by Paul L. Nettles
The 4 Basic Elements to Building a Green Home
Green building is more than the actual construction of your home, though that is a big part of the process. It is a beginning to end process which begins with the selection of your land, the design of your dream home, the materials and practices used during construction and finally, how you operate and maintain your dream home once it is completed. You can incorporate as many or as few of these elements into your home’s design as you choose.
You decide how “Green” you want to be.
Let’s look at the four basic elements in Green Building:
1. Increasing energy efficiency
2. Materials selected for building your home
3. Increasing the efficiency of water usage both in and outside of your home
4. Improving air quality, which improves the health and productivity of your family
There are many parts to each element. Let’s look at each of these in a little more detail
1. Increasing Energy Efficiency
Advanced Framing – Use a framing contractor who can apply advanced framing technique during the construction of your home. This creates a structurally sound home with improved energy efficiency, and lowers material and labor costs. This technique replaces lumber with insulation material and maximizes the wall that is insulated, improving the R-value of the home. On average, advanced framing uses 30% less lumber, which reduces the building costs and saves 2% to 4% of the total energy use. Hot Water Heater – Water heating can account for 14% to 25% of the energy consumed in your home.
To increase the efficiency of your hot water heater, locate it near the highest point of usage. This is typically near the shower followed closely by the clothes washer. Pipes – Insulate the hot and cold water pipes within 3 feet of the hot water heater. This reduces standby heat loss. Your hot water heater is continuously heating the piping and water in it, even when no water is being used. Household Appliances – A green built home features appliances that are as energy efficient as possible. The U. S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have developed a program called Energy Star which labels those appliances meeting strict energy efficient criteria. The typical household spends ,900 a year on energy bills.
ENERGY STAR qualified appliances incorporate advanced technologies that use 10-50% less energy and water than standard models. Just look for the Energy Star label. The Federal Trade Commission requires that refrigerators, freezers, water heaters, washing machines, dishwashers and window air conditioners be labeled with an Energy Guide Label. The label for a hot water heater is shown here. This hot water heater uses 268 therms per year of energy and is being compared to other similar models which use anywhere from 238 to 273 therms per year. This model’s estimated yearly operating cost is 2.When comparing different appliance brands for your new home, be sure to look at their estimated energy consumption. This will impact the operating cost of your home for years to come.
Air Sealing – This is advanced caulking which is a part of the airtight drywall approach (ADA). Specifically, caulk or gasket drywall is installed on exterior walls at the top and bottom plates, windows and door frames; on interior walls at the intersections with exterior ceilings; and at electrical, plumbing or mechanical penetrations in the drywall. This approach minimizes heat loss in your home. Work with your drywall contractor to see if he/she uses this method. Radiant Barrier – Reflect heat away from your home by installing a radiant barrier (a sheet of aluminum foil with paper backing) on the underside of your roof. This significantly lowers your cooling costs by reducing your heat gains through your ceiling by 95%. Insulation – Add insulation to your attic to keep the heat in your house. There are some environmentally friendly insulation products made from recycled blue jeans, soybeans, cotton or newspapers.
Solar Power – If the sun shines on your home for most of the day in the winter, you have the potential for solar power to reduce your energy costs. A good solar design allows the winter sun to reach a thermal mass like a tile floor which holds heat and radiates it into your home for a period of time.
Lighting – Install high-efficiency lighting systems with advanced lighting controls. This allows you to only use the light when you need it. Replace traditional incandescent lights with energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs. These bulbs will use 75% less electricity and last up to 10 times longer. When designing your home or remodeling project, introduce natural daylight into as many places as possible.
Thermostat – Use a programmable thermostat to provide you and your family the comfort you want day and night while minimizing heating use when you don’t need it. Ducts – Seal your ducts with mastic and insulate them to R-11. This minimizes the heat loss from your home. Paints – You can mix non-toxic ceramic powder into your interior paint to insulate your walls and reduce the amount of heat passing through to the outside. These ceramic particles create a radiant barrier that reflects the heat back into the room. Redirect The Heat – If you have a ceiling fan, redirect the heat back into your room by reversing the direction of the blades to counterclockwise. This brings the heat back down into your room.
2. Materials Selected for Building Your Home
Plastic Lumber – This product can be used for non-structural applications such as fences, benches, decks, retaining walls, and picnic tables. It is weather and insect resistant, and will not crack, splinter or chip. It does not need painting and will not leach chemicals into the ground or surface water. By doing this, you minimize the amount of lumber used in your home, reduce your ongoing maintenance costs, and you won’t harm your local habitat. The US is home to 4.5% of the population but is responsible for over 15% of the world’s wood consumption. Engineered Wood – This combines the raw materials of wood veneer and fiber with adhesives to produce such laminated lumber as wood veneers, I-beams and roof and floor trusses. The manufacturing process uses fast growing, small diameter trees, allowing more than 80% of the log to be used in the end product. This produces a product which is very consistent and stable while decreasing the impact on a natural resource.
Fiber Cement Siding – This is a composite of cement and wood fiber reclaimed from wood processing waste or small diameter, fast growing trees. It produces a siding which is durable and low maintenance. Many fiber-cement composites offer a 50-year warranty, which increases the value of your home and decreases the maintenance costs. Brick -The process of extracting clay for brick results in limited wasted material. Brick has a limitless lifespan and can be recycled or salvaged after demolition. Recycling – The efficient use of materials when building Green comes in two forms. First, recycle construction waste and use reclaimed building materials during construction when appropriate. Once your home is finished, practice responsible recycling of the materials you use every day. Design – When working with your architect or designer, use standard dimensions, engineered wood and stacked floor plans to reduce the overall volume of lumber used as well as the volume of waste.
3. Increasing the Efficiency of Water Usage Both In and Outside of Your Home
Porous Paving Schemes – Watertight, or “impervious,” surfaces suchas paved driveways, walkways and patios don’t allow storm water runoff to infiltrate into the ground’s aquatic systems. Using uncompacted gravel, crushed stone and open or porous paving blocks for walkways and other light traffic areas minimizes the number of impervious surfaces on your property, allowing storm water runoff. Rainwater Collection – Rainwater collected from your roof is a free source of landscape irrigation water. This collection system consists of a suitable roof and guttering system, a storage tank and a simple filtration unit.
Low Impact Development (LID) – This innovative approach mimics your land’s original method of water run-off instead of disposing and treating storm water in large, costly, end-of-pipe facilities. This can come in the form of open spaces, vegetated rooftops, reduced street widths and curbs, pervious parking lots and sidewalks, medians and other buffer zones using more vegetation. Plumbing – Design your home to use recycled water for toilet flushing. Use ultra low-flush toilets and low-flow shower heads. Some older toilets use 3-7 gallons per flush while an ultra low-flow toilet uses less than 1.6 gallons per flush.
A family of 4, each showering for 5 minutes per day will use 700 gallons of water per week – a 3 year drinking supply for 1 person in the US. Using a high performance shower head uses 1 – 1.5 gallons of water per minute – up to 60% less than a traditional shower head.
In Your Yard – Mulch exposed soils in your garden beds and improve that soil with compost to a depth of 8-13 inches to increase the ability to hold water. Select plants that have low water and pesticide needs. Planting trees not only beautifies your yard, but will also increase the value of your home while decreasing your impact on the environment. A single mature tree can provide nearly 0 in energy and resource values in terms of cooling, erosion and pollution control. Plus they reduce your “carbon foot print.” Putting the right plants in the right place and developing quality, healthy soil means less watering in the summer, less need for chemicals and less waste to worry about. Chemicals – Avoid outdoor chemicals and fix oil and other fluid leaks to prevent contamination of the water runoff.
