What you should know about toilets

Toilets account for almost 30% of residential indoor water use in the United States.

Toilets are also a major source of wasted water due to leaks and inefficiency. In a home that was built prior to 1993 it is most likely that the toilet uses 3.5 gallons or more for every single flush (in Dekalb County alone, approx. 165,000 homes were built prior to 1993 – there are approx. 1 Mio. Homes in the Greater Atlanta area that still have old, inefficient toilets in use). Experts say that the minimum needed to meet the basic human needs of drinking, cooking and hygiene is five gallons of clean water per person per day. It’s far from enough to ensure health and well-being-just enough to get by. Do we really need to flush down that much each time we go “Number One”?

In the beginning of modern toilets there was the seven-gallon flushing porcelain lavatory. Then there was the low-flush toilet. And by the time you’d flushed several times the bowl was “clear” and you had flushed more water than you did with the faithful lavatory.

Then there was the new and improved low-flush toilet, which was better but still not what always got the job done. And finally, the High-Efficiency toilet arrived; you now have your choice of flushing as little as .8 gallons with dual flush toilets. The best part is that they really work!

What Are High-Efficiency Toilets?

Under federal law, toilets must not exceed 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf). High-efficiency toilets (HETs) go beyond the standard and use less than 1.3 gpf. The WaterSense label will be used on HETs that are certified by independent laboratory testing to meet rigorous criteria for both performance and efficiency. Only HETs that complete the third-party certification process can earn the WaterSense label.

 Do High Efficiency Toilets Work?

Everyone is concerned about the performance of low-flow toilets. Do they clear the bowl and leave it clean? Do they stop up frequently? Unlike the first 1.6 gallon / flush toilets, WaterSense HETs combine high efficiency with high performance. Advances in toilet design permit WaterSense HETs to save water without loss of flushing power. In fact, many perform better than standard toilets in consumer testing. Want proof? Watch this amazing video of Eddie Wilcut, the Water Conservation Manager for the City of San Antonio, flushing a Russet potato down a Caroma toilet with the full flush (1.6 gallon) AND half flush (0.8 gallon), which is meant for liquid waste.

How Much Water and Money Do HETs Save?

High efficiency toilets save you money by reducing your water and wastewater costs. Over the course of a lifetime, an average person flushes the toilet nearly 140,000 times. If you install a WaterSense HET, you can save 4,000 gallons per year and your children can each save about a third of a million gallons during their lifetime. If a family of four replaces one 3.5 gpf toilet made between 1980 and 1994 with a WaterSense toilet, they can save $2,000 over the lifetime of the toilet. If the toilet being replaced was made before 1980, it uses 5 gallons per flush so the savings will be much greater. If you’d like to calculate how much water you can save try the water savings calculator on www.ecotransitions.com.

With these savings, new high-efficiency toilets can pay for themselves in only a few years. Even better, many local utilities offer substantial rebates for replacing old toilets with HETs. Detailed information on the rebates available in Georgia can be found here Rebates in Georgia. 

What are Dual Flush toilets?

Dual flush toilets offer a patented dual flush technology consisting of a 0.8 Gal flush for liquid waste and a 1.6 Gal flush for solids. They can save up to 40% (approx. 4600 gallons) compared to today’s standard 1.6-gallon single flush toilets. On an average of 4/1 uses a day,  Dual Flush toilets have the lowest water consumption of all – 0.96 Gallons per flush. Caroma, an Australian manufacturer that invented the Dual Flush technology manufactures award winning toilets that are both user friendly and, with a full 3.5″ trap way, virtually blockage-free!  Wouldn’t that be nice to be able to finally kiss the plunger good bye? Beware of some products reducing the amount of water flushed to use with your existing toilet. Existing bowls are not designed to perform with reduced amounts of water, so the likelihood of clogging your toilet while you are trying to flush paper and solid waste increases drastically.

 

Select a WaterSense Labeled High-Efficiency Toilet!

Whether you are remodeling a bathroom, beginning construction of a new house, or just want to replace an old, leaky toilet, a WaterSense labeled HET is your best bet. Look for the WaterSense label on any toilet you buy. If every home in the United States replaced just one old toilet with a new HET, we would save almost one trillion (spelled with a T)

gallons of water per year, equal to more than two weeks of the water flowing over Niagara Falls!

Note that some manufacturers offer high-efficiency and ordinary models with very similar names, so be sure and look for the WaterSense label. A list of WaterSense labeled High-Efficiency Toilets can be found here List of WaterSense labeled HET’s published by the EPA.

Where can I find a HET?

To find WaterSense partners and resources in your area, please follow the link and click on your state below or choose from the list that follows. EPA – Where you live

For a watersavings calculator and more information on Dual Flush toilets please visit www.ecotransitions.com.

The PopSci Genius Guide | See Inside Page 30 | Green Home Guide | Zinio Digital Magazines & Books

The PopSci Genius Guide | See Inside Page 30 | Green Home Guide | Zinio Digital Magazines & Books

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Flushing potatoes at the Sweetwater 420 Festival 2009 in Atlanta

created by Creative Artists, Monroe, GA

Toilet rebate program in the City of Camrose, AB Canada

Source: http://www.camrosecanadian.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1645347, By JEFFREY KU/City of Camrose

The City of Camrose is bringing back the Low Flow Toilet Rebate Program for 2009’s summer season from July 1 to Aug. 31. The rebate offers $80 to those who replace an older, high volume toilet with a eligible, newer low-flow model in their home with a limit of one per household for purchases after Oct. 31, 2008 and installations before Aug. 31, 2009.

