Initial ideas before the presentation


- Ideas of what to include in the publication ready to be written up for the presentation

Question and answer session with Jo ahead of the presentations


- original plan taken to session

- feedback from session

Imagery and posters about and promoting water conservation

http://www.behance.net/gallery/Water-Conservation-Poster/1574559

http://www.behance.net/gallery/Conserve-Water/426058

http://www.behance.net/gallery/Turn-It-Off/1751532

http://www.behance.net/gallery/Go-Green/889810

http://www.behance.net/gallery/Turn-Your-Tap-Campaign/1743826

Infographic about conserving water

http://dailyinfographic.com/every-drop-counts-infographic

Infographic - Why you should care about water conservation

http://greenbuildingelements.com/2012/02/21/infographic-of-the-day-water-conservation-2/

Facts about water conservation

Less than 2% of the Earth’s water supply is fresh water.
Of all the earth's water, 97% is salt water found in oceans and seas.
Only 1% of the earth's water is available for drinking water. Two percent is frozen.
The human body is about 75% water.
A person can survive about a month without food, but only 5 to 7 days without water.
Every day in the United States, we drink about 110 million gallons of water.
Landscaping accounts for about half the water Californians use at home. Showers account for another 18 percent, while toilets use about 20 percent.
Showering and bathing are the largest indoor uses (27%) of water domestically.
The average American uses 140-170 gallons of water per day.
If every household in America had a faucet that dripped once each second, 928 million gallons of water a day would leak away.
There are 7.48 gallons in a cubic foot of water. Therefore, 2000 cubic feet of water is 14,960 gallons.
An acre foot of water is about 326,000 gallons. One-half acre foot is enough to meet the needs of a typical family for a year. There are 7.48 gallons in a cubic foot of water.
It takes 3.3 acre feet of water to grow enough food for an average family for a year.
A leaky faucet can waste 100 gallons a day.
One flush of the toilet uses 6 ½ gallons of water.
An average bath requires 37 gallons of water.
An average family of four uses 881 gallons of water per week just by flushing the toilet.
The average 5-minute shower takes 15-25 gallons of water--around 40 gallons are used in 10 minutes.
Take short showers instead of baths. A full bathtub requires about 36 gallons of water.
You use about 5 gallons of water if you leave the water running while brushing your teeth.
If you water your grass and trees more heavily, but less often, this saves water and builds stronger roots.
Each person needs to drink about 2 ½quarts (80 ounces) of water every day.
Water your lawn only when it needs it. If you step on the grass and it springs back up when you move, it doesn’t need water. If it stays flat, it does need water.
Run your dishwasher and washing machine only when they are full.
When washing a car, use soap and water from a bucket. Use a hose with a shut-off nozzle for rinsing.
Never put water down the drain when there may be another use for it such as watering a plant or garden, or cleaning.
Avoid flushing the toilet unnecessarily. Dispose of tissues, insects and other such waste in the trash rather than the toilet.
When washing dishes by hand, fill one sink or basin with soapy water. Quickly rinse under a slow-moving stream from the faucet.
An automatic dishwasher uses 9 to 12 gallons of water while hand washing dishes can use up to 20 gallons.
Store drinking water in the refrigerator rather than letting the tap run every time you want a cool glass of water.
Water lawns during the early morning hours, or evening when temperatures and wind speed are the lowest. This reduces losses from evaporation.
Do not hose down your driveway or sidewalk. Use a broom to clean leaves and other debris from these areas. Using a hose to clean a driveway wastes hundreds of gallons of water.
Don’t leave the water running when brushing your teeth or shaving. Get in the habit of turning off the water when it’s not being used.
Use of bowl of water to clean fruits & vegetables rather than running water over them. You can reuse this for your house plants.
Public water suppliers process 38 billion gallons of water per day for domestic and public use.
Approximately 1 million miles of pipelines and aqueducts carry water in the U.S. & Canada. That's enough pipe to circle the earth 40 times.
About 800,000 water wells are drilled each year in the United States for domestic, farming, commercial, and water testing purposes.
More than 13 million households get their water from their own private wells and are responsible for treating and pumping the water themselves.
Industries released 197 million pounds of toxic chemicals into waterways in 1990.
You can refill an 8-oz glass of water approximately 15,000 times for the same cost as a six-pack of soda pop.
A dairy cow must drink four gallons of water to produce one gallon of milk.
300 million gallons of water are needed to produce a single day's supply of U.S. newsprint.
One inch of rainfall drops 7,000 gallons or nearly 30 tons of water on a 60' by 180' piece of land.