According to the NY State Attorney General’s office, 95% of pesticides used on residential lawns are considered possible carcinogens by the EPA. Hot water – Use recirculating systems for centralized hot water distribution or utilize “on demand” systems vs. traditional hot water tanks.
4. Improving Air Quality, Which Improves the Health and Productivity of Your Family
The EPA ranks indoor pollution among the top 5 environmental risks. Unhealthy air is found in up to 30% of new and renovated buildings. The electricity generated by fossil fuels for a single home puts more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than 2 average cars. Carpet – Using a low pile or less allergen attracting carpet and pad greatly improves air quality. Wool or PET carpet (made from recycled pop bottles) are good choices. In addition, at installation, have the carpet tacked down, not glued, to reduce pollutants. Many Green Built designs minimize the use of carpeted surfaces, replacing them with hard surfaces which don’t have these pollutants and are easier to keep free of dust, mold and mildew. Paints – Use low-VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds, such as formaldehyde) paints. Ventilation – While you want to seal your home to prevent heat loss, this creates a need for mechanical ventilation. Ventilation can be provided by quiet fans with automatic controls or by heat recovery ventilators. Talk to your HVAC contractor for the best system for your home’s design. Construction materials – To prevent microbial contamination, select materials that are resistant to microbial growth. Drainage – Provide effective drainage from the roof and surrounding landscape, as well as allow proper drainage of air conditioning coils. Window treatments – Avoid synthetic window coverings or those that cannot be cleaned easily.
Even though there is a lot to think about when using Green Building techniques and principles, it is manageable and doable. We here at UBuildIt can help you work with your architect or designer, subcontractors and suppliers to help you build or remodel your dream home while minimizing your impact on the environment. Taking the time to plan and build or remodel your dream home using UBuildIt and Green Building will positively impact you and generations to come.
Chuck Warrender, an experienced custom builder, opened UBuildIt in 1988 to show people how to become Owner-builders and save money or gain equity on their own custom home building and remodel projects. Chuck designed the UBuildIt System for Owner-builders who want to build more home for their money by directing their own construction projects. UBuildIt’s Construction Consultants guide Owner-builders every step of the way and provide a proven system, professional advice and trusted resources. UBuildIt now has over 100 franchises across the US. Learn more about Chuck and how to build or remodel your own custom home at UBuildIt.com
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Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Monday, August 2, 2010
Atlanta Reviews Recycling Rainwater for Potable Uses
As reported in the Sunday Paper
Water independence
Facing higher water bills, a resident pursues rainwater use. And the City of Atlanta takes a pioneering step in sustainability.
By Mark Woolsey
A meeting last week at Atlanta City Hall may enable residents to reduce their reliance on the City’s water system. But some important technical and logistical hurdles remain. At issue is the city’s first rainwater catchment system built for potable residential use. Potable means water for drinking, showering, food preparation and kitchen use, as opposed to non-potable systems for laundry, flushing toilets and lawn-watering. The city already has some of the latter, non-potable systems, in place.
The roughly $15,000 system of two 1,700 gallon tanks, pumps and filtration equipment constructed for Mary Stouffer's Virginia-Highland home has been complete since February, but has yet to be permitted by the City of Atlanta. Last week, all the parties involved attended an informational tutorial aimed at city plumbing inspectors, the Bureau of Buildings, and the Planning Department.
“We were able to get into a candid discussion about what works and what doesn’t work in other jurisdictions,” says Mandy Mahoney, the City’s sustainability director. “We are still at the information-gathering stage. The rainwater guys would like to be moving yesterday, but we have got to be thoughtful and deliberative about our policies.”
One of those “rainwater guys” is Bob Drew, the Founder of ECOVIE Rainwater Collection Systems, who built Stouffer’s system. He and others say this is the first system in the city aiming for official governmental approval, although they suspect other “bootleg” potable systems have already been operating.
“This is a collaborative process. It’s not antagonistic,” Drew says of the meeting that brought together Drew, city officials and the president of the American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association, plus a microbiologist who has worked with the group, to explain how such rainwater rigs work in other parts of the country.
Drew has worked with Cumming-based RainHarvest Systems, a supplier of rainwater catchment components, which last year tried to get official blessing for a rainwater-trapping system for a local craft brewer, but problems arose with the lack of technical standards or a permitting process.
“We tried to get a state permit to operate a public water system with rainwater as the source,” says Russell Jackson, the firm’s sales director. “The Environmental Protection Division grants the permits and they didn’t have the authority to recognize rainwater as a potable source of water. Right now we are working with the City to permit residential systems. We have backed off the commercial.”
But city officials have found a state law passed a couple of years ago allowing rainwater collection for commercial and residential non-potable use. They’ve also found that local jurisdictions have the authority to regulate potable use upon getting permission from the state Department of Community Affairs.
So as the city was getting its permission letter from DCA, Drew was tying the Stouffers’ downspouts into their filtration system. Now the family of five, including three kids, is awaiting the official OK to proceed with establishing a degree of independence from the Dept. of Watershed Management. (The city water supply would function as a backup.)
Mary Stouffer says last year’s drought, coupled with Atlanta’s dependence on Lake Lanier, brought to mind her Florida childhood. In Florida, she says, “you could tap into aquifers, which is one thing, but being here and dependent on a lake makes you feel differently. The drought put the seed in my head that water is not a renewable resource.”
The Stouffers are currently using their system to water their lawn.
“And we have tested it inside and it works just fine,” says Stouffer. Once fully operational, she expects to recoup the $15,000 investment within 12 years, while mostly avoiding City of Atlanta water rates, which are already high and poised to go higher: another 12.5 percent hike is planned for next year.
Not only is the City of Atlanta raising water rates to pay for its $4 billion sewer upgrade, a federal judge last year ruled that the city must reduce its use of drinking water to 1970s levels within three years, because Lake Lanier was never intended for that purpose. About 3 million residents in the metro area get their water from Lanier.
Drew and other experts say a proactive rainwater collection system could reduce Atlanta’s daily water demand by 50 million to 100 million gallons a day. He says that would cover 25 percent to 50 percent of the expected shortfall of 200 million gallons from Lake Lanier, if the judge’s ruling stands.
But there are some things to be done first.
One is an ordinance that would set up plumbing codes, guidelines and technical standards for potable rainwater use, but Mahoney says it’s premature to discuss them at this point.
Another issue is the cost of treating the excess water once it enters the city’s wastewater facilities. Mahoney says some cities charge residents for such services while others don’t. Currently, Atlanta water and sewer charges are assessed based on metering when city water enters a home. Clearly, a different approach would have to be used for homes that don’t use city water.
“I would be a proponent of people not paying any sewer or water charge if they’ve taken the bold step of using rainwater for drinking water,” says Drew.
Water independence
Facing higher water bills, a resident pursues rainwater use. And the City of Atlanta takes a pioneering step in sustainability.
By Mark Woolsey
A meeting last week at Atlanta City Hall may enable residents to reduce their reliance on the City’s water system. But some important technical and logistical hurdles remain. At issue is the city’s first rainwater catchment system built for potable residential use. Potable means water for drinking, showering, food preparation and kitchen use, as opposed to non-potable systems for laundry, flushing toilets and lawn-watering. The city already has some of the latter, non-potable systems, in place.