The City of Camrose is running the Low Flow Toilet Rebate Program again hoping that it will encourage and educate the citizens of Camrose on the subject of water conservation. Conserving water will not only benefit the environment from which the resource is taken, but it will also benefit the City by reducing the load put on the water treatment plant and citizens and reducing their water bills by using less water. All citizens of the City of Camrose who live within city limits are eligible for this rebate. To qualify for the program, the City of Camrose must receive the following:

1. The address in which the toilet is to be installed.

2. Receipt of purchase of new, approved low-flow toilet.

3. Pictures of the washroom, before and after installation.

4. Evidence that the toilet was made none functional.

Camrose is running this program alongside, but having no affiliation with the federal government’s Home Renovation Tax Credit and ecoENERGY Retrofit—home grant programs that offer tax benefits for those doing certain home renovations. For more information, contact Jeffrey Ku with the City of Camrose at 780-672-4428 or e-mail at engineer@camrose.ca

Lack of money for rebates halts Inland distribution of water-saving toilets

Source http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_toilets02.48120c7.html

By LAURIE LUCAS
The Press-Enterprise

 

Western Municipal Water District’s participation in a program that this week will finish delivering 1,500 water-saving toilets at no cost to Riverside County homes, hotels and commercial buildings is in limbo because of doubt about whether Western will receive promised rebates.

In the past three months, the Mission Inn, UC Riverside and March Air Reserve Base received a total of 1,000 of the toilets, and 500 went to Corona, mostly to multifamily residences such as apartments.

One low-flow toilet will save about 2 gallons per flush or 4,800 gallons a year, according to Clay Monroe, water conservation coordinator with Riverside Public Utilities.

But the program was suspended because of the uncertainty of reimbursement from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, said Tim Barr. He’s the water use efficiency manager for Western, which covers 527 square miles serving 853,000 people in the Jurupa Valley, Corona, Norco, Riverside, Moreno Valley, Murrieta, Lake Elsinore, Canyon Lake and Temecula. Besides Riverside, the city of Corona also worked closely with Barr to promote the project.

Metropolitan’s blanket program, “SoCal Water$mart” was designed as a conservation incentive for the 26 cities and agencies that buy its water in six counties for 19 million people. Rebates on high-efficiency toilets and other equipment had been available to residents of areas that receive MWD water, including Eastern and Western municipal water districts in Riverside County and Inland Empire Utilities Agency in western San Bernardino County.

Barr said Western drew up its own marketing campaign touting low-flow toilets.

Story continues below

William Wilson Lewis III / The Press-Enterprise

Michael Franchek, vice president of sales and marketing with Ecogreen Services, removes a 3.5-gallon toilet from an apartment in Riverside.

8,000 INSTALLED

Eastern installed 8,000 of the low-flow toilets this last fiscal year. The agency has shelved requests for another 1,500 until Metropolitan resolves its budget problems. Perris-based Eastern serves an area from Moreno Valley south to Temecula and east to Hemet and San Jacinto.

The Inland Empire Utilities Agency installed 4,256 low-flow toilets this last fiscal year. Chino-based Inland serves the cities of Chino, Chino Hills, Fontana, Montclair, Ontario, and Upland as well as the Cucamonga Valley and Monte Vista Water Districts and the Water Facilities Authority.

Initially, Metropolitan agreed to pitch in anywhere from $50 to $100 per toilet; Western would pick up the rest of the cost from its rate payers. But because Metropolitan didn’t have the money to cover the overwhelming demand for rebates, Western could be on the hook for anywhere from $65 to $110 per toilet, Barr said. “So Metropolitan is suspending its commercial program from three to six months until after an audit and they figure out how to go forward,” Barr said.

Story continues below

Low-flow toilets save about 2 gallons per flush, or 4,800 gallons a year, conservation experts say.

MWD’s regional rebate program is $24 million in the hole. The program started with $20 million, which doubled last February. Those resources dried up in May and the board turned off the spending tap until an audit is complete. A report is expected at the next board meeting, July 14.

The San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District, the regional equivalent of Metropolitan, serving 700,000 water users over 350 square miles, might offer a similar water conservation program, according to Douglass Headrick, deputy general manager. “We’re watching to see how this will play out with Metropolitan,” he said.

PROGRAM WINDS DOWN

Meanwhile, Western’s program is winding down this week with toilet installations concluding in the Sandra Apartments on 7th Street in Riverside, said contractor Michael Franchek.

His Encinitas-based company, Ecogreen Services, contracted with Western Municipal in April to install 1,500 toilets at $165 apiece. Since April, Franchek has placed 80 percent of the new toilets in multi-family residences and the rest in hotels and commercial buildings.

Low-flow toilets look no different from their predecessors and cost about the same, according to Franchek.

“They flow a lot less because of their intelligent design,” he said.

The old fixtures use 3.5 gallons per flush while their replacements use less than 1.3 gallons per flush. Recyclers grind up the put-out-to-pasture toilets which are used as construction aggregate.

