Drought Season

If you've been paying attention to the news, the Korean peninsula is facing the worst drought in 100 years. India's water shortage is so severe that some hospitals have canceled surgeries. Closer to home, much of the western United States is experiencing drought conditions.

Wasting water only makes the dire situation worse. An invisible and soundless toilet leak can leach away hundreds of gallons -- or even thousands, if you're this resident. So what can we do to help the situation?

The LeakAlertor, which made its debut in 2009, detects silent and invisible toilet leaks. It electronically monitors your toilet and notifies you visually and audibly when the flapper is leaking. It can't bring water to a parched region, but it can help conserve water that's already there before it literally gets flushed down the toilet.

How do you conserve water? Let us know in the comments.

Stink Bugs: Back in the News

For a while, stink bugs seemed to disappear.  It was almost as if they took a vacation.  But they’re starting to crop up in the news again, as farmers report bug sightings as far away as Idaho and Oregon.  And some folks are predicting a fall season like 2010.

We know that stink bugs make their way out of homes in the spring to feed, mate, lay eggs and die.  The new generation grows up and continues munching on crops before they make their way indoors and take shelter from the cold.

Right now, the concern is for farmers and their crops. A bigger stink population means more damage to fruits and vegetables. Stink bugs insert their proboscis into the produce and suck the juices out, rendering it unsellable.  Oregon, home to many orchards, is one of the newest areas to be threatened by stink bugs.

Farmers rely on increased pesticide use to combat the bug, but stink bugs are quite resistant to conventional pest control protocols.  Because of crop shortages and expensive pesticides, prices go up, and you feel the pinch the next time you’re shopping for apples and peaches.

Do you think the predictions will come true and we’ll have a stinkpocalypse this year? Have you seen the price of produce go up in your area due to stink bug damage? Let us know in the comments!