Which Way, L.A.?
Is Greywater the Future of Water Conservation in Los Angeles?
When you drain your bathtub or finish washing your clothes, the water goes down the drain and out to the ocean. It might as well water your garden. Instead, you irrigate with water you could use for drinking or cooking. Continuing drought makes that a wasteful alternative. Calls for conservation are creating a market for greywater systems.
By Warren Olney • • 19m ListenWhen you drain your bathtub or finish washing your clothes, the water goes down the drain and out to the ocean. It might as well water your garden. Instead, you irrigate with water you could use for drinking or cooking. Continuing drought makes that a wasteful alternative. Calls for conservation are creating a market for greywater systems.
Also, electronic locks make keys for car doors unnecessary -- not just for drivers, but also for thieves.
Photo: Greywater garden with supplemental rain water capture system with cistern (Jeremy Levine)
In this episode
2 storiesFighting the Drought with Greywater
In Los Angeles, each resident typically uses about 70 gallons of water a day, and a lot of it goes to waste — down the drain after you've washed your clothes or taken a bath. Greywater systems can recover about 40 gallons — a big saving in these increasingly dry times.
Read the story14 minKeeping Your Car Safe from Electronic Thieves
Nick Bilton is the technology columnist for the New York Times , and he lives in LA's Los Feliz District. Recently, his neighbors suffered a series of car break-ins — with no broken glass on the pavement and no scratches on car doors due to locks that had to be jimmied. When it happened to him, he set out to solve the mystery.
Read the story6 min