Russ Kitchen, director of the Mission Inn’s property operations, said he’s pleased with the 80 new low-flows, the latest in the hotel’s efforts to go green.

“We’re always looking for ways to conserve our natural resources,” he said. Management has retrofitted its cooling center to use less energy and replaced most lighting with fluorescent bulbs.

Reach Laurie Lucas at 951-368-9569 or llucas@PE.com

TO SAVE WATER

Take shorter showers

Turn off the faucet when brushing teeth

Water your lawn only when it needs it

Use a broom to clean driveways and sidewalks

Adjust sprinklers so they don’t water driveways and sidewalks

Wash only full loads of laundry

Run dishwasher only when full

Fix leaky faucets and toilets

Use a shut-off nozzle on your hose

Plant drought-resistant trees and plants

Source: Western Municipal Water District

 

 

Red, White, Blue and…Green?

Red, White, Blue and…Green?

Posted using ShareThis by Rebecca Lacko, LA Parenting Examiner

Put a little green in your red, white and blue celebration

This Fourth of July weekend, Americans will light up more than 60 million barbecues and will roast about 150 million hot dogs and 890 million pounds of chicken and red meat. A yummy prospect for most picnickers, but consider that, according to Jason Green, coordinator for St. Petersburg College’s Office for Sustainability, “A typical party of 30 guests can create 80 pounds of waste.”

Not only is paper waste an environmental concern, but as Green reports, “It’s estimated that Americans using their grills will create the same amount of carbon dioxide as if 2,300 acres of forest were burnt.”

Think it ends with paper waste and CO2 emmissions? Think again. Fireworks contain potassium perchlorate, which gets into the soil, air and water and causes damage to the thyroid gland. Other ingredients include such heavy metals as barium and copper, which are toxic.

Party Like an Independent American, AND Minimize Damage to the Environment!

What are the best ways to celebrate the holiday season in an environmentally friendly way? Here are some ideas:

• For July 4 parties, use real plates, silverware and cloth napkins and stay away from paper napkins, disposable paper plates and plastic utensils. If you must use disposable plates, buy plates that are biodegradable. Did you know that  disposable plates are now available that are made from corn, potato and sugar-cane pulp?
• Throw a potluck party to share resources and carpool.
• Prepare meals and desserts with locally-grown organic ingredients and free-range, grass-fed meats and poultry. (Bonus: they’re much more delicious!)
• Balance your meat dishes with more sustainable vegetable-based items. Potato salad, anyone?
• Provide recycling bins for glass bottles, cans and plastic — A must-do!
• When BBQ-ing, use natural gas grills — they pollute less than charcoal grills. To make matters worse, over-charring meat produces toxic chemicals in the food itself.
• Don’t shoot off polluting fireworks at home; instead, go to one of the city- or county-sponsored events.
• Make your own natural insect repellent! Frequently reapply basic essential oils like lavender, rosemary and cedar wood. These oils can trick insects into thinking you’re a plant.
• If you must use a DEET-based insect repellent, choose products with less than 20% DEET. Never apply over cuts or wounds; never apply on infants or if you are taking any medications; don’t spray in enclosed areas; and wash skin with soap and water after use.
• Use environmentally-friendly cleaning products and cloths or micro fiber rags to clean up after the party.

    For more info: Learn more about the sustainable | SPC initiative

U.S. Green Product Council Debated

With more than 300 different organizations claiming to certify various products and services as green or sustainable, industry leaders are pondering whether the time has come for a unified U.S. Green Product Council.

Leaders say that possible consumer confusion on just what constitutes green may be reason enough to consider a unified green standard, reports Detroit News.

Read more here

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Refill, NOT Landfill!

Source: Pete van Cleve, Water for Life

Save Money, Save Plastic, Save the Planet…Refill Not Landfill! 

Plastic ½ liter Bottles versus buying a Kinetico K5 Drinking Water Station from Water for Life.  

24 plastic ½ liter bottles = 3.17 Gal. @ $5.00 = $1.58 per gallon x 500 Gal. = $790 x 10 = $7900.  Equivalent of 3 cases per week for the average family of 4 saves you more than enough to buy and maintain two K5’s for 10 years and keeps 37,440 ½ liter plastic bottles out of the landfill.   Don’t use that many bottles now?  Cut it in half = $3850 saves you enough to buy and maintain one K5 for 10 years and keep 18,720 ½ liter plastic bottles out of the landfill. 

Two people drinking 1 bottle each per day for lunch for 270 working days per year @ $1.00 =$540 per year x 10 years = $5410.  You save enough to buy and maintain two K5’s for 10 years and eliminate 5400 plastic bottles or cans from the landfill.  Double these results for a family of 4.  

K5 VOCGuard =   $1419 installed year 1 price @ 500 gallons = $2.84 per gallon

                                    $197.50 service year 2 price @ 500 gallons = .395 per gallon

                                    $760.00 parts year 2 -10 price @ 500 gallons = .19 per gallon

                                    $2376.50 Total 10 year cost  

 Keep the Convenience,  Eliminate the Plastic,  Save the Planet…Refill Not Landfill! 

