (NY) suburban neighborhood: knapsack, pup tent, canteen and mess kit. But the canteen was far and away my favorite, for with it, I was free to roam far beyond the limits of the “run home for a glass of water” range. This sturdy veteran of “The War” was to be my introduction to a wide array of containers needed to…