"Mom, for homework I need to write about how we recycle," explained my eldest son Kyle. He is taking a speech class in middle school and they are working on procedural speeches. His assignment is to define the steps for recycling. I find it interesting that the teacher is able to assign the topic of recycling with confidence, knowing that all her students can write about it. It wasn’t so long ago that household recycling was just a dream. Before the days of colored bins that are picked up at our curb, recycling was a much more involved process. Thanks to global warming, the environment has taken center stage in the political arena. With all of the discussion about the changes we need to make as a society, it is easy to overlook how far we have come. Remembering that as a result of the Clean Air Act, emissions from a new car purchased today are well over 90 percent cleaner than a new vehicle purchased in 1970, gives me hope that we will implement more planet saving measures in the future.

Many people find it difficult to believe that our planet could run out of water resources since the majority of earth is covered in water. "Our planet’s surface is 70 percent water and blessed with moisture-rich air and soils, yet less than 13 percent of that is the freshwater that humans need to survive," states author Alison Chabonais in the article Planet Water on page 33. "The United Nations projects that by 2025 two-thirds of the world’s population will face water shortages or a lack of clean water." This wake-up call leaves me compelled to implement many of the water saving tips in this issue. For example, I didn’t realize that each bottle of store bought water Americans consume requires nearly five times its volume in water to manufacture. There are many easy lifestyle habits we can change that will impact our future. The first one on my list is drinking water from my home filter rather than buying the bottle.

This special environmental issue is jam packed with tips and ideas for preserving our planet and its precious water resources. On page 28 you’ll find eight ways to green up your life. Discover 23 ways to save water at home on page 34 and find out why you might want to "think outside the bottle" on page 36. Plus, we’ve provided a list of resources to inspire you on page 31. I hope this issue sparks an idea for a change today that will contribute to a healthier planet tomorrow.

Here’s to saving our planet!

Kris Urquhart, Editor