The Henge & saving some agua!

Holy cows, they're excavating in Stonehenge!!

Not only has it been 44 years since the last excavation, but they're also filming the whole thing for airing on some BBC history show or other. (Please, gods, let it show up someday on YouTube or something.) There's also a new(ish) theory about the purpose of the monument, which I find very interesting - that it was some sort of healing site that drew visitors from far and wide.

((Damn, could I use a little of that right now. My ass is still firmly in the "kicked" column, gratis more moving adventures over the weekend. I cannot wait until this whole ugly process is done. D-U-N, done. Which won't be for another couple weeks, most likely....but shucks it's nice to think about.))

Another interesting thing I stumbled upon today: it's not just a "carbon footprint" that matters, but also a water footprint. This is something I think it's easy to overlook when considering conservation steps. Sure, we know to turn off the lights (I played my guitar in the dark for an hour Saturday night....what'd you do?) to save energy....but what about water usage? Does anybody else remember that special from, say, 1991, with Bette Midler singing "From a Distance" and a gallon jug being poured out, with one drop of water representing the world's fresh water? (Turns out it was 1990, and featured the Muppets, which I didn't remember!)

My point is that water is way more precious than oil could ever hope to be, and yet it's easy (especially on the shores of Lake Michigan) to take ready freshwater access completely for granted. It's just there when I turn a tap...but just like there's a story behind the Tyson chicken breasts in my grocer's freezer, there's more to water supply than just turning a tap - and becoming conscious of that, and finding ways to reduce usage and conserve resources is just as important when it comes to water. Some suggestions I like:

* Get rid of your grass lawn. I know some people like them, but they require lots of resources to maintain, including watering. If you must have a grass lawn, try planting native grasses instead of whatever funky imported hybrid they use on the golf course. Or, if you're feeling frisky, consider switching to a different kind of ground cover plant - there are lots that require little or no maintenance. (I'm biased on this one - I hate grass, I hate mowing grass, and I hate sprinklers.) (Oh, and if you have to use a sprinkler...please, please, PLEASE do not water your driveway or the sidewalk or a wall. That's just PURE waste.)

* Shower smarter. Now, the hard-core folks can do it the Depression way - water on, get wet, water off, soap up, water on, rinse off, done. A slightly easier step to take is just try to make your shower more efficient and shave a few minutes off its overall time. Later this season, when I have plants to water, I'm going to stick a bucket in the shower with me to catch runoff, which I'll be ferrying out to water the gardens. Not sure how well that will work, but I'm going to give it a try (this also means making sure you're using biodegradeable shower products). Plus, spend $10 and get a low flow shower head; all the awesome pressure, plus yay for using less water. Also, (though I think this goes without saying) don't leave the water running while you brush your teeth.

* Stop the dripping. This means check your pipes for leaks *and* twist the taps all the way off when you're done running water. (Attn: weird germophobic chicks in my office who can't seem to muster up the hand strength to turn the water all the way OFF.)

Do a little googling, and you can find other, more comprehensive suggestions about reducing water usage (low flow toilets, water aerators, putting filler in the tank of your regular toilet, keeping drinking water in the fridge, saving pasta water, etc.)...these are just the ones I like.