via City of Los Angeles Approves Waterless Urinals for All Buildings.

And not just any urinals, the lucky winner is the H2Zero waterless urinal by Caroma, which beat out the competition to win this huge endorsement from one of the largest cities in the United States. Plus, green builders looking to get their permit approved now have one more ally on their side as this system has already been stamped off by the city.

In a city that has long had its battles with water conservation, this is just one more way to save lots and lots and lots of water. So just how did this “vitreous china urinal” clear all of the hurdles? Well, by making a product that outperformed the other urinals in operation, odor management, durability and waste build-up. If the city was going to approve a system that might make some people a little queasy, they had to find something that wouldn’t leave a mess for anyone to have to deal with.

Source Hotelnetwork.com

HILLSBORO, OREGON  -– Caroma, the leader in dual flush toilets and stylish bathroom sinks, is pleased to continue its support of American Forests and the environment by donating trees to the Ham Lake rehabilitation project in Superior National Forest in Minnesota.

On July 4, 1999 a windstorm caused 1000 square miles of blowdown, with the main path passing through the Gunflint Trail. The Gunflint Trail is a State of Minnesota scenic byway that bisects the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and is historic because it follows Native American footpaths that are centuries old. It now serves a significant portion of Cook County residents and businesses. The area was struck again by disaster in May 2007 when the Ham Lake Fire occurred, the largest wildfire in the history of the Superior National Forest. Caroma is contributing to the planting of 134,000 red, white and Jack pine to benefit threatened, endangered, and sensitive species. This planting will be a part of Gunflint Green Up, which began in the summer of 2007 and involves public participation in reforesting after the fire. Volunteers included Girl Scout Troops, families, college students, senior citizens and friends and families of those who lost homes in the fire.

“We are pleased that Caroma continues to sponsor American Forests replanting programs,” states Deborah Gangloff, Executive Director of American Forests. “Their continued support of programs such as the Ham Lake rehabilitation project shows their concern for the environment and willingness to think beyond their primary business of water conservation. We look forward to their ongoing donations to environmental conservation.”

American Forests’ mission is to grow a healthier world with trees by working with communities on local efforts that restore and maintain forest ecosystems. Our work encompasses planting trees, calculating the value of urban forests, fostering environmental education, and improving public policy for trees at the national level. We have a goal of 100 million trees planted by 2020.

According to Derek Kirkpatrick, Caroma North America General Manager, “We are concerned with protecting the environment for our children and further into the future. Caroma promotes water conservation with high efficiency toilets and urinals, and we are extremely pleased to expand beyond water conservation by becoming a sponsor of American Forests and their environmental restoration programs.”

Source National Post November 23, 2009, 4:30 PM by Jodie Shupac

The shift to all things green gains momentum, and certain cities are flush with requests for energy-efficient household alternatives.

Gwinnett Business Journal

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The following information was provided by Pete Van Cleave, Water for Life http://www.waterforlifeonline.com/

Everybody is susceptible to being scammed, simply because they want to believe!

Nowhere is this more obvious than in the drinking water business. Politics spawns a lot of lies in the water business since the government is responsible for making tap water. Franchising and exclusive territories also spawn lies.  The internet has spawned much nonsense, too, with it’s uncensored, wild west sort of approach to business. It is truly alarming to see the explosion of internet products claiming to infuse water with magical properties to cure all your ills. These specially altered waters claim to be superior because they’re wetter, oxygenated, clustered, enhanced, magnetized, energized, alkalized, vitalized, or some other pseudoscientific term.  These empty promises simply do not hold water.

We always look for scientific and verifiable data from reliable third parties than can provide the proven facts about the various treatment technologies and how pure water works to support good health.  Education is the only way to battle bogus claims. I have studied water for 20 years and I stand firm in my commitment to bring you the very best possible drinking water and water purification systems based upon the best information available.

Distillation is the only method to produce legally purified water

Since 2002, it is one of three methods to produce legally purified water.  Competitors only selling one thing tend to defend it well, but also get their blinders on regarding other advances.  Biopure Everclean Reverse Osmosis also produces microbiologically pure water according to the NSF without electricity. We believe independence protects consumers best.