http://www.sscwd.org/tips.html

Water Conservation Tips

Toilets, Taps, Showers, Laundry, and Dishes

• 1994 was the year that federally mandated low-flow showerheads, faucets, and toilets started to appear on the scene in significant numbers.
• On average, 10 gallons per day of your water footprint (or 14% of your indoor use) is lost to leaks. Short of installing new water-efficient fixtures, one of the easiest, most effective ways to cut your footprint is by repairing leaky faucets and toilets.
• If you use a low-flow showerhead, you can save 15 gallons of water during a 10-minute shower.
• Every time you shave minutes off your use of hot water, you also save energy and keep dollars in your pocket.
• It takes about 70 gallons of water to fill a bathtub, so showers are generally the more water-efficient way to bathe.
• All of those flushes can add up to nearly 20 gallons a day down the toilet. If you still have a standard toilet, which uses close to 3.5 gallons a flush, you can save by retrofitting or filling your tank with something that will displace some of that water, such as a brick.
• Most front-loading machines are energy- and water-efficient, using just over 20 gallons a load, while most top-loading machines, unless they are energy-efficient, use 40 gallons per load.
• Nearly 22% of indoor home water use comes from doing laundry. Save water by making sure to adjust the settings on your machine to the proper load size.
• Dishwashing is a relatively small part of your water footprint—less than 2% of indoor use—but there are always ways to conserve. Using a machine is actually more water efficient than hand washing, especially if you run full loads.
• Energy Star dishwashers use about 4 gallons of water per load, and even standard machines use only about 6 gallons. Hand washing generally uses about 20 gallons of water each time.

 Yards and Pools

• Nearly 60% of a person's household water footprint can go toward lawn and garden maintenance.
• Climate counts—where you live plays a role in how much water you use, especially when it comes to tending to a yard.
• The average pool takes 22,000 gallons of water to fill, and if you don't cover it, hundreds of gallons of water per month can be lost due to evaporation.

 Diet

• The water it takes to produce the average American diet alone—approximately 1,000 gallons per person per day—is more than the global average water footprint of 900 gallons per person per day for diet, household use, transportation, energy, and the consumption of material goods.
• That quarter pounder is worth more than 30 average American showers. One of the easiest ways to slim your water footprint is to eat less meat and dairy. Another way is to choose grass-fed, rather than grain-fed, since it can take a lot of water to grow corn and other feed crops.
• A serving of poultry costs about 90 gallons of water to produce. There are also water costs embedded in the transportation of food (gasoline costs water to make). So, consider how far your food has to travel, and buy local to cut your water footprint.
• Pork costs water to produce, and traditional pork production—to make your sausage, bacon, and chops—has also been the cause of some water pollution, as pig waste runs into local water sources.
• On average, a vegan, a person who doesn't eat meat or dairy, indirectly consumes nearly 600 gallons of water per day less than a person who eats the average American diet.
• A cup of coffee takes 55 gallons of water to make, with most of that H2O used to grow the coffee beans.

 Electricity, Fuel Economy, and Airline Travel

• The water footprint of your per-day electricity use is based on state averages. If you use alternative energies such as wind and solar, your footprint could be less. (The use of biofuels, however, if they are heavily irrigated, could be another story.) You would also get points, or a footprint reduction, for using energy-star appliances and taking other energy-efficiency measures.
• Washing a car uses about 150 gallons of water, so by washing less frequently you can cut back your water use.
• A gallon of gasoline takes nearly 13 gallons of water to produce. Combine your errands, car pool to work, or take public transportation to reduce both your energy and water use.
• Flying from Los Angeles to San Francisco, about 700 miles round-trip, could cost you more than 9,000 gallons of water, or enough for almost 2,000 average dishwasher loads.
• A cross-country airplane trip (about 6,000 miles) could be worth more than 1,700 standard toilet flushes.
• Traveling from Chicago to Istanbul is just about 10,000 miles round trip, costing enough water to run electricity in the average American home for one person for more than five years.