When you purchase a K5 Drinking Water Station from Water for Life, we provide each member of your family with their choice of a Water for Life Glass Pitcher and 4 Glasses or up to 4 refillable, dishwasher safe Stainless Steel, Eastar, or Polycarbonate bottles to use at games, to take outside while mowing the lawn, to take with you in the car, to take to work or school, and to use while watching TV instead of washing glasses or using plastic cups.   

Live more Abundantly with the K5 Drinking Water Station…Refill Not Landfill!

Are you rationing your expensive pure water bottles just for some drinking now and using 1 case or less per week?  With a K5 Drinking Water Station from Water for Life, Mom can cook or make coffee with it, give a treat to the dog, get the kids drinking more water, water the plants with it, use it in the steam iron, make ice cubes with it, make drink mix drinks instead of Coke or juice when the kids want something sweet, fill the stainless steel bottles half way and freeze them overnight and refill them completely before games for an ice cold drink at lunch, work, or school,  and Dad can drink ice cold purified water instead of Coke after mowing the lawn, serve K5 water for dinner from a pitcher into glasses instead of drinking Cokes or using more bottles, make mixed drinks with K5 water when friends come over,  make iced tea with K5 water at parties or serve pure water from the Water for Life Pitcher into Water for Life Glasses to guests instead of passing out plastic bottles.  Extra bottles or Glassware are available for purchase. 

Healthier Family…Refill Not Landfill! 

If your average family of 4 each buys a Coke per day for lunch spending .50 cents each for 270 days per year, you will spend $540 per year and $5410 in 10 years on Coke! Wouldn’t it be healthier to drink Cokes only every other day and drink K5 water on alternative days?  The savings actually pays for two K5’s and the family would be healthier because they would be consuming less sugar or artificial sweetener, less caffeine and carbonation, less artificial flavor and food color.  What if you drank pure water every day?

Go to this link http://www.waterforlifeonline.com/k5_video.html to view a 4 minute K5 video.                                                                                                                           

visit Water for Life online or call them at 770-578-0600 

 Always fresh,  Always pure…Guaranteed!                  Call 770-578-0600

Am I GREEN? – What is “being green”?

I grew up in Germany, where “being green” wasn’t really an option. I remember helping my mom as a 6 year old, bundling up newspapers, carrying them to the cellar and storing them, until twice a year a truck came by and picked them all up. Back then there wasn’t really much paper trash, except the daily newspaper. Then we started collecting glass and driving it to recycling containers once a month or so.  Then came the “Green dot” or “Yellow sac”. We had to seperate plastic from envelopes, aluminum johgurt container lids from the plastic containers and we had to pull paper labels of tuna cans. Everything needed to be washed out, as we had to collect everything for 2 weeks until it was picked up. Because we lived in a small appartment, we had to make sure to clean every single item (including cans of cat food) to prevent nasty smells and infestation with flies, especially during summer (without Air conditioner). The yellow bags had to be kept inside until the day they were picked up on the curve. Each households then had a trash can and a stack of yellow bags. Then every household received a compost ‘trash’ can. The compost was picked up once or twice a month only – imagine the smell. BECAUSE trash service was expensive, everybody tried to have as little trash as possible. Compost pickup was free – so of course you make sure to compost as much as possible (and the county gets a good compost pile built up for their needs). When you go shopping to pay attention to the packaging the various products are packed in and start buying more and more products that use less packaging. When you buy bread at the bakery, they wrap it in a sheet of thin paper, not in 2 layers of plastic that makes it soggy anyway. (Do you know how much oil and water is needed to produce plastic bags? Oil we wouldn’t need to import if we’d all use reusable grocery bags – that are sturdier and better looking to begin with – you can even express opinions or your personality with these accessories). When you go shopping, you bring your ‘1 euro’ or plastic chip (the size of a quarter) and use it to ‘unlock’ your shopping cart; when you’re done, you bring back the shopping cart to the ’station’ and get your chip (or euro) back (if you have been to Aldi, you saw the concept). It is a great way to prevent shopping carts from being abandoned in the parking lot and therefore eliminates the need for an employee that has to collect them and high insurance costs to cover damaged cars. When you buy beer, soda juice or sparkling water, you purchase it in cases (where you can mix varieties if you wish) and pay a deposit for each bottle and carrying case. You can then return it (at ANY) grocery or beverage store and get your deposit back. The bottles get washed and reused several times. If you have weeds in your garden, you pull them up by hand – it is good for the body and soul and doesn’t require the use of expensive chemicals that ruin our groundwater and end up in our drinking water, making us sick. I could go on and on – but I think you get the picture. If you live in Germany and don’t recycle, you pay a fine if they catch you. If you drive a vehicle that is not fuel efficient – you pay a lot more in taxes than others. If you don’t recycle – you’re frowned upon. So – it is a smart thing to do and you do your part as a responsible citizen.  I believe that is what qualifies for ‘being green” and I am very happy to see that more and more Americans realize, that we need to protect our resources, save money and live more responsibly by not leaving a huge footprint during our short time on this beautiful earth.

San Diego Faces Water Supply Challenges | KPBS.org

San Diego Faces Water Supply Challenges | KPBS.org

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50% off admission at the Go Green Expo in Atlanta

Register online by 5 pm today, Wednesday June 24 and use the code GGE50 for 50% off admission – regular admission is $10 – Students and Seniors are $5 –  Children under 12 are free.

