I know the rains have just started, but in California and other arid locations, droughts are always in the future. We consistently need to plan our water usage, conserving wherever it is convenient and continuing to be frugal with its use.

According to statistics, about 30 percent of all water used by an average household is devoted to outdoor uses. Even more painful is the stat that about 50 percent of all outdoor water goes to waste through evaporation and improper system design.

An easy way to cut down on this waste is lower the requirement of the number 1 water user in the yard, the lawn.

The Turfgrass Water Conservation Alliance (TFCA) is trying to reduce domestic water use by identifying new water-sipping, drought-tolerant grass. So far the organization has been able to produce and test several types of Bermuda grasses that retain 70 percent of their green color after two months in summer temperatures without irrigation.

The research has also shown that this new variety of drought-tolerant Kentucky blue grasses could save up to 10,000 gallons of water over a single growing season as compared to some heat-tolerant varieties.

While this research is still young, it is very promising and may be something we want to look at for our future yards.

In a never ending quest to be green, there are things in our daily lives that are beyond our immediate control. Styrofoam seems to sneak into my life no matter what I do. The problem with it is that it does not break down. Once you make it, it's basically here forever. The best way to deal with it is to reuse it so we don't make any more. However, this concern may be changing in the future.

Researchers at the Case Western Reserve University in Ohio have devised a recipe to make biodegradable Styrofoam substitute from milk and clay. According to the researchers, the foam-like material is strong enough for commercial uses and a third of it is biodegraded within a month's time. Different variants of the material can be used in insulation, packaging, furniture and even cushions.

Read more by following the related link below.

This is the best kind of bombing. Using a retrofitted C-130, Lockheed Martin Aerospace is able to plant more than 90,000 trees a day! The technology is simple, the bomber drops pointed tree cones in remote areas that bury themselves in the ground at a uniform depth and spacing. The cones contain fertilizer and material that soaks up surrounding moisture to water the roots of the tree.

Note that this project originated in 1999, but has not been implemented. Hopefully with recent changes in environmental focus, it will be given a real opportunity.

To read more, follow the related link below.

Technology to get power from water comes in many forms and many ages. From the simple Grist Mill to the modern turbines that make electricity from steam. However, there is another form of water energy that comes from the Hydrogen in the water.

A Japanese company believes they have found an affordable way to break down water into it's primary components allowing the Hydrogen to be collected and used in fuel cells. There are some costs to the process that have to be worked out. Currently, the water must first be processed into what they call "functional water". To make functional water, it must be filtered through Aluminum or Magnesium. Apparently this causes the bond between the Hydrogen and Oxygen to become loose. After this treatment, the separation happens more efficiently.

They claim the process makes enough hydrogen to create 1kWh of power for about $0.18. This is competitive with utility companies mid day rates right now. It will be interesting to see if the claim is true, or just a lot of speculation.

What we know for sure is that they have improved the efficiency for breaking down the water. Good job.

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The heading of this article may seem like old news. However, consider how many people you know that have solar power as a primary source for their home. We probably all have knowledge of it, we know from a previous article that it is mature at 60 years old, and we hear about it all the time but it isn't mainstream until it starts to be ubiquitous. There is evidence that solar is now reaching maturity in the market place and not just technical maturity.

The push towards renewable energy over the last 10 years has created rapid growth for solar power, with signs that the industry is really starting to become mainstream. According to Rhone Resch, President and CEO of the Solar Energy Association (SEIA), solar is now the fastest growing energy industry in the U.S. with massive growth predicted over the next five years.

"We can install so much solar energy that we will eliminate the need for any new coal or nuclear power plants in the U.S. ever again," say Resch.

The solar industry's gains continued with last week's announcement by the Department of the Interior that it will issue permits allowing the first utility-scale solar project on federal land. Over the last twenty years, 74,000 permits have been approved for oil and gas drilling on public lands and up until last week solar had received zero. This is an important step in the right direction.

Read more by following the related link below. The original article also includes a chart of the next 5 years growth prediction.