Come out to the old Historic Travis County Farmer’s Market on Burnet Rd on Sunday the 15th. It’s right next to the new pub, The Pour House. There will be competition for the best veggie chili and the best booth. There will be exhibits, live entertainment, and giveaways.
Not only that, but the awesome 512 brewery will be out there supplying delicious beer who, just recently, celebrated their 1 year anniversary with a batch of an awesome Belgium strong ale that blew up in popularity in Austin.
This should be pretty fun. A great way to spend a Sunday afternoon. We have a couple of friends who will be out there with their chili and we will definitely be there to eat their chili!
It’s $7 for adults and $3 for kiddos and goes on from 11:30am to 4pm.
I was having a conversation with a friend today and we were discussing the scary nature of our drinking water. I’ve heard of the supposed substances in the Austin water which comes from the Colorado River, but I’ve never actually read a full report.
Today I did.
Not only did I find what I thought was possibly present, but i also found Cadmium, E.Coli, Coliform, Mercury, Beryllium, Arsenic, Antimony, Aluminum other crazy stuff.
People argue that trace amounts will do no harm and actually build your immunity. I believe that to be a way to create calm among the people; to give the reassurance that so many are looking for.
A lot of this stuff is naturally occurring, but in large part the percentages are increased by human waste products being released into the water.
I have linked to the .pdf file for your viewing pleasure, so make sure you have Adobe Reader. Click on the link above.
If there is any element you are unaware of, please do a quick Wikipedia search. You will be very surprised just how dangerous they are.
In fact, take a sample of your water to your local water company and have them analyze it. They are required and you can get a report of all of the chemicals, bacterium, and radioactive elements in your water.
Also, you can read a little more about recent studies done on tap water.
Here is the really scary thing… You can’t escape it! You will find the same materials in bottled water. The EPA has set a national standard for bottlers to meet the maximum requirements of the percentages of certain elements. So, most bottled water is nothing more than tap water.
Actually, thanks to Pen and Teller, I learned this a few years ago.
You can watch the video here:
Search about your own water. What is the source of your drinking water? What recent news is there about your drinking water? What’s in your water?
There are a lot of things that the current generation is having to suddenly grow conscious of. Most of us are having to change our only known way of living!
I hear a lot of people tell me that they don’t feel they make much of a contribution to this change. “What does it matter if I recycle my trash? No one else does! I don’t really have that much trash anyway!”
It’s sad that people think that way! Because that’s just not true! We have the power to influence! As individuals we have that power!
Our small efforts to help the environment do not go unnoticed. In fact, what we do encourages others. If I decide to throw my trash on the ground, then some who watched me will do the same.
But what if I threw my trash in a trash can? What if I threw my Coca-Cola can in aluminum recycling?
What if I did this on a daily basis? What sort of message would I be caring, then?
Instead, what if someone decides to row across the ocean, carrying the message that now is the time for change?
How far do you think that message would go?
In 2005, a woman named Roz Savage decides to row across the Atlantic; 3000 miles in 103 days from the Canary Islands to Antigua… rowing solo!
In 2008, again rowing solo, Roz rows in the 1st stage of 3 in the Pacifc. She is the first woman to row solo from California to Hawaii.
In 2009, her 2nd stage in the Pacific, and in 2010 she will complete her self-organized trip across the Pacific. From San Francisco, CA to Australia. And she will be the 1st woman to do that, as well!
That’s some pretty amazing stuff! But why’d she do it? You can read her explanation here for a full description but mainly, she had the desire to change her ordinary life to something more fulfilling. More valuable…
Since her the Pacific, she has become an integral part of the eco-community:
She also advocates a ‘Pull Together‘ which asks people to start walking and biking more and driving less.
That is a lot for one woman!!! Her work, alone, shows just how much one person can do. But it also tells me that whatever one person does, is a lot!
So, in the spring of 2010 she is planning the 3rd stage. As she has done each race, she will be updating her journey constantly on her website. I will be there, showing support, and I want to invite you to do the same. Show your green and blue support!!
I will keep you in the loop as I hear more information!!
In the meantime, visit her blog and you can watch as she works to make change!!