Business-to-Business Expo (attendance free of charge with business card)
Friday, June 26th • 10am – 5pm

Business-to-Business & Business-to-Consumer Expo
Saturday, June 27th • 10am – 6pm
Sunday, June 28th • 10am – 5pm

Atlanta, GA • Cobb Galleria Centre
Two Galleria Parkway
Atlanta, Georgia 30339
www.CobbGalleria.com

Tickets:
Friday: Complimentary to Business Buyers
(please bring your business card for admission)
Saturday & Sunday: $10 for a full weekend pass
$5 for Students & Seniors with proper ID; Children 12 and under are Free

who should attend?
Everyone interested in learning about environmentally friendly goods & services for use in modern everyday living.

what will you see?
• Over 200 Booths / Exhibits
• Interactive Seminars / Speeches -Download Schedule HERE
• Acoustic Musical Performances
• Green Job Opportunities
• Free yoga sessions
• Rock climbing wall for kids & adults
• Free organic food sampling
• Hybrid Car Test Drives
• Eco-kids zone & Organic Garden
• Green Marketplace
• Demonstrations & hands on activities

when?
Business-to-Business Expo
Friday, June 26th • 10am – 5pm

Business-to-Business & Business-to-Consumer Expo
Saturday, June 27th • 10am – 6pm
Sunday, June 28th • 10am – 5pm

where?
Atlanta, GA • Cobb Galleria Centre
Two Galleria Parkway
Atlanta, Georgia 30339
www.CobbGalleria.com

why?
To learn how green alternatives can positively change the way you impact the environment. Each of our small changes make a big impact.

how?
Click HERE for tickets

 

 

 

 

Green Living: Improving Health Today and Tomorrow

Much attention has been paid in recent years to what seems to be a growing environmental conscience in the United States. Going green used to be considered expensive and a luxury for those who could afford the trend. Now it appears that we are learning that not only is adopting more environmentally conscious attitudes good for our economic situation, but also our….health? Yes, if we dig a bit deeper we can see that dirty industries and backwards policy is actually harming the health of the earth for our children and the health of her inhabitants today.

How Does Environmental Policy Affect Public Health?

There are two levels of health consequences associated with dirty industry, both direct and indirect. The direct consequences are examples like increased asthma rates in areas with high smog indices. Chlorofluorocarbon release into the atmosphere has shown to decrease the filter of direct sunlight on the planet, resulting in more concentrated ultraviolet light reaching the surface of the earth. Perhaps it is no surprise then that in countries with depleted atmospheric gas, skin cancer rates are among the highest in the world.

The indirect health consequences are harder to see immediately, but closer examination reveals that these are, in fact, perhaps the most hazardous. Bi-products of dirty and backwards industries, such as coal and oil processing, include cancer causing substances like asbestos and benzene. A U.K. study conducted in 2002 indicated that coal and oil industry workers are at a much higher risk of developing mesothelioma (associated with asbestos exposure) and leukemia (traced to benzene and heavy-metal exposure).  Dr. Valerie Rusch among many other doctors who specialize in this area understand that these are substances that can be directly traced to antiquated pre-regulation equipment in industries whose environmental hazards are even more inherent.

Can we really afford to continue on the path we were on before? Investment in clean industry means not a healthier planet for our children and grandchildren, but also a healthier place for us to live today.

–June 18, 2009 Written by Bill Hawthorne with the maacenter

“Go Green Expo” Set to be Atlanta’s Largest Eco-Event

Source: CSR Press Release

ATLANTA – June 10, 2009 – Over 230 of the most exciting eco-friendly companies will be exhibiting in Atlanta June 26 – 28 for the Go Green Expo at the Cobb Galleria. As one of the largest tradeshow for eco-friendly products & services in the United States, Go Green Expo introduces guests to national eco-celebrities, the latest fuel-efficient cars, eco-fashion and beauty products, green products for families and children, organic food, health and wellness events, the latest in green building and solar products and more.

 

In an effort to encourage Atlanta’s business leaders to embrace eco-friendly products, services and practices, the Expo will open its doors on Friday, June 26 from 10 am – 5 pm for a complimentary business to business day. Business buyers, wholesalers, CEO’s, government agencies, procurement officers, and environmental industry professionals are encouraged to attend. Admission is free on Friday with a company business card.

 

Open to the public on Saturday and Sunday, tickets are only $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors and military families, free for kids under the age of 12. For a full schedule of events and to purchase tickets, visit: http://www.GoGreenExpo.com Please use code “GGE50″ for 50% off ticket prices (online registration only).

