Clean Planet

We have a saying here in my lodge, “If it’s brown, flush it down. If it’s yellow, let it mellow.” Water shortages where I live mean that we only get around 300 liters (80 gallons) of water per week for the household – this is way lesser than what is consumed in the U.S per person per day (the average American family uses over 300 gallons of water per day at home).

This has made us wash our clothes by hand – which I think is easier than what people assume, limit flushing to a few times a day, and limiting full showers to a few times a week.

How much water are we using?

Next to flushing toilet, washing clothes take up the most water.

You would be surprised to note that it is actually toilet flushing that has had the biggest impact. A typical toilet requires 3.5 to 7 gallons of water per flush, though some highly efficient toilets require less.

Either way, toilet flushing gulp up a whopping 25% of total household water usage, the next biggest water waster is washing clothes at 22%, then showers or baths at 16%. If you have a toilet that consumes seven gallons per flush, expect to use 12,775 gallons of water per person per year, and that’s on flushing alone.

Why save water?

Thanks to drought conditions, cities in Northern Nigeria and some African countries not excluding big cities like Los Angeles may run out of water entirely. Just a percent of the world’s water is fresh and drinkable, meaning water is precious, scarce and a vital resource.

In Nigeria and some other African countries, several cities experience several to exceptional drought conditions, which have adverse effects on both the economy and Agriculture.

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In the United States, eight states have at one point or the other also experienced severe to exceptional drought conditions, having a negative effect on Agriculture and the economy.

Houston, San Antonio, Atlanta, Miami, El Paso, Los Angeles, San Francisco are already on the path to running out of water entirely, with aquifers such as Edwards Aquifer not managing to keep up with the ever-expanding population and the Rio Grande drying up. The Colorado River in California is depleted.

Are there any risks with letting pee sit in the toilet?

The answer here is No. Though it is not pretty, most of us don’t hang out in the bathroom too much anyway. Keep the lid down, close the door and you will do just fine – though you should expect you will be doing a bit of scrubbing when its cleaning time (you should be cleaning your toilet once a week, flushing or not).

Unless you take a deep breath, the smell of urine is hardly noticeable, a healthy urine is about 95% water anyway with very little odor.

Germs-wise, flushing is actually a bit more dangerous (though still not very much) than not flushing. There is a considerable distance between yourself and the toilet contents sitting there, a flush can actually send germs airborne.

What about guests?

Quite frankly, the main barrier to making this change is cultural norms and taboos about what is gross. It can be a bit awkward to explain to guests what’s going down, but hey, you can make the most of it and use it as an opportunity to highlight the importance of water conservation.

Other ways to save water

To save water, only shower every other day.

While it is important that public policy address industrial and agricultural use of water, there is also a range of things people can do to conserve water at home, aside from minimal flushing. These include:

Use a timer with your sprinkler

Take shorter showers every other day (it’s not good for your skin to shower daily)

Don’t leave taps running

Only do full laundry loads, or just soak clothes in a bucket and rinse (seriously, there’s little a washing machine adds to the process, beyond copious amounts of water)

Don’t wash cars, driveways or pets with a hose (for those of us already suffering the effects of water shortages, this seems extremely indulgent and wasteful; use a bucket and rag or a broom instead)

You don’t need your own pool

Even better than toning down the number of toilet flushes is flushing with used water, like the water left over from when you soaked your clothes. When you think about it, it’s pretty insane to waste fresh drinkable water on a toilet flush.

What other tricks do you use to save water? Let us know in the comments!

— Hadassah

We have a large family house, and it’s definitely our little slice of heaven. Surrounded by lush gardens, it is not uncommon every now and then to see rabbits, antelopes or even antelopes crossing the green fields. With all of this around us, you bet each year we find a mouse or two indoors.

Mice don’t send shivers down my spine, to be honest, I think they are quite cute. However serious concerns remain about the illnesses that they carry. They also like carrying out chewing activities around the house, chewing things that could cause house fires.

So, whether you think mice are cute or not, we can’t coexist within our homes.

There are several ways to get rid of mice, some are more humane than others. That is why I decided to take you on a little mice removal journey. You can get rid of this little cuteness and they can go on to live their lives…. albeit outside of your home.  Well, unless you have a cat.

READ ALSO: Use these four essential oils to lose weight

The dangers (and inconveniences) surrounding mice

Mice chew on electrical cables – fire risk.

When you think about the tiny little mouse, you may wonder, can they be that dangerous? No two answers to that, yes, they can.

