did you know your tap water may be toxic?

recently, i attended a wonderful lecture by the extremely knowledgeable mary cordaro at bausman & company. she gave us tips on water quality safety and conservation which also helps save money, minimize pollution and extend the life of plumbing.

as i prepared to write this lecture recap, i did some research which revealed startling findings on the safety of our tap water included in # 16 below from the ny times. also, some additional information came from eartheasy.

1. GREY WATER

re-use wash water for irrigation

2. RAIN WATER

supplemental irrigation from a catchment system

3. USE AS LITTLE WATER AS POSSIBLE/TURN IT OFF

while scrubbing dishes, brushing teeth, shorter showers, etc

4. EFFICIENT HOT WATER SYSTEM

hot water is the largest percentage of residential end use of total energy. consider the location of the hot water heater in relation to location of where water is dispensed and tankless water heaters. typically 20% of water in a household is wasted just waiting for the hot water to come out. consider tankless hot water heaters. flush system regularly to avoid sediment buildup.

5. MOLD PREVENTION AND WATER RETENTION

use non-toxic materials

6. PROTECT AGAINST LEAKS/FLOODS

get 1" lip sheet metal pan and leak detector with alarm and caulk cabinet

7. CHECK FOR TOILTE LEAKS

8. CHECK WATER METER FOR HIDDEN LEAKS

9. DON'T USE TOILET AS AN ASHTRAY OR WASTEBASKET

10. LOW FLOW PLUMBING

11. TANK BANK OR FLOATER BOOSTER

be sure to leave room for 3 gallons of water in the toilet tank

12. INSULATE PIPES

13. USE DISHWASHER AND WASHING MACHINE FOR FULL LOADS ONLY

14. COMPOST INSTEAD OF USING DISPOSAL

disposals require a lot of water and impact septic system

15. USE A BROOM NOT A HOSE (OR THE HIGHLY POLLUTING BLOWER) TO CLEAN SIDEWALK

16. WATER FILTRATION

mary says that for bathing, a filter is fine but for drinking, purifying is also necessary since there are already many questionable toxic elements in tap water and our water supplies are getting more and more polluted. in fact, according to a NY times article this year, violations of the 'clean water act' has risen steadily! Also in the article, Lisa P Jackson, the new EPA administrator, said "today the nation's water does not meet public health goals, and enforcment of water pollution laws is unacceptably low." It also mentions that according to some Times research, "an estimated 1 in 10 Americans have been exposed to drinking water that contains dangerous chemicals or fails to meet a federal health benchmark in other ways."

however, mary doesn't recommend switching to bottled water, since that industry's not required to be any better than tap water, and some argue it's worse than tap water. her recommendation is filtration which also protects plumbing with regular maintenance (removing pipe scale is very important). one solution is a product mary sells, the effective and efficient performax system which even meets future ecological guidelines!

17. SAFE WATER BOTTLES

replace your plastic bottles made of PET which are hazardous to our health with safe bottles.

Williams Sonoma Home Design

Williams Sonoma Home hosted a lovely evening last week at their West Hollywood store for designers. It was such a treat to hear from VPs of design Monelle Totah and Kirsty Williams and get a sneak peek at how and where products are sourced, designed and produced to create the casual and classic elegance that so clearly defines Williams Sonoma Home. This design duo shared their inspirations from antiques found in London, Istanbul and Paris. They also highlighted some eco and sustainable aspects of the business like antique textiles used on pillows and small furniture, the full Hickory furniture line which is 90% US made, selecting items that are manufactured with fair labor, sustainable wood and earth-friendly finishes (see ottoman pictured), US made fabric, reclaimed wood, recycled glass, and artisinal accessories. They also mentioned that they are about to start planning for Spring 2011 which reminds me of the timeframe from my days in fashion merchandising.

Since the event, I was pleasantly surprised to discovered Williams Sonoma Home taking even more sustainable actions as outlined by the Sustainable Furnishings Council.

What a great holiday gift idea! A $25 raffle ticket helps raise money for RugMark's GoodWeave certification and gets you a chance to win a luxurious 8x10 rug valued at $10,800 (pictured to the left)! GoodWeave is working to end illegal child labor in the carpet industry and to offer eductional opportunities to children in South Asia.

Know where and how your new rug purchases are made so that you can make an informed decision. RugMark and GoodWeave certified ensure your rug is child-labor-free.

West Elm's Host at Home

West Elm hosted their first "Host & Home" event yesterday in their Santa Monica store! I was honored to be one of 3 celebrity designers who decorated a West Elm table and offered decorating tips to guests. My focus of course was sustainable entertaining and focused on mixing West Elm's natural, organic and recylced items with antique and vintage items as well as the benefits of selecting multifunctional pieces, especially important in these tough economic times.

The holidays are the perfect time to have fun and try new ways of decorating. Look at what you already have and think about how that/those could be used differently. Perhaps you have a piece of fabric/linen/scarf handed down from your grandmother that would be a stunning table runner. Perhaps you have a special piece of china that could show off some floating blossoms. Perhaps you like the warmth, charm and whimsy of antique items so go ahead and mix that with new West Elm items which would balance so well with their clean lines.

I'm grateful to West Elm for hosting the event, to Bausman & Company in West Hollywood who loaned the spectacular and whimsical early 19th c. chinese red horse and to Grow on Abbot Kinney who loaned the plants and flowers. In addition to those items, I used small square initialed vintage napkins from my grandmother as well as the embroidered scarf used as a runner. The West Elm items include small trays sold for the bath but make great liners for an appetizer course (or lined with a lemon leaf, could serve cheese). The small white plates are stone and again from the bath section but could be used on the table to hold a candle. The bench is a great way to add additional seating and either be stored under a table or double as a low console or coffee table. The linen on the bench is actually a runner and pillows and throws in the dining area provide added comfort for guests. Additionally, the flatware looks extra special displayed horizontally in one of the West Elm boxes on the end of the bench as an alternate to an upright container or individual place settings.

Happy holidays!