 Industry—Apparel, Home Furnishings, Electronics, and Paper

• According to recent reports, nearly 5% of all U.S. water withdrawals are used to fuel industry and the production of many of the material goods we stock up on weekly, monthly, and yearly.
• It takes about 100 gallons of water to grow and process a single pound of cotton, and the average American goes through about 35 pounds of new cotton material each year. Do you really need that additional T-shirt?
• One of the best ways to conserve water is to buy recycled goods, and to recycle your stuff when you’re done with it. Or, stick to buying only what you really need.
• The water required to create your laptop could wash nearly 70 loads of laundry in a standard machine.
• Recycling a pound of paper, less than the weight of your average newspaper, saves about 3.5 gallons of water. Buying recycled paper products saves water too, as it takes about six gallons of water to produce a dollar worth of paper.

http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/water-conservation-tips/

Water conservation in the home...
1. Check faucets and pipes for leaks
A small drip from a worn faucet washer can waste 20 gallons of water per day. Larger leaks can waste hundreds of gallons.

2. Don't use the toilet as an ashtray or wastebasket
Every time you flush a cigarette butt, facial tissue or other small bit of trash, five to seven gallons of water is wasted.3. Check your toilets for leaks
Put a little food coloring in your toilet tank. If, without flushing, the color begins to appear in the bowl within 30 minutes, you have a leak that should be repaired immediately. Most replacement parts are inexpensive and easy to install.

4. Use your water meter to check for hidden water leaks
Read the house water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter does not read exactly the same, there is a leak.5. Install water-saving shower heads and low-flow faucet aerators 
Inexpensive water-saving low-flow shower heads or restrictors are easy for the homeowner to install. Also, long, hot showers can use five to ten gallons every unneeded minute. Limit your showers to the time it takes to soap up, wash down and rinse off. "Low-flow" means it uses less than 2.5 gallons per minute.
You can easily install a ShowerStart showerhead, or add a ShowerStart converter to existing showerheads, which automatically pauses a running shower once it gets warm.
Also, all household faucets should be fit with aerators. This single best home water conservation method is also the cheapest!

6. Put plastic bottles or float booster in your toilet tank
To cut down on water waste, put an inch or two of sand or pebbles inside each of two plastic bottles to weigh them down. Fill the bottles with water, screw the lids on, and put them in your toilet tank, safely away from the operating mechanisms. Or, buy an inexpensive tank bank or float booster. This may save ten or more gallons of water per day.

Be sure at least 3 gallons of water remain in the tank so it will flush properly. If there is not enough water to get a proper flush, users will hold the lever down too long or do multiple flushes to get rid of waste. Two flushings at 1.4 gallons is worse than a single 2.0 gallon flush. A better suggestion would be to buy an adjustable toilet flapperthat allow for adjustment of their per flush use.  Then the user can adjust the flush rate to the minimum per flush setting that achieves a single good flush each time.

For new installations, consider buying "low flush" toilets, which use 1 to 2 gallons per flush instead of the usual 3 to 5 gallons.

Replacing an 18 liter per flush toilet with an ultra-low volume (ULV) 6 liter flush model represents a 70% savings in water flushed and will cut indoor water use by about 30%.

7. Insulate your water pipes.
It's easy and inexpensive to insulate your water pipes with pre-slit foam pipe insulation. You'll get hot water faster plus avoid wasting water while it heats up.

8. Take shorter showers.
One way to cut down on water use is to turn off the shower after soaping up, then turn it back on to rinse. A four-minute shower uses approximately 20 to 40 gallons of water.

9. Turn off the water after you wet your toothbrush
There is no need to keep the water running while brushing your teeth. Just wet your brush and fill a glass for mouth rinsing.

10. Rinse your razor in the sink
Fill the sink with a few inches of warm water. This will rinse your razor just as well as running water, with far less waste of water.

11. Use your dishwasher and clothes washer for only full loads
Automatic dishwashers and clothes washers should be fully loaded for optimum water conservation. Most makers of dishwashing soap recomend not pre-rinsing dishes which is a big water savings.
With clothes washers, avoid the permanent press cycle, which uses an added 20 liters (5 gallons) for the extra rinse. For partial loads, adjust water levels to match the size of the load. Replace old clothes washers. New Energy Star rated washers use 35 - 50% less water and 50% less energy per load. If you're in the market for a new clothes washer, consider buying a water-saving frontload washer. 