The roughly $15,000 system of two 1,700 gallon tanks, pumps and filtration equipment constructed for Mary Stouffer's Virginia-Highland home has been complete since February, but has yet to be permitted by the City of Atlanta. Last week, all the parties involved attended an informational tutorial aimed at city plumbing inspectors, the Bureau of Buildings, and the Planning Department.
“We were able to get into a candid discussion about what works and what doesn’t work in other jurisdictions,” says Mandy Mahoney, the City’s sustainability director. “We are still at the information-gathering stage. The rainwater guys would like to be moving yesterday, but we have got to be thoughtful and deliberative about our policies.”
One of those “rainwater guys” is Bob Drew, the Founder of ECOVIE Rainwater Collection Systems, who built Stouffer’s system. He and others say this is the first system in the city aiming for official governmental approval, although they suspect other “bootleg” potable systems have already been operating.
“This is a collaborative process. It’s not antagonistic,” Drew says of the meeting that brought together Drew, city officials and the president of the American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association, plus a microbiologist who has worked with the group, to explain how such rainwater rigs work in other parts of the country.
Drew has worked with Cumming-based RainHarvest Systems, a supplier of rainwater catchment components, which last year tried to get official blessing for a rainwater-trapping system for a local craft brewer, but problems arose with the lack of technical standards or a permitting process.
“We tried to get a state permit to operate a public water system with rainwater as the source,” says Russell Jackson, the firm’s sales director. “The Environmental Protection Division grants the permits and they didn’t have the authority to recognize rainwater as a potable source of water. Right now we are working with the City to permit residential systems. We have backed off the commercial.”
But city officials have found a state law passed a couple of years ago allowing rainwater collection for commercial and residential non-potable use. They’ve also found that local jurisdictions have the authority to regulate potable use upon getting permission from the state Department of Community Affairs.
So as the city was getting its permission letter from DCA, Drew was tying the Stouffers’ downspouts into their filtration system. Now the family of five, including three kids, is awaiting the official OK to proceed with establishing a degree of independence from the Dept. of Watershed Management. (The city water supply would function as a backup.)
Mary Stouffer says last year’s drought, coupled with Atlanta’s dependence on Lake Lanier, brought to mind her Florida childhood. In Florida, she says, “you could tap into aquifers, which is one thing, but being here and dependent on a lake makes you feel differently. The drought put the seed in my head that water is not a renewable resource.”
The Stouffers are currently using their system to water their lawn.
“And we have tested it inside and it works just fine,” says Stouffer. Once fully operational, she expects to recoup the $15,000 investment within 12 years, while mostly avoiding City of Atlanta water rates, which are already high and poised to go higher: another 12.5 percent hike is planned for next year.
Not only is the City of Atlanta raising water rates to pay for its $4 billion sewer upgrade, a federal judge last year ruled that the city must reduce its use of drinking water to 1970s levels within three years, because Lake Lanier was never intended for that purpose. About 3 million residents in the metro area get their water from Lanier.
Drew and other experts say a proactive rainwater collection system could reduce Atlanta’s daily water demand by 50 million to 100 million gallons a day. He says that would cover 25 percent to 50 percent of the expected shortfall of 200 million gallons from Lake Lanier, if the judge’s ruling stands.
But there are some things to be done first.
One is an ordinance that would set up plumbing codes, guidelines and technical standards for potable rainwater use, but Mahoney says it’s premature to discuss them at this point.
Another issue is the cost of treating the excess water once it enters the city’s wastewater facilities. Mahoney says some cities charge residents for such services while others don’t. Currently, Atlanta water and sewer charges are assessed based on metering when city water enters a home. Clearly, a different approach would have to be used for homes that don’t use city water.
“I would be a proponent of people not paying any sewer or water charge if they’ve taken the bold step of using rainwater for drinking water,” says Drew.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Coca Cola Enterprises Releases Report on Water Conservation Efforts
- Coca-Cola Enterprises announced today that the company improved water efficiencies, increased internal recycling rates and reduced its reported carbon footprint in 2009. The progress is detailed in the company's fifth company-wide Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (CRS) Report, Clear on Our Commitments: Our Journey to 2020. The report provides a comprehensive look at the company's progress towards "Commitment 2020," the set of goals CCE announced last year in each of its five strategic CRS focus areas -- Energy Conservation/Climate Change, Water Stewardship, Sustainable Packaging/Recycling, Product Portfolio/Balanced and Active Lifestyle, and Diverse and Inclusive Culture.
"Last year, we set ambitious goals that we are committed to achieving by the year 2020," said John F. Brock, chairman and chief executive officer. "This report demonstrates the steady progress we are making on our journey as we strive to become a sustainability leader in the Coca-Cola system and across the beverage industry."
CCE calculated its global operational carbon footprint at 5.4 million metric tons, a reduction of 11.5 percent from its previously reported 2007 footprint. While the company acknowledges that a proportion of this reduction is the result of refined data gathering processes, it shows that its considerable investment in energy-efficient technology is paying dividends. CCE has implemented a wide range of environmentally-friendly technologies in its production plants, fleet, and sales and marketing equipment, as well as invested in renewable energy such as solar panels and fuel cells. Through internal recycling initiatives, the company achieved an average of 92 and 99 percent waste recycling rates at its North American and European facilities, respectively. CCE also reduced its water use ratio to 1.67 liters of water used to make one liter of product using water-saving technologies and monitoring and targeting systems, which is an improvement of more than 3.5 percent from 2008.
"Last year, we set ambitious goals that we are committed to achieving by the year 2020," said John F. Brock, chairman and chief executive officer. "This report demonstrates the steady progress we are making on our journey as we strive to become a sustainability leader in the Coca-Cola system and across the beverage industry."
CCE calculated its global operational carbon footprint at 5.4 million metric tons, a reduction of 11.5 percent from its previously reported 2007 footprint. While the company acknowledges that a proportion of this reduction is the result of refined data gathering processes, it shows that its considerable investment in energy-efficient technology is paying dividends. CCE has implemented a wide range of environmentally-friendly technologies in its production plants, fleet, and sales and marketing equipment, as well as invested in renewable energy such as solar panels and fuel cells. Through internal recycling initiatives, the company achieved an average of 92 and 99 percent waste recycling rates at its North American and European facilities, respectively. CCE also reduced its water use ratio to 1.67 liters of water used to make one liter of product using water-saving technologies and monitoring and targeting systems, which is an improvement of more than 3.5 percent from 2008.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Rainwater Collection Qualifies for New Tax Credit
Georgia continues to foster a new culture of water conservation with the recent passage of HB 1069. The previous water stewardship bill created many headlines but the new law could be more important to homeowners who want to conserve water and reduce their impact on the environment. Not to mention receive up to $2,500 in a tax rebate.The new legislation provides a tax rebate of up to $2,500 or 25% of the project cost( whichever is less) to install a rainwater collection system
Rainwater collection or rainwater harvesting is a proven method to conserve substantial amounts of water that can be used both inside and outside of the home. The new legislation, which addresses a number of areas where homeowners could save energy and other natural resources, specifically encourages the use of rainwater collection systems. "Qualified equipment' means energy efficient equipment or water efficient equipment. 'Water efficient equipment' means all machinery and equipment certified pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated for purposes of this Code section by the commissioner of natural resources as effective in reducing business or domestic water usage. Such certifications shall include, by way of example and not limitation, water conservation systems capable of storing rain water or gray water for future use and reusing the collected water for the same residential or commercial property and other products used for the conservation or efficient use of water which have been designated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as meeting or exceeding such agency's water saving efficiency requirements or which have been designated as meeting or exceeding such requirements under such agency's Water Sense program.