 

Show highlights include:

• Test-drives of the latest fuel-efficient cars including Toyota’s 3rd generation Prius and Smart Car on Saturday & Sunday.
• Free Yoga sessions from Dahm Yoga and My Traveling Yogi.
• Rock climbing walls for kids and adults alike on Saturday and Sunday – those who reach the top will have a tree planted in their name in Atlanta!
• Meet Oscar-nominated actress, model, eco-mom and author Mariel Hemingway, Saturday, June 27 at 1:00 pm. Mariel will be signing copies of her new cookbook, Mariel’s Kitchen: Simple Ingredients for a Delicious and Satisfying Life.
• Acoustic Musical Performances all day Sunday from Magic Hat, Jeff Hix & the Heretics and the DejaBlue Grass Band.
• On Sunday, June 28 meet Atlanta Falcons fullback Ovie Mughelli, one of the “greenest” football players in the NFL. Ovie will be signing autographs, posing for photos and discussing how to inspire kids to go green.
• Free organic food samplings and FARMER D Organics will be creating organic and biodynamic eco-garden that will help foster healthier communities that grow their own food at their homes, schools, businesses, farms and more.
• Win tradeshow prizes including an exciting weeklong stay in Costa Rica and an eco-friendly scooter from Ride Green
• The Ann Jackson Gallery will showcase the Dr. Seuss Lorax collection. Long before saving the earth became a global concern, Dr. Seuss, speaking through his character the Lorax, warned against mindless progress and the danger it posed to the earth’s natural beauty.
• Atlanta eco-living expert Laura Turner Seydel will speak about greening your body and home and give a photo tour of her LEED certified residence EcoManor on Saturday.
• The GREENandSAVE Eco Academy is a cutting edge training program designed to give individuals all the necessary tools to have a rewarding career in the “green” industry as a Home Efficiency Consultant. Become a Home Efficiency Consultant in as little as 30 days!
• Learn about green building from the Director of Sustainability for the City of Atlanta, Mandy Schmitt and the President of the USGBC Atlanta chapter Ben Taube. 

Go Green Expo sponsors and partners include: WSB-TV, Dave FM, Captain Planet Foundation, Mother Nature Network, Creative Loafing, Green Chamber of the South, CareerEco, PrintResponsily.com, Atlanta Business Chronicle, Southeast Green, Atlanta.com, Earth Share of Georgia, The Georgia River Network, Sustainable Furnishings Council, HowYouEco.com, Natural Awakenings Magazine, EcoScene, The Architects Newspaper, Boho Magazine, Earth-List, Green Energy Council, Yelp.com & more.

 

Grow your green business! Limited booth space still available, please contact Nicole Boyer (212) 655-4505 x226 or NBoyer@GoGreenExpo.com.

The drought is officially over. We can go back to our old ways…

The drought is over. 

That’s the word from Georgia’s top environmental officials. After years of water restrictions and conservation programs, water levels across the state appear to be getting back to normal.

The state climatologist says Georgia experienced the wettest spring season on record in 115 years.  In fact, Governor Sonny Perdue says heavy rainfall in recent months helped the entire state emerge from the worst drought categories, prompting restrictions on outdoor water use to be lifted for the first time since 2006. 

So, should we still conserve water? Absolutely.

Why should we conserve water?

 There are many good reasons to conserve water.

Water conservation can help meet future needs.

Water is a precious resource – our lives depend on it. In Georgia, the average consumption (residential, commercial and industrial, not agricultural) is 168 gallons per day, 10% higher than the national average of 153 gallons a day. An adult needs less than a gallon per day for drinking purposes, but 101 gallons per day are used in residential applications.

(Source: http://www.p2ad.org/files_pdf/cwmbs.pdf) 

Georgia’s population growth is among the most rapid in the nation. In the last decade, the state’s population has increased by more than 1.7 million. If current trends continue, Georgia’s population will reach 11.9 million in 2025. A doubling of demand for water over the next twenty years is highly probable. Given that drought-prone Georgia already uses a relatively high share of its land for residential purposes, future population growth will have a meaningful impact upon the supply of fresh water. As more and more faucets drain the aquifers, or underground reservoirs, urban sprawl paves over the land and short-circuits its absorption properties. Georgia’s fast-growing cities face water shortages by 2020 unless local utilities find new supplies.

Saving water will save you money.

Conserving water saves you money! Not only will your water bill go down, but as you heat less water, your gas or energy bill will also decline. If your whole community conserves, you will also pay less fees for water-related services. Water conserving communities will not need to pay as much to develop new supplies and expand or upgrade water and wastewater infrastructure.

 The City of Atlanta has approved a 12.5% rate increase effective July 1, 2009 and another 12% increase in 2010.  

Approved Water and Sewer Rates City of Atlanta

Water conservation helps preserve the environment.

Quite simply, water is the essential component of all life. It comprises 70% of the Earth’s surface and 75% of the human body. Of that 70% of surface water, only 1% is actually drinkable. Water is needed to keep the ecosystem in balance. Clouds need water to make rain. Plants need water to grow. Animals depend on plants for the oxygen they produce and the food they provide. When one element of the chain is compromised, the entire system is thrown out of whack. Roughly 46% of America’s lakes are too polluted for fishing, swimming or hosting aquatic life. 1.2 trillion gallons of untreated sewage, storm water, and industrial waste are discharged into US waters annually.

 There are many obvious reasons for us to protect our water supply, but the most important point to remember is that water is absolutely essential to all living things. Educate yourself, dedicate yourself, and you can make a difference.

(Source: http://www.luminant.com/scholar/docs/EnvironmentWater.pdf)

A significant level of water conservation can be achieved without major changes in lifestyle. Simply watering landscapes properly and utilizing efficient plumbing fixtures and appliances in the home can reduce the per-capita water use by 25 percent.