12. Minimize use of kitchen sink garbage disposal units
In-sink 'garburators' require lots of water to operate properly, and also add considerably to the volume of solids in a septic tank which can lead to maintenance problems. Start a compost pile as an alternate method of disposing food waste. 

13. When washing dishes by hand, don't leave the water running for rinsing
If your have a double-basin, fill one with soapy water and one with rinse water. If you have a single-basin sink, gather washed dishes in a dish rack and rinse them with a spray device or a panful of hot water. Dual-swivel aerators are available to make this easier. If using a dishwasher, there is usually no need to pre-rinse the dishes.

14. Don't let the faucet run while you clean vegetables
Just rinse them in a stoppered sink or a pan of clean water. Use a dual-setting aerator.

15. Keep a bottle of drinking water in the fridge.
Running tap water to cool it off for drinking water is wasteful. Store drinking water in the fridge in a safe drinking bottle. If you are filling water bottles to bring along on outdoor hikes, consider buying a LifeStraw personal water filter which enables users to drink water safely from rivers or lakes or any available body of water.


http://eartheasy.com/live_water_saving.htm

Facts and tips about reducing water over consumption

112 Tips for Conserving Water

(the most relevant tips have been highlighted in bold)

#1 There are a number of ways to save water, and they all start with you.
#2 When washing dishes by hand, don't let the water run while rinsing. Fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water.
#3 Some refrigerators, air conditioners and ice-makers are cooled with wasted flows of water. Consider upgrading with air-cooled appliances for significant water savings.
#4 Adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk, or street.
#5 Run your clothes washer and dishwasher only when they are full. You can save up to 1,000 gallons a month.
#6 Choose shrubs and groundcovers instead of turf for hard-to-water areas such as steep slopes and isolated strips.
#7 Install covers on pools and spas and check for leaks around your pumps.
#8 Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Compost vegetable food waste instead and save gallons every time.
#9 Plant in the fall when conditions are cooler and rainfall is more plentiful.
#10 For cold drinks keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap. This way, every drop goes down you and not the drain.
#11 Monitor your water bill for unusually high use. Your bill and water meter are tools that can help you discover leaks.
#12 Water your lawn and garden in the morning or evening when temperatures are cooler to minimize evaporation.
#13 Wash your fruits and vegetables in a pan of water instead of running water from the tap.
#14 Spreading a layer of organic mulch around plants retains moisture and saves water, time and money.
#15 Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your driveway and sidewalk and save water every time.
#16 If your shower fills a one-gallon bucket in less than 20 seconds, replace the showerhead with a water-efficient model.
#17 Collect the water you use for rinsing fruits and vegetables, then reuse it to water houseplants.
#18 If water runs off your lawn easily, split your watering time into shorter periods to allow for better absorption.
#19 We're more likely to notice leaks indoors, but don't forget to check outdoor faucets, sprinklers and hoses for leaks.
#20 If you have an automatic refilling device, check your pool periodically for leaks.
#21 Check the root zone of your lawn or garden for moisture before watering using a spade or trowel. If it's still moist two inches under the soil surface, you still have enough water.
#22 When buying new appliances, consider those that offer cycle and load size adjustments. They're more water and energy efficient.
#23 Shorten your shower by a minute or two and you'll save up to 150 gallons per month.
#24 Upgrade older toilets with water efficient models.
#25 Adjust your lawn mower to a higher setting. A taller lawn shades roots and holds soil moisture better than if it is closely clipped.
#26 When cleaning out fish tanks, give the nutrient-rich water to your plants.
#27 Use sprinklers for large areas of grass. Water small patches by hand to avoid waste.