The tax rebates will be authorized by the Georgia Department for Natural Resources- more details to follow. For information about rainwater collection please call Ecovie Environmental at (404) 824-9266. They are one of the leading companies providing rainwater collection systems for Atlanta homeowners. Ecovie Environmental uses the best products available on the market and can provide you with a customized computer model analysis of your water saving potential.
Rainwater collection or rainwater harvesting is a proven method to conserve substantial amounts of water that can be used both inside and outside of the home. The new legislation, which addresses a number of areas where homeowners could save energy and other natural resources, specifically encourages the use of rainwater collection systems. "Qualified equipment' means energy efficient equipment or water efficient equipment. 'Water efficient equipment' means all machinery and equipment certified pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated for purposes of this Code section by the commissioner of natural resources as effective in reducing business or domestic water usage. Such certifications shall include, by way of example and not limitation, water conservation systems capable of storing rain water or gray water for future use and reusing the collected water for the same residential or commercial property and other products used for the conservation or efficient use of water which have been designated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as meeting or exceeding such agency's water saving efficiency requirements or which have been designated as meeting or exceeding such requirements under such agency's Water Sense program.
The tax rebates will be authorized by the Georgia Department for Natural Resources- more details to follow. For information about rainwater collection please call Ecovie Environmental at (404) 824-9266. They are one of the leading companies providing rainwater collection systems for Atlanta homeowners. Ecovie Environmental uses the best products available on the market and can provide you with a customized computer model analysis of your water saving potential.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Federal Money For Water Conservation
Federal funding of $2.42 million has been appropriated by Congress for a program designed to help south Georgia farmers conserve water used for irrigation this year, U.S. Department of Agriculture officials said.
Applications for the Ponds Program from eligible Georgia landowners south of a line running through Chattahoochee, Crawford, Wilkinson, Washington, Glascock and Burke counties will be accepted July 1-30, officials said. The program will be administered by the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission with technical support from the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service.
GSWCC officials say the legislation provides federal funding and technical assistance so that farmers can construct irrigation reservoirs or improve existing reservoirs on agricultural property. The funding also is aimed at improving the efficiency of irrigation systems. Landowners who need supplemental irrigation are encouraged to apply for the program.
“Our south Georgia farmers are especially vulnerable to droughts and harsh weather,” Soil and Water Conservation Commission Chairman Garland Thompson said. “And so the federal assistance provided by the Ponds Program is vital to help farmers make the most of the rains we do get while preserving the health of our aquifers.”
Under the program, a landowners provides 25 percent of the cost of a pond project, and grant funds cover the remainder up to $50,000 of the estimated cost as determined by the NRCS. Possible funding for irrigation nozzle retrofits is $6 per linear foot of the center pivot irrigation system up to $5,000. Additional cost-share on an end gun shutoff will be based on 75 percent of the original cost, not to exceed $3,000.
Applications and program information are available at the GSWCC offices in Dawson (229) 995-6001, Milledgeville (478) 445-5766, and Statesboro (912) 681-5241, or at USDA Service Centers in south Georgia. Contact GSWCC at (706) 542-3065 or visit gaswcc.org for more information.
Applications for the Ponds Program from eligible Georgia landowners south of a line running through Chattahoochee, Crawford, Wilkinson, Washington, Glascock and Burke counties will be accepted July 1-30, officials said. The program will be administered by the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission with technical support from the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service.
GSWCC officials say the legislation provides federal funding and technical assistance so that farmers can construct irrigation reservoirs or improve existing reservoirs on agricultural property. The funding also is aimed at improving the efficiency of irrigation systems. Landowners who need supplemental irrigation are encouraged to apply for the program.
“Our south Georgia farmers are especially vulnerable to droughts and harsh weather,” Soil and Water Conservation Commission Chairman Garland Thompson said. “And so the federal assistance provided by the Ponds Program is vital to help farmers make the most of the rains we do get while preserving the health of our aquifers.”
Under the program, a landowners provides 25 percent of the cost of a pond project, and grant funds cover the remainder up to $50,000 of the estimated cost as determined by the NRCS. Possible funding for irrigation nozzle retrofits is $6 per linear foot of the center pivot irrigation system up to $5,000. Additional cost-share on an end gun shutoff will be based on 75 percent of the original cost, not to exceed $3,000.
Applications and program information are available at the GSWCC offices in Dawson (229) 995-6001, Milledgeville (478) 445-5766, and Statesboro (912) 681-5241, or at USDA Service Centers in south Georgia. Contact GSWCC at (706) 542-3065 or visit gaswcc.org for more information.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Governor Perdue to Sign Water Conservation Bill Today
The Water Conservation bill that passed both House and Senate earlier this year will be signed by Governor Perdue at 11:00 AM today. This is an important day for redefining a culture of water conservation in Georgia. Some of the elements of the bill include watering bans for homeowners until 4 in the afternoon and the requirement that new apartment construction must include water submetering and low flow toilets and shower heads.
Many homeowners will find that rainwater collection will make sense for them as a water conservation strategy and give them the ability to continually water their lawns and landscaping. The homeowners in Atlanta that have rainwater collection systems have been very pleased with the results. They no longer have to worry about water bans and rising water prices. One of the leading rainwater collection companies is Ecovie Environmental. For more information please visit their website at www.ecovieenvironmental.com
Many homeowners will find that rainwater collection will make sense for them as a water conservation strategy and give them the ability to continually water their lawns and landscaping. The homeowners in Atlanta that have rainwater collection systems have been very pleased with the results. They no longer have to worry about water bans and rising water prices. One of the leading rainwater collection companies is Ecovie Environmental. For more information please visit their website at www.ecovieenvironmental.com
Friday, May 28, 2010
Dallas School Collecting Rainwater As A Teaching Device
As reported by www.greenrightnow.com
Irving Independent School District has broken ground on the largest “net zero” public school in the United States. The Texas school district’s Lady Bird Johnson Middle School is designed to produce as much energy as it uses, thereby reducing operating costs for the district and shrinking the school’s carbon footprint.
To reduce energy consumption, the school is designed to meet LEED Gold specifications and will feature increased insulation, high-efficiency glazing, daylighting, and an Energy Star kitchen. The school also will use permeable paving to reduce runoff and harvest rainwater and grey water for irrigation.
Charter Builders of Dallas was awarded the $29 million contract to manage construction of the new school. The 150,000-square-foot facility will produce its own energy via solar panels, geothermal energy harvesting and wind turbines. If the school produces excess energy, the district could sell energy to a local electric provider, creating a potential revenue source for the district.
“Net-zero buildings help reverse negative trends associated with climate change. Irving’s new middle school will consume approximately half the energy that a typical middle school building consumes,” Scott Layne, the school district’s Assistant Superintendent for Support Services, said in a statement.
Scheduled to open in August, 2011, the building will serve as a three-dimensional learning space, teaching students environmental responsibility through practical, hands-on experiences with geothermal science, rainwater collection, solar panel usage, and wind turbine efficiency.
