Air and water are the basics of existence on earth both for plants and animals. It's clear -- from smoggy skies, acid rain, floods, and drought -- that we need to take better care of these necessities.

The main elements of the urban water cycle and infrastructure include surface water, water supply, water distribution, wastewater collection, storm water drainage, evaporation, and water movement in the unsaturated and saturated zones in the ground.

Edens Lost & Found suggests these resources for suggestions and solutions you can use.

Air:

Clean Air Council Protecting Everyone's Right to Breathe Clean Air

I want Clean Air - Clean Air education, action and products. Air pollution, global warming and political instability are serious threats to public health and the environment that result from fossil fuel energy.

The Clean Air Trust Nonprofit watchdog group which promotes a strong, effective Clean Air Act through public education and grassroots activity.

Clean Air - Cool Planet Non-profit organization dedicated to finding and promoting solutions to global warming.

The Clean Air Campaign The Clean Air Campaign provides air quality lesson plans for grades 4-8 and a variety of personal action ideas.

Project Clean Air Working together for cleaner air!A non-profit organization of concerned citizens working together to improve air quality.

Water:

Rainwater Harvesting Throughout the world, people have relied on rainwater harvesting to supply water for household, landscape, livestock, and agricultural uses. Now it's being adopted for urban use, also.

"Leasing the Rain": The fresh clean water pouring freely from your spigot, shower head and garden hose isn't just a gift of Mother Nature. It's fast becoming a profit center. Savvy businessmen have been buying up water sources across America, hoping that one day our most precious resource will become their route to riches. Already, a few multinational companies have cornered the water market in countries like France and England, reaping billions in profit. See related story: Leasing the Rain by William Finnegan, The New Yorker.

The Biodiversity Project shares inspiring stories of everyday Americans working to make a difference for biodiversity. Did you know that Lake Tahoe, Nevada, planned its garbage collection with black bears in mind, or that Key West, Florida re-thought its approach to stormwater run-off in order to better protect the nearby coral reefs? See "Great Communities"

Center for Watershed Protection is a non-profit 501(c)3 corporation that provides local governments, activists, and watershed organizations around the country with the technical tools for protecting some of the nation’s most precious natural resources: our streams, lakes and rivers:

Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council works in the water-rich area of northwestern lower Michigan to inventory resources, create watershed management plans, advocate for preservation of wetland/shoreline, and serve as a reference bank for environmental "best practices." This model organization works to educate and empower individuals and organizations.

The NCWRCDP (National Decentralized Water Resources Capacity Development Project) is a cooperative effort funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency which supports research and development of onsite/decentralized wastewater treatment.

Philadelphia Water Department operates three award-winning water pollution control plants. These plants remove approximately 92% of wastewater pollutants before the water is returned to the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers. As a result, the Delaware River, once so polluted it could no longer support aquatic life, now boasts the return of approximately 42 species of fish as well as vibrant waterfront living:

The River Project encourages responsible management of Los Angeles County watershed lands and revitalization of our rivers for the social, economic and environmental benefit of our communities. Through outreach, advocacy, scientific research and hands-on educational programs, we provide communities with the tools to reclaim their riverfront lands. http://www.theriverproject.org/

The San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy was created by the California legislature to preserve open space and habitat in order to provide for low-impact recreation and educational uses, wildlife habitat restoration and protection, and watershed improvements. http://www.rmc.ca.gov/

The Los Angeles Ad Hoc River Committee will focus on major revitalization efforts on our historic river; opportunities for parks, trails, recreation, nature, neighborhood identity, jobs, community development, tourism, civic pride and much more: http://www.lacity.org/councilcmte/lariver/