#28 Put food coloring in your toilet tank. If it seeps into the toilet bowl without flushing, you have a leak. Fixing it can save up to 1,000 gallons a month.
#29 When running a bath, plug the tub before turning the water on, then adjust the temperature as the tub fills up.
#30 Walkways and patios provide space that doesn't ever need to be watered. These useful "rooms" can also add value to your property.
#31Collect water from your roof to water your garden.
#32 Designate one glass for your drinking water each day or refill a water bottle. This will cut down on the number of glasses to wash.
#33 Rather than following a set watering schedule, check for soil moisture two to three inches below the surface before watering.
#34 Install a rain sensor on your irrigation controller so your system won't run when it's raining.
#35 Don't use running water to thaw food. Defrost food in the refrigerator for water efficiency and food safety.
#36 Use drip irrigation for shrubs and trees to apply water directly to the roots where it's needed.
#37 Grab a wrench and fix that leaky faucet. It's simple, inexpensive, and you can save 140 gallons a week.
#38 Reduce the amount of lawn in your yard by planting shrubs and ground covers appropriate to your site and region.
#39 When doing laundry, match the water level to the size of the load.
#40 Teach your children to turn off faucets tightly after each use.
#41 Remember to check your sprinkler system valves periodically for leaks and keep the sprinkler heads in good shape.
#42 Use a water-efficient showerhead. They're inexpensive, easy to install, and can save you up to 750 gallons a month.
#43 Soak pots and pans instead of letting the water run while you scrape them clean.
#44 Don't water your lawn on windy days when most of the water blows away or evaporates.
#45 Water your plants deeply but less frequently to encourage deep root growth and drought tolerance.
#46 Know where your master water shut-off valve is located. This could save water and prevent damage to your home.
#47 To decrease water from being wasted on sloping lawns, apply water for five minutes and then repeat two to three times.
#48 Group plants with the same watering needs together to avoid overwatering some while underwatering others.
#49 Use a layer of organic material on the surface of your planting beds to minimize weed growth that competes for water.
#50 Use a minimum amount of organic or slow release fertilizer to promote a healthy and drought tolerant landscape.
#51 Trickling or cascading fountains lose less water to evaporation than those spraying water into the air.
#52 Use a commercial car wash that recycles water.
#53 Avoid recreational water toys that require a constant flow of water.
#54 Turn off the water while brushing your teeth and save 25 gallons a month.
#55 Use a rain gauge, or empty tuna can, to track rainfall on your lawn. Then reduce your watering accordingly.
#56 Encourage your school system and local government to develop and promote water conservation among children and adults.
#57 Learn how to shut off your automatic watering system in case it malfunctions or you get an unexpected rain.
#58 Set a kitchen timer when watering your lawn or garden to remind you when to stop. A running hose can discharge up to 10 gallons a minute.
#59 If your toilet flapper doesn't close after flushing, replace it.
#60 Make sure there are water-saving aerators on all of your faucets.
#61 Next time you add or replace a flower or shrub, choose a low water use plant for year-round landscape color and save up to 550 gallons each year.
#62 Install an instant water heater near your kitchen sink so you don't have to run the water while it heats up. This also reduces energy costs.
#63Use a grease pencil to mark the water level of your pool at the skimmer. Check the mark 24 hours later to see if you have a leak.
#64 If your dishwasher is new, cut back on rinsing. Newer models clean more thoroughly than older ones.
#65 Use a trowel, shovel, or soil probe to examine soil moisture depth. If the top two to three inches of soil are dry it's time to water.
#66 If installing a lawn, select a turf mix or blend that matches your climate and site conditions.
#67 When you save water, you save money on your utility bills too. Saving water is easy for everyone to do.
#68 When the kids want to cool off, use the sprinkler in an area where your lawn needs it the most.
#69 Make sure your swimming pools, fountains, and ponds are equipped with recirculating pumps.
#70 Bathe your young children together.
#71 Consult with your local nursery for information on plant selection and placement for optimum outdoor water savings.