In addition to Charter Builders, planners who helped the school district develop the concept for the new school included architect Corgan Associates, Inc. and consultant IEG Engineers.
Rainwater Collection is a proven water conservation approach and with the right equipment a solution for potable water. More homeowners in Atlanta are discovering the many benefits of having a professionally installed rainwater collection system installed in their backyard. No more worries about water restrictions. Your garden and landscape will thrive and you reduce your environmental impact. For more information on rainwater Collection please visit www.ecovieenvironmental.com
Irving Independent School District has broken ground on the largest “net zero” public school in the United States. The Texas school district’s Lady Bird Johnson Middle School is designed to produce as much energy as it uses, thereby reducing operating costs for the district and shrinking the school’s carbon footprint.
To reduce energy consumption, the school is designed to meet LEED Gold specifications and will feature increased insulation, high-efficiency glazing, daylighting, and an Energy Star kitchen. The school also will use permeable paving to reduce runoff and harvest rainwater and grey water for irrigation.
Charter Builders of Dallas was awarded the $29 million contract to manage construction of the new school. The 150,000-square-foot facility will produce its own energy via solar panels, geothermal energy harvesting and wind turbines. If the school produces excess energy, the district could sell energy to a local electric provider, creating a potential revenue source for the district.
“Net-zero buildings help reverse negative trends associated with climate change. Irving’s new middle school will consume approximately half the energy that a typical middle school building consumes,” Scott Layne, the school district’s Assistant Superintendent for Support Services, said in a statement.
Scheduled to open in August, 2011, the building will serve as a three-dimensional learning space, teaching students environmental responsibility through practical, hands-on experiences with geothermal science, rainwater collection, solar panel usage, and wind turbine efficiency.
In addition to Charter Builders, planners who helped the school district develop the concept for the new school included architect Corgan Associates, Inc. and consultant IEG Engineers.
Rainwater Collection is a proven water conservation approach and with the right equipment a solution for potable water. More homeowners in Atlanta are discovering the many benefits of having a professionally installed rainwater collection system installed in their backyard. No more worries about water restrictions. Your garden and landscape will thrive and you reduce your environmental impact. For more information on rainwater Collection please visit www.ecovieenvironmental.com
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Water Conservation Needed For Future
Reported by Eco Home Magazine
Kathy Tomasulo
Water is cheap and, if you judge by our faucets, it seems plentiful. Problem is, drought, explosive population growth, and a range of other factors are pushing supplies—here and around the world—to their limits, and experts have dire concerns about the future of available drinking water.
In the U.S., the challenge comes mainly from population, which is predicted to soar to more than 420 million by 2050 (up from about 309 million now), said Shane Keaney of Bord na Mona Environmental Products during the 2010 NAHB National Green Building Conference. The problem isn’t limited to traditionally dry areas: Thirty-six states are facing water shortages by 2015.
“This is really becoming a fight over what’s available, and we’re really going to have to prioritize what it’s used for,” Atlanta architect Ryan Taylor, AIA told attendees during another session at the conference.
Problem is, many Americans don’t think about it until there are droughts and/or water-use restrictions. Taylor described attitudes using the “Hydro Illogical Cycle,” an illustration from the National Drought Mitigation Center:
Rain – apathy – drought – awareness – concern – panic --- Rain – apathy…and so on
We can’t continue this cycle anymore with the population pressure we’re facing, Taylor said. “It’s something we have to address whether we like it or not.” In addition to wasting water through irrigation and inefficient fixtures, the mind-set of “use water once and dispose of it” also is flawed. Solutions for conserving water include not only reduction, but rethinking how water is allocated for each task and how it can be reused. (See previous conference coverage for information on decentralized water reuse.)
Here is an overview of some steps home builders can implement to help homes operate more efficiently:
Plumbing:
* Passive tools: Reduce lengths of pipes and sewer lines and better placement of water heaters; pre-plan for installation of graywater and other reuse (now or future)
Low-flow faucets and showerheads: Consider offering as a bonus or with free installation; remember that low-flow means it takes more time for hot water to reach the faucet, so consider installing an on-demand pump.
High-efficiency toilets
Also consider lesser-known technologies:
* Composting Toilets: Use little to no water; cost up to $1,000, depending on the type of unit. NSF has standards for these units. Must overcome perceptions.
* Waterless urinals: The technology is improving; cartridge-free designs require much less maintenance. To make them more palatable, hide them, such as behind a louvered door, Taylor said.
Appliances:
Clothes washers: New high-efficiency models use 5 gallons less per load; horizontal-axis machines require less than traditional agitator models.
Dishwashers: Understand the functions and make sure your clients do too. For example, what is “normal” mode versus “efficiency” mode?
Rainwater Catchment:
Collected water can be used for irrigation and toilets. It’s free, is close to the source, has zero hardness, and reduces runoff, among other benefits.
According to Keaney, 1,000 square feet of roof will net 600 gallons of water for every 1 inch of rain.
Make sure clients know how to maintain it.
Greywater Reuse:
Water from laundry, bathing, and dishwashing. With basic treatment, water can be reused for irrigation; with advanced treatment, it can be used for irrigation and toilets.
Installation costs of treatment and storage: $1,000 to $10,000.
Requires dual plumbing. Tucson, Ariz., requires this setup, Keaney said.
Codes and jurisdictions pose a challenge, still, as do perceptions.
Plumbing and filters need to be maintained.
Blackwater Reuse:
All wastewater. Can be reused for toilets and maybe irrigation; depends heavily on state regulations.
Advantages: Can replace lawn fertilizer, saves money, could allow development where it’s restricted due to at-capacity infrastructure, among others.
Plumbing and pump need to be maintained.
Yellow Water Reuse:
Keaney reported this is starting to gain ground in drought-plagued Australia; could make its way to the U.S. in the future.
Finally, it’s important to remember that water conservation and energy conservation go hand in hand. Generating electricity takes tremendous amounts of water. In Georgia, for instance, it takes 72 gallons of water per person per day to produce electricity, Taylor said; multiply that by 9.3 million residents and Georgia’s consuming 669,600,000 gallons per day alone.
And it goes the other way, too: Producing, pumping, and heating water requires significant energy. California expends 19% of its energy for these purposes.
The good news is that many of these steps are simple to implement, and others become easier after a few applications and will continue to gain acceptance as jurisdictions and consumers become more aware. Educating the homeowner—and yourself—is the first step to smart water use.
Katy Tomasulo is Deputy Editor of EcoHome.
Rainwater Collection is a proven water conservation approach and with the right equipment a solution for potable water. More homeowners in Atlanta are discovering the many benefits of having a professionally installed rainwater collection system installed in their backyard. No more worries about water restrictions. Your garden and landscape will thrive and you reduce your environmental impact. For more information on rainwater Collection please visit www.ecovieenvironmental.com
Kathy Tomasulo
Water is cheap and, if you judge by our faucets, it seems plentiful. Problem is, drought, explosive population growth, and a range of other factors are pushing supplies—here and around the world—to their limits, and experts have dire concerns about the future of available drinking water.
In the U.S., the challenge comes mainly from population, which is predicted to soar to more than 420 million by 2050 (up from about 309 million now), said Shane Keaney of Bord na Mona Environmental Products during the 2010 NAHB National Green Building Conference. The problem isn’t limited to traditionally dry areas: Thirty-six states are facing water shortages by 2015.
