CasaSugar

In the News: Lance Armstrong's a Champion of Water Wasting

CasaSugar — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:00:16 -0700

Although there are many things to admire about cyclist and activist Lance Armstrong, his blatant water abuse isn't one of them. According to the New York Times, Armstrong's Austin home guzzled down 330,000 gallons of water in July alone! For comparison, most US households only use 120,000 gallons of water in a year. I've told you about Celine Dion's bad water habits in the past, but Armstrong's rate takes the cake, especially since Texas is going through a bad dry spell.

To find out more, and to see photos of Armstrong's house and water-guzzling gardens, read more.

In Armstrong's defense, he was quoted in an article in the Austin American-Statesman as saying "“I’m a little shocked. . . . There’s no justification for that much water.” However, the retired cyclist has consistently used a gluttonous amount of water in his Austin home. The New York Times article notes,

But city water records suggested that his home has long been a guzzler of water, using an average of 158,000 gallons a month since January 2007. Then, in June, the cyclist shot ahead of the pack, topping the city’s list of residential water users for the first time, officials said. That month his house and garden drank up 222,900 gallons.

The 8,000-square-foot Spanish-style mansion, which was recently featured in Architectural Digest includes three acres of gardens and a swimming pool, which could explain some of the water use. However, there's just no justification for this type of blatant water use. Perhaps Armstrong should consider native landscaping or xeriscaping for his Texas home.

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Love It or Hate It? Tour Table by Gae Aulenti

CasaSugar — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 07:00:10 -0700

After you've constructed your bicycle wheel pot rack, you might want to coordinate in your dining room with the Tour Table by Gae Aulenti ($6,258). Maybe Lance Armstrong's Austin home could use one. Could yours?

How-To: Fix a Running Toilet

CasaSugar — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 05:30:09 -0700

A running toilet is one household nuisance that we'll all encounter a handful of times in our lives (at least). It's a headache-inducing pain-in-the-butt, and a serious water waster (like Lance Armstrong), but it's not a destitute situation. You can actually fix your running toilet without calling in a plumber, or your man, and it won't take much time. If you couldn't fix it by yourself before, I have some instructions to help you out. For this task, you'll need an interchangeable screwdriver and a toilet repair kit. To learn the steps, read more.

Here's how, from Barbara K!:

First, remove the toilet lid and check to see if the rod or chain attached to the stopper is twisted, eroding, or has any buildup that's keeping the stopper from sealing properly.
Now, lift up the float ball, and see if it stops the water from running. If so, bend its arm so the ball is buoyant. If not, unscrew the float ball and replace it with a new one.
If your toilet is still running, there's probably some build-up keeping the stopper from sealing properly. So, check the flush valve and seat for damage, and replace the stopper and valve if they're broken.
With one of these steps, your toilet should now refill and stay full. If not, call in a professional!

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Casa Quickie: Lawnmower Cleanup

CasaSugar — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 13:00:36 -0700

Depending on where you live, if you haven't been excessively watering your yard like Lance Armstrong, you may not need to mow your lawn come Fall. But if you've gone though a muggy, rainy Summer in the Midwest, I'm sure your lawn is in need of a trim. After your last mowing of the season, you should clean out your lawnmower of its flammable fuel, and send it into hibernation for the Winter. To do so, find a block or brick. Prop your mower over on its side against the block, but don't turn it completely over. Drain any gas that remains into an approved portable fuel tank, and bring it to an oil-change location to be properly disposed. Then, rinse off the underside of the mower with a hose, and let it dry. Then, store it for the season and get your rake handy!
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