Common Reverse Osmosis works as well as NSF Nano filter/Everclean Rinse Reverse Osmosis

Common Reverse Osmosis systems degrade from day one like a filter does. Microbiological contaminants often migrate through the membrane or o-rings. Everclean Rinse Reverse Osmosis prevents the membrane from degrading and keeps the water 100% consistently pure. It costs more, but the value is there because the membrane does not have to be replaced like it does with common RO.  The NSF Nano filter technology gives a non electric system barrier protection against all forms of bacteria for those undergoing chemotherapy, organ transplant, or HIV/Aids.

Throwaway bottles are not a problem because they break down in the landfill.

There is an area of floating plastic trash in the Northern Pacific ocean that is twice the size of the continental United States. Experts tell us that dangerous chemicals from industrial waste stick to the plastics and enter the food chain as it is ingested by birds and marine life.  Americans bought about 50,000,000,000 plastic bottles in 2006 and the cost of energy and pollution is staggering! It takes enough crude oil to fuel 100,000 cars for a year to make a year’s supply of those plastic bottles. It takes 1000 years for these bottles to break down 100%.

Energized, vitalized, living, hexagonal, activated, ionized, and restructured water is purported to slow aging, restore cellular balance, or raise consciousness, and promote world peace.

All scams and hoaxes supported by testimonial evidence which only tries to take advantage of feel good placebo marketing. Absolutely no third party testing or science supports this.

 Oxygenated water enhances performance and post recovery workout.

The grossly overpriced Penta water is priced at $15.00 per gallon.  Perfect water by Amway is priced at $36.00 per case. Infused with 30- 40% more oxygen than ordinary water, it is marketed on the premise that the body can actually absorb oxygen directly into the bloodstream via the digestive system. The only way to get oxygen into the blood is through the lungs.  Trying to get oxygen into your body from water is called “drowning”! Unless you have gills, there is no need to search out water with extra oxygen.  This is a case of pure fraud without physiologic foundation.

 Clustered water is the fountain of youth.

Each year, university researchers on human aging bestow their annual “Silver Fleece” award on anti-aging quackery.  The 2002 recipient was “clustered” water. Water only really clusters when it crystallizes during freezing.

Magnetic water can cure all manner of human ailments.

There is no scientific evidence that water can even be magnetized in the first place.  This scam is at odds with the fundamental laws of physics.

Advanced filters can protect you as well as legal purifiers

Filters do not protect against microbiological or inorganic contaminants. They are often not changed properly, they break down, they dump, they channel, and they produce a declining level of performance the older they get. I often test the water coming out of them worse than the water going into them because they have no automatic shutdown devices.

 Cheap spring or national brand water in 16.9 oz bottles is the answer to tap water problems.  

Teton Springs, Quibell, Lithia Springs, and Big Springs are all local springs that have gone out of business in Georgia in the past 15 years because they failed to protect their customers from microbiological contamination in their water. Crystal Springs, Dasani, and Aquafina have all been cited for contaminants in their water in the past 8 years. We have tested our water against Deer Park, Zephyr Hills, Nestle Pure Life, Crystal Geyser, and every cheap brand sold in the state of Georgia. They all test out with contamination higher than tap water.

Municipal water systems are still keeping our drinking water safe.  Every system using chlorine contains the cancer causing agent trihalomethanes.  63% of waterborne illnesses in the U.S. are directly caused by Cryptosporidium and Giardia cysts, which are city water chlorine tolerant.  Flouride is ineffective and has serious health risks.  The American Dental Association is now warning parents not to use fluoridated water in the preparation of formula. After so many “boil water” alerts, chemical spills, broken water mains, and now AP’s pharmaceutical expose, Municipalities and states are now spending $63 billion dollars a year to try to keep up, but they can’t.  Legal testing requirements and repairs are currently routinely granted waivers. Many municipalities are using the exact same technology that has been in place for 100 years.  TDS levels, by my own testing are double what they were 20 years ago.  Standards are getting tougher as we find out new scientific facts and more contaminants are being discovered.  For example, in January 2006, the standard for Arsenic was reduced from 50 PPB to 10 PPB.  That means the previous standard was off by 500 percent! The distribution system is completely laden with problems: over 237,000 water main breaks in 2006.  The distribution system is coated with dangerous layers of mineral, biological, and chemical deposits that recontaminate the water as it travels in pipes from treatment plant to homes.  We now have over 2100 chemical contaminants in the drinking water that we can test for but we don’t. The EPA estimates there is a gap of $22 billion per year between what is needed and what is done. The fact is that in the next 30 years, every city water supply in the U.S. will reach or exceed it’s expected lifetime, costing the American taxpayer somewhere near $300 billion just to fix the underground pipes. 