“This is really becoming a fight over what’s available, and we’re really going to have to prioritize what it’s used for,” Atlanta architect Ryan Taylor, AIA told attendees during another session at the conference.
Problem is, many Americans don’t think about it until there are droughts and/or water-use restrictions. Taylor described attitudes using the “Hydro Illogical Cycle,” an illustration from the National Drought Mitigation Center:
Rain – apathy – drought – awareness – concern – panic --- Rain – apathy…and so on
We can’t continue this cycle anymore with the population pressure we’re facing, Taylor said. “It’s something we have to address whether we like it or not.” In addition to wasting water through irrigation and inefficient fixtures, the mind-set of “use water once and dispose of it” also is flawed. Solutions for conserving water include not only reduction, but rethinking how water is allocated for each task and how it can be reused. (See previous conference coverage for information on decentralized water reuse.)
Here is an overview of some steps home builders can implement to help homes operate more efficiently:
Plumbing:
* Passive tools: Reduce lengths of pipes and sewer lines and better placement of water heaters; pre-plan for installation of graywater and other reuse (now or future)
Low-flow faucets and showerheads: Consider offering as a bonus or with free installation; remember that low-flow means it takes more time for hot water to reach the faucet, so consider installing an on-demand pump.
High-efficiency toilets
Also consider lesser-known technologies:
* Composting Toilets: Use little to no water; cost up to $1,000, depending on the type of unit. NSF has standards for these units. Must overcome perceptions.
* Waterless urinals: The technology is improving; cartridge-free designs require much less maintenance. To make them more palatable, hide them, such as behind a louvered door, Taylor said.
Appliances:
Clothes washers: New high-efficiency models use 5 gallons less per load; horizontal-axis machines require less than traditional agitator models.
Dishwashers: Understand the functions and make sure your clients do too. For example, what is “normal” mode versus “efficiency” mode?
Rainwater Catchment:
Collected water can be used for irrigation and toilets. It’s free, is close to the source, has zero hardness, and reduces runoff, among other benefits.
According to Keaney, 1,000 square feet of roof will net 600 gallons of water for every 1 inch of rain.
Make sure clients know how to maintain it.
Greywater Reuse:
Water from laundry, bathing, and dishwashing. With basic treatment, water can be reused for irrigation; with advanced treatment, it can be used for irrigation and toilets.
Installation costs of treatment and storage: $1,000 to $10,000.
Requires dual plumbing. Tucson, Ariz., requires this setup, Keaney said.
Codes and jurisdictions pose a challenge, still, as do perceptions.
Plumbing and filters need to be maintained.
Blackwater Reuse:
All wastewater. Can be reused for toilets and maybe irrigation; depends heavily on state regulations.
Advantages: Can replace lawn fertilizer, saves money, could allow development where it’s restricted due to at-capacity infrastructure, among others.
Plumbing and pump need to be maintained.
Yellow Water Reuse:
Keaney reported this is starting to gain ground in drought-plagued Australia; could make its way to the U.S. in the future.
Finally, it’s important to remember that water conservation and energy conservation go hand in hand. Generating electricity takes tremendous amounts of water. In Georgia, for instance, it takes 72 gallons of water per person per day to produce electricity, Taylor said; multiply that by 9.3 million residents and Georgia’s consuming 669,600,000 gallons per day alone.
And it goes the other way, too: Producing, pumping, and heating water requires significant energy. California expends 19% of its energy for these purposes.
The good news is that many of these steps are simple to implement, and others become easier after a few applications and will continue to gain acceptance as jurisdictions and consumers become more aware. Educating the homeowner—and yourself—is the first step to smart water use.
Katy Tomasulo is Deputy Editor of EcoHome.
Rainwater Collection is a proven water conservation approach and with the right equipment a solution for potable water. More homeowners in Atlanta are discovering the many benefits of having a professionally installed rainwater collection system installed in their backyard. No more worries about water restrictions. Your garden and landscape will thrive and you reduce your environmental impact. For more information on rainwater Collection please visit www.ecovieenvironmental.com
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Water Conservation Discussed at NAHB Green Conference
Though the droughts in the Southeast have eased, the need to conserve water has not—36 states are facing water shortages by 2015.
Conservation measures are underway in homes around the country in the form of low-flow plumbing fixtures, rainwater harvesting, and native landscaping, but more needs to be done: Population growth and land use will to continue to challenge strained resources that already are leading to water-use wars around the country.
At the residential level, one of the chief problems is that every day we send the majority of our pure, treated drinking water down the drain—not into our bodies—said Mike Hoover, a professor at the North Carolina State University Department of Soil Science and a speaker during the 2010 NAHB National Green Building Conference. The average U.S. home uses 400 gallons of water per day; of that, less than 3 gallons are for personal consumption.
Hoover believes we need to re-envision water and begin thinking about its various purposes. In other words, why not have “toilet flushing water,” “laundry water,” etc., in addition to “drinking water”?
Among the many solutions being employed, Hoover is working to bring attention to the idea of “decentralized wastewater reuse.” Wastewater reuse isn’t a new concept—it’s practiced on a centralized (i.e., community) basis more and more. But what’s not as common are on-site systems, in which certain types of wastewater are treated and reused on site.
Full article at http://ht.ly/1PMq5
Rainwater Collection Source for Potable Water
Rainwater Collection is a proven water conservation approach and with the right equipment a solution for potable water. More homeowners in Atlanta are discovering the many benefits of having a professionally installed rainwater collection system installed in their backyard. No more worries about water restrictions. Your garden and landscape will thrive and you reduce your environmental impact. For more information on rainwater Collection please visit www.ecovieenvironmental.com
Conservation measures are underway in homes around the country in the form of low-flow plumbing fixtures, rainwater harvesting, and native landscaping, but more needs to be done: Population growth and land use will to continue to challenge strained resources that already are leading to water-use wars around the country.
At the residential level, one of the chief problems is that every day we send the majority of our pure, treated drinking water down the drain—not into our bodies—said Mike Hoover, a professor at the North Carolina State University Department of Soil Science and a speaker during the 2010 NAHB National Green Building Conference. The average U.S. home uses 400 gallons of water per day; of that, less than 3 gallons are for personal consumption.
Hoover believes we need to re-envision water and begin thinking about its various purposes. In other words, why not have “toilet flushing water,” “laundry water,” etc., in addition to “drinking water”?
Among the many solutions being employed, Hoover is working to bring attention to the idea of “decentralized wastewater reuse.” Wastewater reuse isn’t a new concept—it’s practiced on a centralized (i.e., community) basis more and more. But what’s not as common are on-site systems, in which certain types of wastewater are treated and reused on site.
Full article at http://ht.ly/1PMq5
Rainwater Collection Source for Potable Water
Rainwater Collection is a proven water conservation approach and with the right equipment a solution for potable water. More homeowners in Atlanta are discovering the many benefits of having a professionally installed rainwater collection system installed in their backyard. No more worries about water restrictions. Your garden and landscape will thrive and you reduce your environmental impact. For more information on rainwater Collection please visit www.ecovieenvironmental.com
Economist Magazine Provides Global Persepective on Water
WHEN the word water appears in print these days, crisis is rarely far behind. Water, it is said, is the new oil: a resource long squandered, now growing expensive and soon to be overwhelmed by insatiable demand. Aquifers are falling, glaciers vanishing, reservoirs drying up and rivers no longer flowing to the sea. Climate change threatens to make the problems worse. Everyone must use less water if famine, pestilence and mass migration are not to sweep the globe. As it is, wars are about to break out between countries squabbling over dams and rivers. If the apocalypse is still a little way off, it is only because the four horsemen and their steeds have stopped to search for something to drink.