#72 Winterize outdoor spigots when temperatures dip below freezing to prevent pipes from leaking or bursting.
#73 Insulate hot water pipes for more immediate hot water at the faucet and for energy savings.
#74 Wash your car on the lawn, and you'll water your lawn at the same time.
#75 Drop your tissue in the trash instead of flushing it and save water every time.
#76 Direct water from rain gutters and HVAC systems toward water-loving plants in the landscape for automatic water savings.
#77 Make suggestions to your employer about ways to save water and money at work.
#78 Support projects that use reclaimed wastewater for irrigation and industrial uses.
#79 Use a hose nozzle or turn off the water while you wash your car. You'll save up to 100 gallons every time.
#80 Share water conservation tips with friends and neighbors.
#81 If your toilet was installed before 1992, reduce the amount of water used for each flush by inserting a displacement device in the tank.
#82 Setting cooling systems and water softeners for a minimum number of refills saves both water and chemicals, plus more on utility bills.
#83 Washing dark clothes in cold water saves both on water and energy while it helps your clothes to keep their colors.
#84 Leave lower branches on trees and shrubs and allow leaf litter to accumulate on the soil. This keeps the soil cooler and reduces evaporation.
#85 Report broken pipes, open hydrants and errant sprinklers to the property owner or your water provider.
#86 Let your lawn go dormant during the summer. Dormant grass only needs to be watered every three weeks or less if it rains.
#87 Plant with finished compost to add water-holding and nutrient-rich organic matter to the soil.
#88 Use sprinklers that deliver big drops of water close to the ground. Smaller water drops and mist often evaporate before they hit the ground.
#89 Listen for dripping faucets and running toilets. Fixing a leak can save 300 gallons a month or more.
#90 Water only when necessary. More plants die from over-watering than from under-watering.
#91 One more way to get eight glasses of water a day is to re-use the water left over from cooked or steamed foods to start a scrumptious and nutritious soup.
#92 Adjust your watering schedule each month to match seasonal weather conditions and landscape requirements.
#93 Turn off the water while you wash your hair to save up to 150 gallons a month.
#94 Wash your pets outdoors in an area of your lawn that needs water.
#95 When shopping for a new clothes washer, compare resource savings among Energy Star models. Some of these can save up to 20 gallons per load, and energy too.
#96 Apply water only as fast as the soil can absorb it.
#97 Aerate your lawn at least once a year so water can reach the roots rather than run off the surface.
#98 When washing dishes by hand, fill the sink basin or a large container and rinse when all of the dishes have been soaped and scrubbed.
#99 Catch water in an empty tuna can to measure sprinkler output. One inch of water on one square foot of grass equals two-thirds of a gallon of water.
#100 Turn off the water while you shave and save up to 300 gallons a month.
#101 When you give your pet fresh water, don't throw the old water down the drain. Use it to water your trees or shrubs.
#102 If you accidentally drop ice cubes when filling your glass from the freezer, don't throw them in the sink. Drop them in a house plant instead.
#103 To save water and time, consider washing your face or brushing your teeth while in the shower.
#104 While staying in a hotel or even at home, consider reusing your towels.
#105 When backflushing your pool, consider using the water on your landscaping.
#106 For hanging baskets, planters and pots, place ice cubes under the moss or dirt to give your plants a cool drink of water and help eliminate water overflow.
#107 Throw trimmings and peelings from fruits and vegetables into your yard compost to prevent using the garbage disposal.
#108 When you have ice left in your cup from a take-out restaurant, don't throw it in the trash, dump it on a plant.
#109 Have your plumber re-route your gray water to trees and gardens rather than letting it run into the sewer line. Check with your city codes, and if it isn't allowed in your area, start a movement to get that changed.
#110 Keep a bucket in the shower to catch water as it warms up or runs. Use this water to flush toilets or water plants.
#111 When you are washing your hands, don't let the water run while you lather.
#112 Look for products bearing the EPA WaterSense Label for items that been certified to save 20% or more without sacrificing performance.

