Grey-water recycling can show the way out from the coming next great depression

Some people say that climate change is a hoax. I wish they were right. But if this is not the case, we might have a little problem.

While the Kyoto-agreement on the environmental protection front means a serious challenge to most economies, because of the restrictions it imposes on the industries, one single positive development in innovation might bring about noticeable improvements in sustainable development and environmental protection at the same time, helping to achieve the goals of the agreement. A good  example  for such improvement  in the past was the introduction of the injection type internal combustion engine which reduced considerably the fuel consumption of the cars.

The technical solution presented here, is an example to show again that sustainable development is not a contradictory expression and industrial growth does not necessarily imply increased pollution.

Today, when we enjoy the most incredible high-tech modern conveniences of the space research era like the mobile phone containing dozens of millions of transistors, enabling us even to watch TV, use the internet, e-mail, GPS, etc.,  some primitive problems remain stubbornly still with us, endangering our future. Such an unresolved case is the example of the flushing toilet for which we waist potable fresh water and this makes up about one third in household water consumption.

To resolve this one and a half century-old problem a trivial and obvious solution has been found. Some thrifty and ingenious people mainly house wives collect the washing water with buckets and flush the toilet with that used washing water which is called grey-water. Bucket flushing is an arduous and inconvenient chore and only few people care to toil with it. In addition it is not very hygienic since bacteria multiply so quickly in grey-water that if not treated it will turn stale and will become black-water in just three days. Therefore in those countries where grey-water reuse is general everyday practice there are grey-water laws which stipulate under what conditions grey-water can be reused. The basic requirements are disinfection and filtration.

The strictest grey-water law is that of California. In semi-arid places where precipitation is scarce, various grey-water systems are installed to ease the water shortage to some extent. However these systems are complicated and rather expensive. Besides, each individual system must be approved by the local authorities. The solution to this 150 years old problem is the automation of bucket flushing that is to collect house-hold grey-water and following filtering and disinfecting it is stored in the grey-water tank on top of the washing machine from where the central electronic control unit feeds the grey-water in pre-selected quantities for flushing the toilet.

The introduction of this eco-civilized modern-convenience the Greywater Recycling Washing Machine will surely give a lasting impetus to economy and society alike. This will be an important step in the conservation of nature by introducing this new still infinitely simple solution which also means a new generation of washing machines. The technical novelty is so simple you could have invented it yourself.

Putting this new generation of washing machine into production then to commercial circulation will mean to make the grey-water system available also for those individuals who are living in relatively smaller flat or even in a bed-sitter with fairly limited spaces. Up till know the grey-water systems were available only to relatively few people living in individual or semi-detatched houses and who could afford such an
investment.

The greywater recycling washer practically does not consume or use up water it just borrows it before forwarding it to other uses and it is sure to give a long-lasting impetus to the economy to industry and commerce alike. Thus we can expect a boost in industrial output and commercial turnover and consequent improvement in the employment rate contributing to a general growth of the economy which is nothing less than making the "sustainable development" become realty. Do you remember the advanteges of full swing economy? If you have seen the cartoon about the greywater recycling washer then you surely understood its simplicity in all probability. Still let me underline the multiple gains that it assures forcasting a constructive and cooperative way forward for the whole society.

First of all its advantages to the individual by saving one third on water and sewage bills. This in itself is the overwhelming decisive marketing factor. No more reasoning is necessary to justify the need for such a product. Still there are quite a few other justifying factors.

Secondly the advantages to nature to water conservation to our environment which is a double advantage in itself by rationalizing on water consumption and by cutting on sewage output - which is another of those burning issues of environmental protection and this is nothing else than real sustainable development.

All these benign developments and effects are based on a natural and common need of both the individual and the society unanimously and in perfect harmony without any side effect or any disadvantage with no harm to anyone not hurting anybody's interests in the name of rationalizing in the positive sense enhancing efficiency and effectiveness while at the same time economizing on our natural resources without
imposing any restriction on anyone or on consumption. All that means to give free way to development by boosting the economy and improving our societies by contributing to environmental protection awareness.

This is not just the ray of light at the end of the tunnel. Now we can really take our destiny in our hands by seizing the opportunity to create a better world for ourselves for our children for our families for our community to everybody's advantage where everybody is a winner. All these facts provide sufficient ground for embarking on this project.

As one of my good teachers taught us "Culture begins with the toilet". Bearing this motto in mind we should also care about the water we waste on flushing our dirt down the drain. Even dogs when nature calls after finishing they make some instinctive movements trying to hide their excrement as it is programmed in their genes.

Beyond all instincts and programmed genes humanity has more than 5 thousand years old civilizations and unprecedently developped knowledge based societies, it must be imperative for us not to neglect the cumulative negative effects caused by the distructive human behaviours.

We must not ignore such a thought-after solution which is in high demand for this more than 150 year-old unresolved issue on how not to waste fresh water on flushing the toilet. This is a historical opportunity  to seize in order to reverse the environmental deterioration. This is our responsibility. Our future is at stake. Everything is at hand to make the best of this opportunity.

If you hold that these lines are  forecasting naïvely an exaggeratingly idealistic scenario seen through  pink sunglasses please do not forget the present harsh reality of five million jobless in Germany or the grim situation in France filled with extreme social tensions where 40,000 cars were set on fire in one single year in 2005. Even the United States of America is full with social tensions of all kinds especially after the
turmoil following September the 11th  also considering the fact that the war in Iraq starts to divide the nation.

Only after re-thinking today's socio-economic situations will you understand that I really mean genuine positive effects triggered by the introduction of such a simple technical novelty.

Wherever you live think of the economical situation of your country. Does your economy performe so well that no improvements are needed? Or are the sought-after easy improvements  really welcome? I can not imagine anything simpler than the grey-water reusing washing machine.

The European Union is trying very hard to improve the present stagnating economic situation. Still the Lisbon initiative has not produced any spectacular break-through yet. We are far from it. Also it is to be seen what the "Plan D" meaning Democracy Dialogue and Debate will bring about. Each and every opportunity should be grasped to improve the present grim economic situation.

There is an old saying "not to throw away the child with the bathing water" - nowdays even bathing water has become so precious that we must not throw away the bathing water itself because we can use it to replace precious drinking water. And also it is in the interest of the child because we should think about the future as well, about the future that we bequeath to the generations coming after us. The media is echoing with the threat of climate changes and global warming and reports about catastrophic tsunamies cyclons and forest fires in a lot of countries. The media is buzzing with reports about the burning issue of water shortage.

Now here is a solution which can ease water shortage and boost the economy at the same time. I do believe that in spite of the staggering problems surrounding us, we do have the necessary insight and wisdom to choose "the road ahead". All the more so, since there is not a single negative counter-argument our any counter-interest to bump against.

Now, at the beginning of the global financial, economic, etc. crises, seriously affecting our lives, when consumption and GDP are declining, it is a sin not to seize the opportunity to boost markets and economies with this new product. All the governments have been eagerly searching for solutions and they have been spending hundreds of billions trying to stop the next great depression. Why don't they see the right and realistic solutions ?  This invention is more than six years old. Corruption may delay the deployment  of green technologies but nothing can really hold back the wheels of development on the long run.  YOU HAVE THE CHOICE: do not buy obsolate, environmentlly backward products.