Respectfully,

Pete Van Cleave

Water for Life

(770) 578-0600

Critical Water Shortages – Practical Solutions to Save Both Water and Money

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Caroma Toilet Review | H2O Report

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Caroma was started back in 1941 by a man named Charles Rothauser, the company’s production and innovation on these toilets start back in 1945. They have been successful in their endeavors and have since produced two new urinals that have become the leaders in water saving technology. This company is based in Australia and their products have found the world over. Their products will save you money on your water bills.

By using Caroma Toilets it has been proven that you can save water up to 18,000 gallons of water every year. These toilets have proven reliability and dependability. The technology that has gone into creating these toilets is one of a kind. If you are tired of wasting water and wasting money on your water bills, then you should check out the Caroma Toilets.
One of the series of toilets that Caroma pride themselves on is their WaterSense Toilets. These toilets are considered to be High Efficiency Toilets or HET. In the United States, the federal law, all toilets must not exceed 1.6 gallons of water per flush. With Caroma, their toilets use less than 1.3 gallons of water. The Water Sense label is used on High Efficiency Toilets as they are certified to be. These WaterSense Toilets Meets the EPA Criteria.

The Water Sense Toilets are available in many different styles. Let’s take a look at the top three in the Water Sense Toilets. The Adelaide Cube 270 Easy Height Round Front Plus, Bondi 270 Easy Height Elongated and the Caravelle 270 Easy Height Elongated. Take a look at these popular Caroma Toilets and see which one would best save you money on your water bills.

The Adelaide Cube 270 Easy Height Round Front Plus
The Adelaide Cube 270 Easy Height Round Front Plus is a High Efficiency Toilet or HET. It has a 1.6/0.8 gallons per flush. It is a two-piece toilet with a two button dual flush toilet. The bowl is a higher bowl with a measurement of 16.5 inches. It also has a larger concealed trapway and it is an easy cleaning. This toilet is floor mounted and works in conjunction the connection to the waste outlet for a 10-inch to 12 inch rough in.

This Adelaide Cube 270 Easy Height Round Front Plus offers a standard bottom entry; this toilet design is available as a left-handed inlet and includes a quiet water control assembly. It also is designed with an internal overflow only. The tank is installed directly to the closet bowl with a robust base fixing system without having to do any wall fixing of your own.

The Caroma Adelaide Front Round Toilet is nearly unblockable; you should have confidence when you use the Adelaide that there won’t be any clogs. The dimensions of this toilet are 29-5/8 in length x 13-3/8 inches in width x 32-5/8 inches in height. This is a standard size toilet with a round front design. If you are looking for a new toilet, one that will save you money on your water bills then you should check out this model. The price on this toilet is about $ 600.00; you could shop around for a better price.

Bondi 270 Easy Height Elongated Bowl Front
The Bondi 270 Easy Height Elongated Bowl also has a 1.6/0.8 gallons per flush high efficiency. This toilet is made from vitreous china, which is one of the most durable materials used for manufacturing toilets. This toilet has an elongated bowl design with 17 to 19 inches in height. The adjustable rough in on this toilet is between 10 inches and 12 inches. This toilet is a two-piece, two button dual flush. A dual flush toilet has two buttons, one is actually for flushing the toilet half flush and the other is a full flush.

The benefits of having a dual flush on the Bondi 270 is that is you are flushing urine then the half flush would be perfect, it would use .08 gallons of water and for solids you would use the full flush with a 1.6 gallons per flush. Imagine how much water you will save by using half flushes. The 270 was designed with water conservation in mind. Since the bowl design is elongated you will get a more accurate flush every time.

