water conservation

Direct drive is no longer only for turntables. Sans belts and many inefficient moving parts, the LG Eco Steam washing machine makes the drum into one big motor. This results in extremely quiet operation and simpler maintenance. LG boasts electricity savings

of up to 21 percent over comparable sized washers. In addition to being energy efficient, the appliances save water as well. A built in scale tells the user exactly how much capacity for clothing remains, insuring a full load is run every time. Several cycles and special features use steam, which results

Remember the old saying? If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down. Well now you can save water AND keep your crapper clean. The Brondell Ecoflow fits on your existing toilet and provides separate flush options for number one and number two.

According to Brondell, 40 percent of household water usage goes down the toilet, with only one out of ten trips to the head requiring a full flush. The product installs in half an hour and requires no maintenance after setup. The initial $129 cost of the system

Spanish company Domodity has announced an irrigation system for the home garden with integrated environmental sensors to regulate water usage. Users initially program the system with information on plant and soil types in the area to be watered. Then, using real-time measurements of environmental conditions

such as precipitation, humidity, sunlight, and wind, the system monitors evapotranspiration and irrigates accordingly. By insuring the proper amount of moisture at all times, plant health is optimized, fungus is kept at bay, and water usage is reduced up to 50 percent. For even further water savings, the system can be fitted with equipment that will