Locally, our water reservoirs have been pronounced at 100-percent capacity all the more reason, per this first Green Tip of the new semester, to conserve and preserve the natural resource we have. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has placed water as No. 1 in its "Pick 5 for the Environment" campaign. Wasted food also is wasted water. It takes massive amounts of water to grow the food from the field, to the factory, to the dinner table. Effective water-saving strategy requires minimizing food waste. We all are part of the virtual water cycle, including water used for drinking and washing. As noted by the Environmental News Network , "If we're using the water, we're responsible for protecting and conserving it, as well." This week's tip is from Penn College's Energy Conservation Subcommittee, which co-sponsors the venture with the School of Natural Resources Management's Horticulture Department. Contacts for the feature are Gail B. Landers , group leader at the Children's Learning Center and a subcommittee representative, and Carl J. Bower Jr. , horticulture instructor.