The Bondi 270 has a free fitting lid and would work great either in a domestic situation or a very light commercial application. This toilet comes with a Vandal Resistant Conversion Kit; this is an easy to install kit that locks the lid onto the tank. If you don’t have a lot of heavy traffic at home as opposed to a commercial application then you probably don’t need it. This toilet has the WaterSense label and is ADA compliant. This toilet is priced around $550, prices vary if you shop around.

The Caravelle 270 Easy Height Elongated
The Caravelle 270 have a great European style design, they will give your bathroom that elegant yet modern look. These toilets are two-piece toilets with elongated bowl front. This toilet is a high efficiency toilet with a dual flush. One flush is used for urine and liquids, when you use this half flush you will use a .08 gallons of water per flush and when you use the full flush for solids, you will use 1.6 gallons per flush.

The Caravelle 270 Easy Height toilet has a 17 inch elongated bowl for a more accurate flush. This toilet has a large 100% concealed trapway and like the Bondi and the Adelaide Toilets these are almost unblockable. These toilets have a full flush wash down with a closet bowl and an open flush rim. It can be floor mounted suitable for a connection to the waste outlet with a 10 inch to 12 inch rough in.

This tank is also a free fitting lid and a Vandal Resistant Conversion Kit is available. It is not recommended for residential homes. The Caravelle has a standard bottom entry tank that is available as a left hand inlet that includes a very quiet water control assembly. This toilet costs about $ 451.00 and you could find a cheaper price if you shop around.

Caroma Toilets have been around for since 1945, they are not considered to be mainstream toilets like American Standard, Kohler or Delta but they have a reputation for being high quality, high performance toilets with a water conservation design. You can purchase these toilets from certain distributors. If you are interested in taking a look or getting more information on other Caroma Toilets, log onto their website and check out the Where to Buy button, click on the map and find a dealers nearest to you.

If you have any questions, you can click on their Contact Us link and find the nearest customer service number to you. Caroma will answer any questions that you may have. They have quality products and they will surely last you a long time. They will also save you money every month on your water bills. If you are looking for a new toilet that will save you money rather than cost you money, Caroma Toilets should be considered. They have a full inventory of great products.

Agencies adopt water diets – SignOnSanDiego.com

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Solar PV Array on Roof of Campus Crossings Emory University

Source Press release, September 30, 2009

ATLANTA, GEORGIA, September 30, 2009 – Founder and president of Soenso Energy, Roger K. Cone, today announced that this Marietta, GA, startup is celebrating five years of service to Georgia. Established in September 2004, Soenso Energy is one of the leading renewable energy installers in the state. Soenso, which is an acronym for Southern Environmental Solutions, installs commercial and residential solar thermal water heating, solar photovoltaic (PV) electric and small wind turbine electric systems.

“Much of Georgia is marginal for wind energy,” said Mr. Cone, “but there are micro-climates in our area where our residential/small commercial-sized wind turbines perform quite well. However, Georgia is indisputably a solar state.” Most of Georgia is rated as “very good” for solar radiation according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Georgia is on par with much of Florida, the self-proclaimed “Sunshine State”, for solar energy potential.
Currently there are generous Federal and Georgia financial incentives in place for the installation of renewable energy. Generally speaking for commercial solar or wind energy installations the Federal incentive is a 30% income tax credit or grant, and the Georgia incentive is a 35% income tax credit or rebate. And generally speaking for residential solar or wind energy installations the Federal incentive is a 30% income tax credit, and the Georgia incentive is a 35% income tax credit. There are published maximum limits on Georgia renewable energy incentives.

In its “long” five-year history Soenso has provided renewable energy systems for clients in a variety of categories including churches, inns, museums, office buildings, private residences, restaurants, schools and warehouse facilities, among others. Soenso Energy encourages the practice of energy conservation first and then the implementation of renewable energy. We are helping Georgia move away from our dependence on dirty fossil fuels such as petroleum and coal that are major contributors to the climate crisis. Soenso Energy is working toward making renewable energy a more significant component of Georgia’s overall energy mix.
About Soenso Energy Located in Marietta, Georgia, near Atlanta, Soenso Energy is a supplier and installer of commercial and residential renewable energy products – solar thermal hot water systems, solar photovoltaic (PV) for generating electricity and small wind turbines for generating electricity. These renewable energy technologies qualify for Federal and Georgia clean energy income tax credits. On the Web: http://www.soenso.com , Email: info@soenso.com, Phone: (770) 973-6298.