They pose a threat to both your home and health; these tiny rodents reproduce rapidly. Two mice can within a very short period turn into ten. That is why you should take immediate actions when you notice these critters, especially when you sight their droppings.

Some of the dangers of having mice indoors are;

They contaminate food and cooking surfaces with their urine and droppings

They spread bacteria and diseases e.g Lassa fever

They damage household items, ranging from wire, clothes to furniture.

They pose the risk of electrical fires due to chewing of wires

The contamination of food and cooking surfaces due to urine and droppings

The possibility of spreading bacteria and disease

Damage to household items, ranging from furniture to clothing

An increased risk of an electrical fire due to the chewing of wires

Natural methods to get rid of mice

In business, you often hear people say “I built a better mousetrap”, as in they look to redevelop something that is already in existence (well, in this case, you can too). When you look around today, there are many mouse traps available and they can be effective. On the other hand, both the traps and the mouse poison ignore the root of the problem.

If you have a mice problem, including other pests that are now coexisting in your home with you, traps are not just inhumane, they are also ineffective long term. Ignoring issues surrounding reproduction, it is quite important to build a more sustainable strategy.

Home remedies are not only effective, they are mostly natural and non-toxic as it can be. If you have kids or pets, home remedies are an ideal solution.

1. Peppermint oil

   

Immerse cotton balls with peppermint oil and place it around the house to deter mice.

I have soft spots for essential oils, they are very versatile and can be used for just about anything around the house, including getting rid of mice. Although the scent of peppermint is typically beneficial and pleasing for humans, mice are not fans. Technically, this method will not eliminate mice from your home, it only acts as a preventive remedy.

Soak some cotton balls into peppermint oil and place them around potential routes of entry. If you are always in and out of your back door while gardening, you can create a peppermint spray. Combine two to three teaspoons of peppermint oil to a cup of water and give the area a good spray daily.

Bonus; Peppermint oil also prevents spiders, ants, cockroaches and even mosquitoes.

2. Cuddle up with a cat

   

Indoor-outdoor cats are best for catching mice.

Of course, I am not suggesting you go out there and get yourself a cat because you want to get rid of mice, but if you are looking to buy one, fantastic! As a natural predator, cats remain one of the effective ways to get rid of mice. Believe me, it is not in any way nice to find a dead mouse on your couch, this cycle of life could not be any more natural.

Bonus; The best mice-hunting cats are those who can live both indoor and outdoor. If you get a rather chubby cat that likes to nap all day (and has never been outside), it may not be interested in stalking and hunting prey.

3. Steel wool

   

Seal up crevices with steel wool to prevent mice in the walls.

I hope you know mice can fit through any holes (as small as a quarter of an inch). That is the reason you should seal up crevices with steel wool, as it remains the only material that mice can’t nibble through. Look around for any holes or cracks in your home’s foundation or walls, take a good look at doors, windows, vents and utility lines. Where it makes sense, install screes, or you seal the areas with either caulking or steel wool.

4. Purchase or build a nest box for owls

Barn owls are declining throughout the world, their official status has been changed to endangered. A pair of barn owls can eat up to 3,000 rodents in a nesting season. You can help this endangered species while at the same time implementing a natural rodent control strategy. All it requires is a nest box, and you can get rid of mice all seson long.

 Before you buy or build your own, check out this video from the Barn Owl Trust: How to Choose the Best Barn Owl Nest Box Design.

Nothing beats prevention

There are quite a large number of mice-repellant solutions out there, but it all comes down to prevention. As you round up this post, go declutter those areas of your home that constitute a perfect breeding grounds for those little cute critters. Furthermore, plant natural scents in your garden that repel mouse, these plants include daffodils, mints, and lavender. They also support bee’s needs.

So, before you jet out to grab a toxic poison, consider your natural options to get rid of mice.

Moral of the story: Work in harmony with nature and you’ll be rewarded with a mouse- and chemical-free home.

Humanity most dangerous animal may have just met its match, modern science. This animal kills more people than any other, it isn’t the regular fierce alligator, shark or lion; it is something smaller, with more legs – You are on point, it’s the mosquito, an animal that decimates humanity kills more people each year than wars and disasters. However, this could change one day, with a new initiative been given green light by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the U.S., this initiative could significantly reduce and perhaps one day eradicate the mosquito.