The language is often overblown, and the remedies sometimes ill conceived, but the basic message is not wrong. Water is indeed scarce in many places, and will grow scarcer. Bringing supply and demand into equilibrium will be painful, and political disputes may increase in number and intensify in their capacity to cause trouble. To carry on with present practices would indeed be to invite disaster.
Why? The difficulties start with the sheer number of people using the stuff. When, 60 years ago, the world’s population was about 2.5 billion, worries about water supply affected relatively few people. Both drought and hunger existed, as they have throughout history, but most people could be fed without irrigated farming. Then the green revolution, in an inspired combination of new crop breeds, fertilisers and water, made possible a huge rise in the population. The number of people on Earth rose to 6 billion in 2000, nearly 7 billion today, and is heading for 9 billion in 2050. The area under irrigation has doubled and the amount of water drawn for farming has tripled. The proportion of people living in countries chronically short of water, which stood at 8% (500m) at the turn of the 21st century, is set to rise to 45% (4 billion) by 2050. And already 1 billion people go to bed hungry each night, partly for lack of water to grow food.
People in temperate climates where the rain falls moderately all the year round may not realise how much water is needed for farming. In Britain, for example, farming takes only 3% of all water withdrawals. In the United States, by contrast, 41% goes for agriculture, almost all of it for irrigation. In China farming takes nearly 70%, and in India nearer 90%. For the world as a whole, agriculture accounts for almost 70%.
Farmers’ increasing demand for water is caused not only by the growing number of mouths to be fed but also by people’s desire for better-tasting, more interesting food. Unfortunately, it takes nearly twice as much water to grow a kilo of peanuts as a kilo of soyabeans, nearly four times as much to produce a kilo of beef as a kilo of chicken, and nearly five times as much to produce a glass of orange juice as a cup of tea. With 2 billion people around the world about to enter the middle class, the agricultural demands on water would increase even if the population stood still.
Industry, too, needs water. It takes about 22% of the world’s withdrawals. Domestic activities take the other 8%. Together, the demands of these two categories quadrupled in the second half of the 20th century, growing twice as fast as those of farming, and forecasters see nothing but further increases in demand on all fronts.
For full article
http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=16136302
Rainwater Collection Important Solution for Water Supply
Rainwater Collection is a proven water conservation approach and with the right equipment a solution for potable water. More homeowners in Atlanta are discovering the many benefits of having a professionally installed rainwater collection system installed in their backyard. No more worries about water restrictions. Your garden and landscape will thrive and you reduce your environmental impact. For more information on rainwater Collection please visit www.ecovieenvironmental.com
The language is often overblown, and the remedies sometimes ill conceived, but the basic message is not wrong. Water is indeed scarce in many places, and will grow scarcer. Bringing supply and demand into equilibrium will be painful, and political disputes may increase in number and intensify in their capacity to cause trouble. To carry on with present practices would indeed be to invite disaster.
Why? The difficulties start with the sheer number of people using the stuff. When, 60 years ago, the world’s population was about 2.5 billion, worries about water supply affected relatively few people. Both drought and hunger existed, as they have throughout history, but most people could be fed without irrigated farming. Then the green revolution, in an inspired combination of new crop breeds, fertilisers and water, made possible a huge rise in the population. The number of people on Earth rose to 6 billion in 2000, nearly 7 billion today, and is heading for 9 billion in 2050. The area under irrigation has doubled and the amount of water drawn for farming has tripled. The proportion of people living in countries chronically short of water, which stood at 8% (500m) at the turn of the 21st century, is set to rise to 45% (4 billion) by 2050. And already 1 billion people go to bed hungry each night, partly for lack of water to grow food.
People in temperate climates where the rain falls moderately all the year round may not realise how much water is needed for farming. In Britain, for example, farming takes only 3% of all water withdrawals. In the United States, by contrast, 41% goes for agriculture, almost all of it for irrigation. In China farming takes nearly 70%, and in India nearer 90%. For the world as a whole, agriculture accounts for almost 70%.
Farmers’ increasing demand for water is caused not only by the growing number of mouths to be fed but also by people’s desire for better-tasting, more interesting food. Unfortunately, it takes nearly twice as much water to grow a kilo of peanuts as a kilo of soyabeans, nearly four times as much to produce a kilo of beef as a kilo of chicken, and nearly five times as much to produce a glass of orange juice as a cup of tea. With 2 billion people around the world about to enter the middle class, the agricultural demands on water would increase even if the population stood still.
Industry, too, needs water. It takes about 22% of the world’s withdrawals. Domestic activities take the other 8%. Together, the demands of these two categories quadrupled in the second half of the 20th century, growing twice as fast as those of farming, and forecasters see nothing but further increases in demand on all fronts.
For full article
http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=16136302
Rainwater Collection Important Solution for Water Supply
Rainwater Collection is a proven water conservation approach and with the right equipment a solution for potable water. More homeowners in Atlanta are discovering the many benefits of having a professionally installed rainwater collection system installed in their backyard. No more worries about water restrictions. Your garden and landscape will thrive and you reduce your environmental impact. For more information on rainwater Collection please visit www.ecovieenvironmental.com
Friday, May 14, 2010
Ford Focused on Water Conservation
More than $60,000 in mini-grants was provided to support these projects, including one at the entry of Humbug Marsh, part of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. Ford volunteers are installing an educational garden of native plants. Once an industrial brownfield site, Humbug Marsh today is a world-class learning center for sustainability and environmental education and part of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, which was established in 2001 under the leadership of Congressman John Dingell who represents Michigan's 15th District.
"My friends at Ford have done a superb job of helping us with a number of projects in the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge," said Congressman Dingell. "They are to be commended for their continuing support for efforts to improve this important watershed."
"Water is the world's most critical resource and water issues are increasingly important to our stakeholders," said Sue Cischke, Ford group vice president, Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering. "Ford has successfully reduced water use, and we continue to work on ways to reduce the environmental impact of our facilities."
For more than a decade, Ford volunteers have cleared debris from local rivers and restored banks along area waterways during a period in May. The Ford Volunteer Corps is active year round, but Ford Accelerated Action Days are sharply focused one-day efforts that meet urgent needs identified by agency partners.
In March, Ford MODEL Team volunteers worked on projects to benefit children and families. Ford volunteers will address community building projects during the Ford Global Week of Caring in September. Veterans and military families receive support in November and hunger relief is the focus in December.
About Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services
Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services works to strengthen communities with initiatives that promote driving safety, education and life in communities where Ford operates. National programs include Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies, which provides high school students with academically rigorous 21st century learning experiences, and Driving Skills for Life, a teen-focused auto safety initiative. The Ford Volunteer Corps, established in 2005, continues Ford's legacy of caring worldwide. Through the Volunteer Corps, Ford employees and retirees participate in a wide range of volunteer projects in their communities. For more information on programs made possible by Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services, visit www.community.ford.com.