As you can tell, I’ve become quite intrigued by this woman, so I made another post about her on my other blog. You can view it here at www.rushmonkeys.com. Oh, and visit her site, of course!!!
How gross? Hey, it’s no more disgusting than using public restrooms and actually, urine is sterile! It may smell funny or look strange, and definitely NEVER invite anyone to shower with you until after you have peed, but going in the shower can save our water. It can also save you money on energy and money on your water bill.
If it seems strange to you at first, just grab a bottle of bodywash or conditioner, open the lid, and pump the bottle a few times in front of your face to get a good whiff of flowers while you do your deed.
After a few times of this water conservation practice your body will become conditioned to relieve itself anytime you get in the shower. Like clockwork.
Do I sound like I have experience in this? That’s because I do.
Little known secret (maybe well known), I have used this technique for years now. Only now that I have been focused on water conservation has it become apparent to me that this is used and encouraged by many enviro groups.
Think of the gallons you can save! Think of the trees you save by using less T.P.!
In Brazil, an environmental group urges people to use this technique. They suggest to “Pee in the shower! Save the Atlantic rainforest!”
I’m sure this is new to many people and can seem extreme, but if you have ever peed in the woods then you will see that this is the same thing! Only difference is; you can rinse.
Remember: yellow is the new green!
So, if it’s yellow keep it mellow. But, if it’s brown, flush it down!
See? Saving water can be fun and adventurous!
Oh, and if you need more encouragement, check out this video:
So, tomorrow around the afternoon time, we will meet up with a wonderful lady named Sarah who will educate us further about the WaterSmart product then give us an example of how it works. We will finally get our grungy cars sparkling! I do look forward to understanding further how the product keeps the dirt from scratching the paint as you clean it.
But you know us, and a rushmonkey couldn’t go out there without getting our hands dirty (or clean, in this case) so we are going to get involved and wash cars ourselves. Probably each others!
The weather is great here in A-town. A little overcast, but when considering how hot it’s been all summer, cooler temperatures are welcome. And since my post about the drought, we have gotten some heavy rainfall! Oooh, I do have powers!
So after tomorrows excursion, we will put up the videos of us washing and being washed. 8-o
Lakes and waterways are drying up, the Texas land is parched and cooking at degrees well above 100, and forcasted rain never comes. Us Texans are suffering the worst drought season in years. In Austin, our two sources of water are drying up fast: Lake Buchanan, and Lake Travis. Lake Travis is 54% down and vegetation is growing thick on the newly exposed floor, and all but one boat ramp is closed.
This land was never visible, but now, it grows thick grass. Sad.
So naturally, the community is worried about their water and how much longer it will last.
Usually, it doesn’t occur to people how water is being wasted. Of course the most obvious things stand out, like running faucets. But think about it, where are gallons and gallons of water wasted?
Carwashing!
Since the newly implemented and enforced water restrictions on Texas water usage, I have been hesitant to wash my two cars at all. ( my poor supra needs a bath! )
But I recently discovered a new way to get the muck off my car. A company called WaterSmart has employed a carwashing team that uses less than 10 ounces of water to clean your car. You can read the article HERE.
Also, you should check at the end of the article to read about a product that dissolves the dirt, which will prevent scratching the paint.
Don’t fear! I worry about my paint job as much as anyone, but these products lift and dissolve the dirt away. Click here to visit their website to learn about the products and technique and to get an idea on what they are doing to conserve water usage.( www.watersmartautocare.com )
This is a really neat thing: where typically we use 20 gallons on a wash, we can save that water by using a few ounces to get our cars clean!
I hope that this company and the innovative eco-friendly ways to wash your car will become well known and widely used. I would love to hear that all self-serve or service carwash companies are now switching to this technique!
Spread the word and help us save our water and care for our home, planet Earth! Visit the WaterSmart carwash group on Friday at the Frost Bank tower downtown and support this movement! If you can’t make it on Monday, then you can visit them on Mondays at the St. David’s hospital’s parking garage downtown on Red River.
You can also purchase the product on their website. Click this link.
I took some pictures back in April of the Lake, then I went out today and took some pictures of it now. There is a dramatic difference in the levels. In the first picture, you can see a boat with a blue roof. In the third picture you can see where the boat has moved to.