Recently, a Kentucky-based biotechnology firm MosquitoMate announced that the EPA has sanctioned the release of male mosquitoes infected with bacteria that stops breeding. These laboratory has grown Biotech mosquitoes are called ZAP males, their genome has been infected with a Wolbachia bacteria. When Zap males breed with the female, the eggs will be unable to hatch, thus effectively ending the mosquito life cycle.

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The Wolbachia doesn’t usually naturally infect mosquitoes except when done inside the lab, it is commonly found in insects such as fruit flies. However, preventing reproduction is not its sole function. A study in 2008, at the University of Queensland in Australia, found that the bacteria have the ability to confer immunity to fruit flies and mosquitoes against viruses. Therefore, the Wolbachia has a two-pronged strategy for making it hard for mosquitoes to cause nasty diseases. It makes it hard for mosquitoes to reproduce and secondly, it makes the mosquitoes themselves more resistant to disease.

The inhibiting ability of the bacteria has been well documented in the literature, and for several years researchers have been eyeing Wolbachia as a potential solution to the threats posed by mosquito-borne diseases. The only difference has been that this research finding can finally be put to test on a large scale.
MosquitoMate recently announced the approval of the sale of the ZAP males by the EPA in 20 states. The company currently operates on a five-year contract and it will start distribution next summer.

According to the company, ZAP mosquitoes will be released weekly in yards at the beginning of the mosquito season. The resultant eggs won’t hatch thus resulting in a reduction in the biting mosquito population.
Furthermore, the technology only impacts mosquitoes and does not harm or affect other insects, including butterflies and bees. The company further added that its method is not only safe for other insects, but also for humans. The use of bacteria-infected males means no need of genetic modification or chemicals

READ ALSO: HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE DETOX DRINK

Complete eradication of mosquitoes?
For the time being, MosquitoMate focus is to reduce the ever-growing annoying mosquito populations, though some researchers say we should consider going further, “We should consider a definitive swatting”, Olivia Judson, a Biologist once told The New York Times.

In 2003, Olivia was advocating for the complete obliteration of 30 species of mosquito known to carry dangerous diseases. She opined that such effort will barely reduce the genetic diversity of the mosquito family by 1 percent while saving millions of human lives potentially.

Let me paint a picture of how many lives we are talking about: according to the World Health Organization (WHO), one million people are estimated to be killed globally by mosquito each year; it is arguably nature biggest killer. Another viewpoint, ISAF estimated that sharks kill an average of 6 people each year globally. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the civil war in Syria has killed about 465,000 over six years.

To give you another idea of the number of lives we are talking about is to consider that barely one million people died during the entirety of the American Civil War. If we estimate the range of people based on the WHO’s current data, globally mosquitoes have silently killed over million people, that is nearly the whole population of Nigeria, the most populous black nation on earth. No matter what side of the divide you are, mosquitoes are slaughtering us on a massive scale, done mostly through the spread of malaria and infectious diseases such as dengue and West Nile virus.

Will there be side effects?
Unfortunately, everyone does not agree that mosquito obliteration is such a good idea. Phil Lounibos an entomologist at the Florida University believes eradication laden with undesirable side effects.
In a talk with the BBC, he argued that mosquitoes contribute to the environment in surprising ways, such as for pollination. They also serve as an important source of food for other animals from birds to bats, frogs to fish. Total eradication of the mosquitoes could have a negative impact on animals on top the food chain.

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Furthermore, he warned that if a sudden disappearance of mosquitoes occurs, a hole will be created in the ecosystem which could be filled by any number of other nasty bugs. Eradicating the mosquitoes will somehow result in replacing the devil we know with something that might be far worse.

Worthy of mention is the potential environmental impact, David Quammen a science writer argued that mosquitoes may have unintentionally slowed climate change by making tropical rainforests, virtually uninhabitable for humans.
In truth, nothing tangible has been done to delay this catastrophe over the past 10,000 years, then the mosquito. He argued that the world’s rain forests might not be in such rain-foresty state if it wasn’t for the mosquitoes warding off the human settlement.

Anyway, a time is coming we will have to decide whether or not it’s time for the mosquito to take the dinosaur route. Although MosquitoMate is focused on mosquito management, many experimental trials far beyond mosquito management have been carried out by other companies internationally.

A British biotech firm Oxitec in 2010 carried out an experimental trial with the use of genetically modified males, 96% of the mosquito population in one area was recorded to be eliminated when compared to surrounding regions. This is a proof that mosquito genocide is looming; the only question is whether we should do it or not.