Page 55 - The Celestia Project

demands vast quantities of our nation’s fresh water resources (al- Reusing 45
beit returning much of that to the hydrologic cycle). Renewable Stormwater
energy such as solar photovoltaic requires water to manufacture
the panels—but not continuous cooling over their lifespan. This Instead of removing or treating stormwater,
is little considered advantage to standalone and small, decentral- localized “green stormwater” systems can
ized solar plants. As we build return it to thirsty landscapes.
our homes and multifamily
projects to net-zero standards, Hidden Reservoir. Traditionally, stormwater is treated
we are automatically making almost as a toxic waste, redirected to local sewer lines
major strides in fresh water or directly discharged into nearby fresh-water bodies
conservation. such as rivers. But the converging pressures of water
scarcity and stricter rules about development have
4. Embrace the Bidet. As I spurred interest in reuse. For example, this EPIC system
from Firestone Specialty Products o ers a “no moving
detailed in my Editor’s Note parts” way to reuse stormwater. The installation involves
excavation to about 36 inches, followed by placement
in this issue, a simple lifestyle of geotextile that will trap the stormwater underground.
According to Firestone, a layer of sand provides all the
change in our bathrooms filtration necessary to control nitrates or phosphates—
especially the top four inches or so. Water trapped in
could save millions of gallons the chamber area below grade returns to the surface for
irrigation. The top sand will need to be replaced in
of water and untold acres of approximately 10 years.

biodiverse forests. Toilet tissue

is a real water guzzler, using

almost as much “virtual water”

per flush as the most efficient

low-flow toilet. By switching

to water-based sanitation,

we could halve the impact of Next Generation? The Kohler
Numi toilet has a built-in bidet
every flush. cleansing function. It even warms

your exposed regions as it cleans. www.greenbuildermedia.com 09.2014
5. Invest in Drip Irrigation.

Switching from traditional sprinkler irrigation to drip and

other “advanced” watering systems can reduce water use by

60 percent. The potential water savings for large-scale farms

is almost incalculable. Why not redirect subsidies from water-

wasting biofuels to irrigation systems for food farmers? This is

one farm subsidy that could yield many layers of “downstream”

benefits. For residential properties, homeowners can achieve

similar efficiency gains by installing drip systems when

landscaping. GB

THE CELESTIA FORECAST

The nightmare scenario of global water wars, drought and human suffering is not inevitable.
As urban planners and citizens awaken to the real sources of water waste, they will seize
upon opportunities to reduce it. Systemic changes will restore vast fresh water resources
to the world portfolio. Innovations in farm irrigation, reuse of stormwater, decoupling from
thermoelectric cooling (for fossil fuel-powered electric plants) will join with behavioral shifts.
As citizens reduce consumption of meats, cotton, toilet tissue and other water-guzzling
commodities, the Earth’s hydrologic cycles will stabilize, allowing ancient aquifers to refill,
even during long drought periods.