http://www.wateruseitwisely.com/

Energy Conservation
Different sources of information on conserving energy at home.

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/pdfs/energy_savers.pdf
http://www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/20things.htm

A heavy coat of dust on a light bulb can block up to half of the light.
Across America, home refrigerators use the electricity of 25 large power plants every year.
A hot water faucet that leaks one drop per second can add up to 165 gallons a month. That's more than one person uses in two weeks.
An energy-smart clothes washer can save more water in one year than one person drinks in an entire lifetime!
When you turn on an incandescent light bulb, only 10 percent of the electricity used is turned into light. The other 90 percent is wasted as heat.
A compact fluorescent light bulb uses 75 percent less energy than a regular bulb – and it can last up to four years.
A crack as small as 1/16th of an inch around a window frame can let in as much cold air as leaving the window open three inches!
Some new refrigerators are so energy-smart they use less electricity than a light bulb!
An automatic dishwasher uses less hot water than doing dishes by hand - an average of six gallons less, or more than 2,000 gallons per year.
Every time you open the refrigerator door, up to 30 percent of the cold air can escape.
Every year, more than $13 billion worth of energy leaks from houses through small holes and cracks. That’s more than $150 per family!

http://www.alliantenergykids.com/EnergyandTheEnvironment/SavingEnergy/022393

Different styles and examples of postage stamp designs


A selection of different, colourful ways of approaching designs for postage stamps:

http://www.behance.net/gallery/Homage-to-the-Stamp/151787

http://www.behance.net/gallery/Postage-Stamps/755481

http://www.behance.net/gallery/dutch-postage-stamp/117221

http://www.behance.net/gallery/Celebrating-Biodiversity/1955157

I think the ways in which colour has been used in these different postage stamp designs is really interesting. They are all very different in concept and what they are trying to say, yet all utilise colour and use it to draw attention to the stamp. 

The History of Postage Stamps

Before the use of adhesive paper stamps, letters were hand stamped or postmarked with ink. Postmarks were the invention of Henry Bishop and were at first called 'Bishop mark' after the inventor. Bishop marks were first used in 1661 at the London General Post Office. They marked the day and month the letter was mailed.

The First Modern Postage Stamp - Penny BlackThe first issued postage stamp began with Great Britain's Penny Post. On May 6, 1840, the British Penny Black stamp was released. The Penny Black was engraved the profile of Queen Victoria's head, who remained on all British stamps for the next sixty years. Rowland Hill created the first stamp.

Rowland Hill Invents Adhesive Postage StampsA schoolmaster from England, Rowland Hill invented the adhesive postage stamp in 1837, an act for which he was knighted. Through his efforts the first stamp in the world was issued in England in 1840. Roland Hill also created the first uniform postage rates that were based on weight rather than size. Hill's stamps made the prepayment of mail postage possible and practical.

http://inventors.about.com/od/sstartinventions/a/postage_stamps.htm

Stamp Design

In 1840, the first adhesive postage stamp in the world, the Penny Black, was issued in Great Britain. It was a black 1d (one old pence) stamp featuring the head of Queen Victoria. This type of design continued for the next 120 years, with the head of the reigning king or queen being the main image on the stamp. Today, the Post Office still issues stamps of this style, which are known as 'definitives'.

A different style of design was used very occasionally to mark a special event. These issues are known as 'commemorative stamps'. For example, in 1935 a special stamp was put on sale to celebrate King George V's Silver Jubilee, and in 1948 a stamp was produced to commemorate the Olympic Games held that year in London.

In 1964, The Post Office took the decision to issue more commemorative stamps each year. The stamps were intended to:
celebrate events of national and international importance;
commemorate important anniversaries;
reflect the British contribution to world affairs including the arts and sciences;
and extend public patronage to the arts by encouraging the development of minuscule art.

Usually Royal Mail issues approximately eight sets of stamps on different themes each year. For the Millennium celebrations (1999-2001), however, a new set of stamps were issued each month.
Royal Mail researchers study anniversaries or events that will occur in five years time. They then work with the Royal Mail design department to come up with ten suitable subjects that have to be of national importance with a uniquely British aspect. The only real limitation on the design itself is that it must not depict any living person other than members of the Royal Family.
Once the topic for an issue has been decided, about four designers are chosen to work on producing designs for the selected topic. The designers could be people who have much experience of stamp design or none at all. They work closely with the Design Department of Royal Mail to produce a finished stamp design. Many famous artists have been chosen to design stamps including David Gentleman, Eric Gill, Lynton Lamb, and David Hockney.

Each year, one of the sets of stamps is always issued on the theme of Christmas. The tradition of having special Christmas stamps in this country began in 1966 when pictures of a snowman and a wise man, designed by children, were used.

In general, the themes of British stamps include the arts, history, science, industry, flora and fauna, transport and architecture.
The finished stamp designs are shown to the Stamp Advisory Committee. This committee includes people from a number of fields such as art, design and philately. They help to decide which of the submitted designs should be used for the stamp issue.
There are only two rules which have to be followed when designing a special stamp. The stamp has to have the head of the queen or king, and also show the postage value.