Toilet replacement Program in Alamo Heights, OR

Source: Hotelwork Network

HILLSBORO, OREGON – June 9, 2009 – Caroma, the leader in dual flush toilets and stylish sinks, is partnering with the City of Alamo Heights and Morrison Supply Company in Texas on a toilet replacement program for Alamo Heights water customers. The new program will be launching on June 10th, 2009.

Due to drought conditions, Alamo Heights is experiencing Stage 1 water restrictions. This includes limiting landscape watering to one designated day per week at specific hours, no impervious outdoor ground washing (parking lot, driveway, etc.), restaurants serving water only when customers request, and several additional restrictions. As part of these ongoing efforts to conserve limited water supplies, the City of Alamo Heights has created the toilet voucher replacement program to help conserve water in the house.

Approximately 30% of water in the home is used to flush a toilet. Many older toilets use 3.5 or 5 gallons of water per flush. The voucher rebate program enables homeowners to purchase a water-efficient Caroma toilet at a reduced cost and qualify for a $50 water bill credit with original proof of purchase. Two vouchers and two credits are available per occupied unit.

Eligible High Efficiency Toilets (HETs) are toilets that utilize no more than 1.28 gallons per flush (gpf). All Caroma toilets are high efficiency and feature a two button dual flush system that averages just 0.9-0.96 gallons per flush. This allows the user to choose a full flush (1.28 – 1.6 gallons per flush depending on model) for solid waste or 0.8 gallons per flush for liquid and paper waste. Based on an average flush volume of 0.9-0.96 gpf, the average house will save 40-44% more water than a standard 1.6 gallon toilet (the national mandate) and up to 74% more water than a 3.5 gallon toilet, which are still commonly installed in homes today.
 
“Water conservation has become extremely important as our water resources are becoming scarcer,” states Shawn Eddy, Assistant City Manager/Director of Public Works for the City of Alamo Heights. “By just replacing 3.5 to 5 gallon per flush toilets with high efficiency toilets, the city estimates a savings of 8,130 gallons of water per year. That is approximately 22 gallons of water per toilet per day.”

To find out more about the toilet replacement rebate program for City of Alamo Heights water customers and to obtain your rebate voucher, visit their website at www.alamoheightstx.gov. Toilets purchased through the Morrison Supply airport location are available for rebate, and the hours of operation are Monday – Friday from 7:30am – 5:00pm.

Recycle in Georgia

I Recycle in Georgia supports a statewide campaign to change misperceptions about recycling – and to get the 45 percent of Georgians who don’t recycle to get started.

You Gotta Be Kidding Home

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Is a rainwater collecting system a good investment?

I  have permission to share an interesting article, written by Bob Drew, owner of ECOVIE Rainwater Collection Systems

Well, we’ve had 3 straight months of above average rainfall.  If June is also above normal, the drought will be declared over and the watering ban may be lifted.  But, we are now moving into the drier months and it is possible we will remain under watering restrictions.   Even so, one may wonder what normal Atlanta rainfall conditions mean with regard to the benefits of a rainwater collection system.  Rainwater collection systems in the form of multi-thousand gallon tanks and cisterns are popping up all over metro Atlanta in response to the lower than average rainfall and low Lake Lanier levels the last 3 years.  Are these systems still a good investment if there are no watering restrictions and rainfall is normal?  The answer is yes.  In fact, some of the reasons for having a rainwater collection system for your home actually become more important when it rains more.  Consider that:

1.  With no watering ban, we can once again water turf and gardens with our automatic irrigation systems.  Feeding these systems with city water can cost hundreds of dollars per month.  Feeding your irrigation with rainwater is nearly free and will definitely save you money.
2. Even under normal rainfall conditions, we will likely experience several periods of more than 10 days without appreciable rain this summer.  A rainwater collection system bridges across these periods to keep your lawn and garden lush and vibrant.   Even though rain itself nourishes our lawns and gardens, we will still need to water to keep plants at their optimal best.
3. When it rains a lot, rainwater collection systems prevent heavy erosion and storm water runoff problems.  By collecting water and using it later, soils can better soak up water and replenish the ground water supply.  For those who think drilling a well is the answer, keep in mind that irrigating with well water has a net negative effect on ground water supply.
4. The possibility of using rainwater year around for indoor uses such as laundering and toilet flushing becomes much more attractive the more it rains.  With additional filtration and UV disinfection, the Georgia Plumbing Code allows use of rainwater indoors for non-potable uses.  The typical family of four uses around 50,000 gallons per year for these uses, so the cost savings and other benefits can be substantial. 

And whether there’s a drought or not, collecting rainwater is a smart choice to help alleviate Atlanta’s ongoing water supply challenges.  This may be as good a time as ever to consider rainwater collection to protect your landscape investment use less city water.

Revised Draft Water-Efficient Single-Family New Home Specification – Public comment period until July 7

Source http://www.epa.gov/watersense/specs/homes.htm

Update

EPA will conduct a public meeting on June 10, 2009 from 8 am – 5 pm (Eastern Time) at the Holiday Inn Capitol – Washington, DC . To register for the meeting, please fill out and submit the Water-Efficient Single-Family New Home Public Meeting Registration Form by June 3, 2009.