Soenso Energy.

Walpole Sewer and Water Department rebates and giveaways – Walpole, MA – Wicked Local Walpole

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In brief – Winnipeg Free Press

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If you’re planning to buy a toilet or bathroom sink faucet this fall, timing your purchase to coincide with Georgia’s sales tax holiday for WaterSense labeled products can help you save a little money. Between October 1 and October 4, 2009, customers will not have to pay sales tax on toilets and bathroom sink faucets and accessories that have earned the WaterSense label. Consumers can be sure that products with the WaterSense label have been independently certified to meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) rigorous criteria for water efficiency and performance. 

Purchasing and installing WaterSense labeled products is a key way Georgians can save water. If just one out of every four households in Georgia would retrofit their bathrooms with WaterSense labeled bathroom fixtures, it could save nearly 10 billion gallons per year—enough for every Georgian to take a shower daily for about two months. 

Whether remodeling a bathroom, constructing a new home, or simply replacing older, inefficient fixtures that waste money and water, consider installing a WaterSense labeled toilet or bathroom sink faucet. 

As consumers shop for WaterSense labeled toilets during the sales tax holiday, they can be sure these fixtures use 20 percent less water than the current federal standard for toilets and that WaterSense labeled bathroom sink faucets and accessories will reduce a sink’s water flow by 30 percent or more. Because all products must be tested to meet EPA’s criteria before earning the WaterSense label, these water savings are achieved without sacrificing performance. 

The sales tax holiday on WaterSense labeled products will start Thursday, October 1 at midnight and will continue through the weekend until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, October 4.  Any WaterSense labeled product purchased for noncommercial home or personal use during the sales tax holiday will be Georgia state sales tax-free. 

For more information on the sales tax holiday, visit Conserve Water Georgia.

For more information on WaterSense, please visit www.epa.gov/watersense. 

For more information on WaterSense labeled, High Efficiency Toilets, please contact GA’s largest seller of the award-winning Caroma Dual Flush toilets, ecoTransitions. All of Caroma’s 47 floor mounted models also qualify for the $100 toilet rebate offered by most Metro Atlanta Water authorities. For more information, visit http://www.ecotransitions.com/ or contact them via email at sales@ecotransitions.com or by phone at (678) 313-9260.

October 1-4, 2009

A culture of conservation is growing in Georgia.

We are responsible for the stewardship of our state’s natural resources. Incorporating energy and water conservation practices into our daily lives benefits everyone in our state now and for generations to come. And small changes can make a big impact in our pocketbooks. To help make those changes a little easier, Georgia is offering the ENERGY STAR® and WaterSense® Sales Tax Holiday, Oct. 1-4, 2009.

During the sales tax holiday, you can purchase ENERGY STAR-qualified or WaterSense-labeled products up to $1,500 without paying sales tax. In addition to the up-front cost savings, purchasing and installing more-efficient appliances and products can reduce in-home utility costs and improve both energy and water conservation.

ENERGY STAR®

ENERGY STAR products meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy. These appliances, electronics and lighting operate while using less energy – and less money – than older models.

Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, prevented 43 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2008 alone – equivalent to the annual emissions from 29 million vehicles – and saved more than $19 million on their utility bills. By looking to ENERGY STAR for best practices and products, households can reduce their energy use and save about one-third, or $750 annually, on their utility bills, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

WaterSense®

WaterSense, a national program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, makes it easy to find water-efficient products. Toilets, faucets and other products that are independently certified to meet U.S. EPA criteria for water effi­ciency and performance can earn the label.

The average household spends as much as $500 per year on its water and sewer bill. By installing WaterSense-labeled fixtures and ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances that use water more efficiently, a household could save about $170 per year. If just one out of every four households in Georgia retrofit their bathrooms with WaterSense-labeled fixtures, it could save nearly 10 billion gallons of water per year – enough for every Georgian to take a shower daily for about two months.

For more information on ENERGY STAR, please visit www.gefa.org/Index.aspx?page=352

For more information on WaterSense, please visit www.conservewatergeorgia.net/documents/ waterSense_taxHoliday.html