Whatever the medium of the original artwork, the design eventually has to be reduced to the size of a stamp and so designers have to be careful that their work will reduce effectively to a small size. The ideal size of artwork is no more than four times the size of a stamp, but artists can work at any size they choose. Many different art forms may be used to create the image on a stamp including photography, painting, graphics, cartoons, sculpture and collage.Once the stamp design is finished a proof or 'essay' is printed. This shows what the finished stamp will look like at actual size. If necessary, changes to the design can be made at this stage. When the final essay has been approved by the Post Office and the Stamp Advisory Committee, it is shown to the Queen for approval. Once given, printing can begin.

But a stamp is more than just a piece of artwork, it has to perform a function. Some colours on the artwork may have to be adapted so that the sorting machines used to process letters can read the hidden phosphor marking on the stamp which is used to separate first from second class mail (i.e. large areas of yellow and green can obscure this phosphor banding). Furthermore, within a 'set' each stamp has to be easily identifiable from the others so that Post Office sorters and counter clerks can tell the value of the stamp at a glance.
So, some five years after the initial ideas, the stamps arrive in post offices across the country to be sold to the public for the posting of their letters or for adding to their stamp collections.

Machin Definitive Stamp

One of five Diana, Princess of Wales commemorative stamps, 1998

http://postalheritage.org.uk/page/stampdesign

General research into the topic of electricity

How Electricity Works is a very common question. Electric power is as common to us as running water in many areas, especially in industrialised countries. Despite this, there is a great deal of ignorance about this strange force and how it comes about.

If you can picture an atom as a sphere, imagine how electricity works in the nucleus in the centre that contains at least one proton and at least one neutron. The proton is positively charged. In orbit around the nucleus is at least one electron which is negatively charged. The reason they have these opposite charges takes us deep into quantum physics. We know that the neutron is made up of quarks and the electron is an elementary particle (it is not made up of anything and is a particle in its own right), but the reason why they have opposite charges is a matter beyond my meagre capabilities and, in any case, this area is at the fringes of human knowledge.

Atoms may contain several protons and electrons. This variation is what separates elements from each other and how electricity works. Although described as sub-atomic particles, electrons have the properties of both particles and waves. In theory at least they could be both at the same time.

If an atom has no electric charge, i.e. it is neutral, then it contains the same amount of protons as electrons. In some materials - most metals for example - the electrons' orbit around the nucleus is quite loose and they can spin away from the atom. When this happens the atom becomes positively charged because protons are in the majority within the atom. A free electron can join another atom. When this occurs then its new host atom becomes negatively charged because the electrons are in the majority (assuming the atom was neutral in the first place).

When it comes to asking how electricity works, The key thing to remember here is that opposites attract. The greater the difference between the number of electrons and protons, the greater the attraction will be. This is called potential difference. If we therefore can manage to produce a negative charge at one end of a copper wire and a positive charge at the other end, free electrons would move towards the positive end. As electrons leave those atoms nearest the positive end, they leave behind positively charged atoms. Electrons from neighbouring atoms will be attracted towards these positive atoms thus creating yet more positive atoms in their wake. This continuing transfer of electrons is called current. The greater the potential difference, or voltage to use its measuring unit, the greater the force of the flow of electrons - or current.

Electric power can be supplied as direct current (e.g. from car batteries) or as alternating current (e.g. household mains).

Often an electrical product requires a different voltage to the one that is supplied from mains electric power. In these cases, a transformer is required. The use of transformers is very common along power lines and in electrical devices. As well as the step-up transformers that increase voltage - transformers can also reduce voltage. These step-down transformers can be found at utility substations where the very high voltages required to push electrons through long transmissions wires are reduced for local consumption.

(http://www.electricityforum.com/how-electricity-works.html)

Initial research for brief

Finding imagery related to electricity and depicting electricity as a starting point for further visual investigations:

http://www.behance.net/gallery/Digital-World/3054773

http://www.behance.net/gallery/Surge/2659967

http://www.behance.net/gallery/Pylon/2771585

http://www.behance.net/gallery/Thunderstorms/2577177

http://www.behance.net/gallery/Bangkok-Electricity-Cables/147186