EPA will hold an additional public Webinar on June 22, 2009 from 1 pm – 4 pm (Eastern Time) for those unable to attend the Washington, DC meeting. To register for the Webinar, please fill out and submit the Water-Efficient Single-Family New Home Public Meeting Registration Form by June 17, 2009.

Revised Specification Information

EPA released a draft specification for water-efficient single-family new homes on May 22, 2008. Based on substantial feedback and significant revisions, EPA released a revised draft specification on May 8, 2009.

This specification establishes the criteria for water-efficient new homes under EPA’s WaterSense program. When finalized, it will be applicable to newly constructed single-family homes and townhomes, three stories or less in size.

In addition, to meet the Landscape Design Criteria (Section 4.1.1), the builder may choose to comply by completing a water budget. EPA has developed a tool to guide these calculations. The first version of the tool, released on November 20, 2008, was based on methodology developed by the irrigation industry as described in Irrigation Association’s Landscape Irrigation Scheduling and Water Management (2005). This second version incorporates additional research and recommendations suggested by stakeholders as part of the public comment process.

The third-party verification of WaterSense labeled new homes is intended to confirm that the builder has met the criteria of EPA’s specification for water-efficient single-family new homes. The inspection and irrigation audit guidelines explains how inspectors verify that the criteria have been met and must be followed in conjunction with the specification. These guidelines have been revised to incorporate revisions to the specification criteria and methods by which they will be tested.

• Revised Draft Water-Efficient Single-Family New Home Specification Cover Letter (PDF) (9 pp, 54K) 
• Revised Draft Water-Efficient Single-Family New Home Specification (PDF) (10 pp, 82K) 
• WaterSense Landscape Water Budget Tool
  • Revised WaterSense Water Budget Approach (PDF) (8 pp, 71K) 
  • Revised WaterSense Landscape Water Budget Tool (MS Excel) (3 pp, 672K) 
  • ETo Finder

   

• Revised Draft Irrigation Audit Guidelines and Irrigation Audit Checklist (PDF) (5 pp, 46K) 
• Revised Draft WaterSense Labeled New Home
  Inspection Guidelines and Inspection Checklist (PDF) (21 pp, 208K, About PDF)

EPA is interested in obtaining input from all interested parties on the revised draft specification materials. The public comment period is open for 60 days and ends on July 7, 2009. Please send any comments or suggestions regarding the revised draft specification materials to <watersense-newhomes@erg.com>. All comments become a part of the public record.

In order to facilitate the consistency and utility of comments received, please submit your comments using the Template for Public Comment Submission (MS Word) (1 pp, 50K). You may either download and save this document template and directly insert your comments, or attach your comments in your own document, provided that you clearly reference the text/section in question, your recommended changes, and why you think these changes are needed.

Additionally, WaterSense will be conducting a public comment meeting in June 2009. Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.

For more information about the water-efficient single family new home specification process, including the first draft, public comments, and EPA’s response to the public comments of the specification and water budget tool, please see the Water-Efficient Single-Family New Home Specification Background Materials page.

Where old toilets go

Source: EPA’s WaterSense website

Where Old Toilets Go… If a new, water-efficient toilet sounds appealing, but you worry that throwing away your old—but functional—toilet is wasteful, you might be surprised to learn replacing an old, wasteful toilet is actually the smart thing to do. An old toilet could be wasting 4,000 gallons of water per year in your bathroom, when it could be doing something much more useful than flushing away all that water. Toilet recycling programs across the country are turning old toilets into crushed porcelain for a variety of purposes. Glass or concrete crushers at recycling facilities can process ceramic toilets into finely crushed pebbles or a slightly larger aggregate. Pebbles can be added into asphalt for paving roads, and aggregate can be used for drainage projects. Crushed porcelain not only keeps discarded toilets out of landfills and closes the recycling loop, but it also reduces the need to mine gravel, saving money and benefiting the environment. In fact, when Toronto, Ontario, used crushed toilets in landfill trenches, the city saved $8,732 by avoiding the purchase of gravel at $13.59 per metric ton. How else are old toilets used? Here are just a few examples:

• Building Foundations – California’s Inland Empire Utilities Agency used crushed toilets in its building foundation, which helped earn a Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) program.
• Trail Pavement – San Antonio’s Calaveras Park Nature Trail is paved with the remains of 1,000 crushed porcelain toilets. In Kitchener, Ontario, the walkway through the water-wise Greenbrook Demonstration Gardens is also paved in part with crushed toilets. Reportedly, the crushed porcelain even makes trails easier to see in the dark.
• Mulch – Crushed toilets are used as mulch in the San Antonio Botanical Gardens’ Water Saver Lane Exhibit.
• Artificial Reefs – In Virginia, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation is working with the City of Hampton and Waste Management Corporation to build an artificial oyster reef to buttress declining oyster stocks. More than 100 cubic yards of broken porcelain from toilets has been collected for the reefs.

To find out if toilet recycling is available in your community, contact your state’s municipal solid waste program.

Water-conservation policies get credit for drop in demand

Ottawa, Canada: Another sucessful toilet rebate program: Water bills show households where the toilets have been replaced use about 51,000 litres of water less each year, saving approximately $130. The report says that, based on water-meter readings, it takes just over two years for the average homeowner’s water savings, plus the rebate, to pay for a new $340 toilet.Water-conservation policies get credit for drop in demand

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