Rainwater Collection An Important Tool for Water Conservation
Rainwater collection has been popular and successful in Europe for many years. There is more awareness in the United States and especially in Atlanta that water is a scarce resource. More and more homeowners are realizing that collecting rainwater is the answer to having an abundant supply of free water for outdoor gardening and landscaping and even some indoor water uses. Ecovie Environmental is an Atlanta based firm that specializes in custom designed and professionally installed rainwater collection systems. For more information please visit their rainwater collection website which has more information and informative videos.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Rainwater Collection A Source of Indoor Water as Well
Next to outdoor uses, toilet flushing and laundering represent about 20-40% of water usage totaling 50,000 gallons annually for a family of four. This water needs to meet certain water quality standards as outlined by the State of Georgia plumbing code. The recently updated standards require fine filtration and disinfection with UV light or chlorine for uses inside the home.
The best time to install rainwater plumbing specifically for toilet flushing and laundry is when a home is being built or majorly remodeled since separate water lines are required. However, in some isolated cases this may be able to be done on a limited basis in existing homes as a retrofit.
Estimating the Costs and Benefits
ECOVIE can estimate the costs and benefits of using rainwater indoors. Typically, we will consider indoor applications after looking at outdoor water demands. NOTE: This type of project can be attractive financially since usage is year round and indoor usage does not fall under any type of usage restriction.
For more information please visit www.ecovieenvironmental.com
The best time to install rainwater plumbing specifically for toilet flushing and laundry is when a home is being built or majorly remodeled since separate water lines are required. However, in some isolated cases this may be able to be done on a limited basis in existing homes as a retrofit.
Estimating the Costs and Benefits
ECOVIE can estimate the costs and benefits of using rainwater indoors. Typically, we will consider indoor applications after looking at outdoor water demands. NOTE: This type of project can be attractive financially since usage is year round and indoor usage does not fall under any type of usage restriction.
For more information please visit www.ecovieenvironmental.com
Atlanta Homeowners Combine Gardening with Rainwater Collection
Of course, plenty of Atlantans born in the U.S. are jumping on the bandwagon as well. Scott Garrison, a native New Englander whose property abuts John’s Creek, wants to get back to an old hobby – gardening – while also preparing for an uncertain future where, for instance, just what kind of access Atlanta will have to Lake Lanier’s water in the future remains a question.
“For some time I’ve wanted to get back to things like I enjoy such as gardening, and that realization dovetailed with the city’s ongoing draught,” says Garrison. “Water’s expensive here to begin with, and then I think something will happen with regard to Lanier and Florida’s and Alabama’s claim on that water, although it probably won’t be as draconian as some might fear.”
Beyond that, however, Garrison’s simply amazed at the amount of water that’s wasted in the city. “There’s so much beautiful and available land here, and it just gets paved over, resulting in a lot of flooding,” he says. “In my own neighborhood, we get these torrential rainstorms, and there’s just no way to collect that runoff. I don’t think the cost of installing these rainwater harvesting systems is all the great when compared to all the benefits that result.”
In Virginia Highlands, Mary Stouffer and her husband Mark, both Floridians, have suffered through numerous basement floodings since moving into their house in 1996 so have had to waterproof their basement and put in a retaining wall to solve that problem. Their rainwater system is one of the proposed pilot systems for creating drinking water! “As we got into this, we decided we wanted to make water a friend rather than an enemy,” she says. “We don’t want to be a burden on the water system; we don’t want to contribute to flooding at our neighbors’ houses; and we don’t want to pay higher and higher water bills. Installing a rainwater collection system in addition to solving our flooding problem is a win-win – and comes with the added benefit that our kids can play in the yard, having fun slipping and sliding and doing other things that involve water, without worrying about what that would cost or hurt the neighborhood.”
For more information please visit www.ecovieenvironmental.com
“For some time I’ve wanted to get back to things like I enjoy such as gardening, and that realization dovetailed with the city’s ongoing draught,” says Garrison. “Water’s expensive here to begin with, and then I think something will happen with regard to Lanier and Florida’s and Alabama’s claim on that water, although it probably won’t be as draconian as some might fear.”
Beyond that, however, Garrison’s simply amazed at the amount of water that’s wasted in the city. “There’s so much beautiful and available land here, and it just gets paved over, resulting in a lot of flooding,” he says. “In my own neighborhood, we get these torrential rainstorms, and there’s just no way to collect that runoff. I don’t think the cost of installing these rainwater harvesting systems is all the great when compared to all the benefits that result.”
In Virginia Highlands, Mary Stouffer and her husband Mark, both Floridians, have suffered through numerous basement floodings since moving into their house in 1996 so have had to waterproof their basement and put in a retaining wall to solve that problem. Their rainwater system is one of the proposed pilot systems for creating drinking water! “As we got into this, we decided we wanted to make water a friend rather than an enemy,” she says. “We don’t want to be a burden on the water system; we don’t want to contribute to flooding at our neighbors’ houses; and we don’t want to pay higher and higher water bills. Installing a rainwater collection system in addition to solving our flooding problem is a win-win – and comes with the added benefit that our kids can play in the yard, having fun slipping and sliding and doing other things that involve water, without worrying about what that would cost or hurt the neighborhood.”
For more information please visit www.ecovieenvironmental.com
Interesting Editorial in AJC on Water Supply in Atlanta
By Jay Bookman
Atlanta Journal Constitution
No news is bad news.
Officially, negotiators for Alabama, Florida and Georgia are still talking, still trying to agree on how to manage shared water resources and end the legal fight that threatens to strip much of metro Atlanta of its right to Lake Lanier’s water.Because the talks have been shrouded in secrecy, it’s hard for outsiders to know how much if any progress is being made. Maybe, just maybe, a deal can still be reached.But we do know this much:
As recently as December, governors of the three states were suggesting that a deal might be concluded fairly quickly, in time to be approved while their respective legislatures were still in session.
Well, the Alabama Legislature adjourned April 22, the Florida session ended April 30, and Georgia legislators went home April 29, with no deal even whispered about. Even if a deal were to be announced now, its prospects might be doomed by another event of April 29. That day, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist announced he was leaving the Republican Party to run for the Senate as an independent.
Like his counterparts, Sonny Perdue of Georgia and Bob Riley of Alabama, Crist’s term as governor is ending. Lame-duck governors often don’t wield a lot of influence, which means it might be hard even under good circumstances for the three to sell a deal to their legislators.With Crist’s announcement, however, he becomes a man without a political base, and as a result any deal he might bring to Florida legislators would almost certainly be rejected.
So where does that leave us?
In the past, Perdue has floated a second means of resolving the dispute politically. Congress, he has said, could be enlisted to impose a settlement on how to manage Lake Lanier and its downstream flow.
Initially, Georgia’s congressional delegation didn’t think much of that approach, perceiving it as a last-ditch effort by Perdue to dump the problem into their laps. Upon further inspection, that assessment hasn’t changed much.
According to John O’Keefe, a staff member for U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey, the governor’s idea “doesn’t seem to be going anywhere.” Georgia can’t match the political heft of the combined Florida and Alabama delegations, O’Keefe told a water conference last month at the University of West Georgia, and other states have no interest in getting involved in the dispute. But O’Keefe also sympathized with Perdue’s predicament. If no solution is found soon, he said, “Gov. Perdue would bear the brunt of the blame” of “an economic death knell to Georgia.”
With a political solution unlikely, that leaves the courts, where Georgia’s success rate has been dismal. Under a federal ruling last summer, the state has until July 17, 2012, to settle with its neighboring states or face a dramatic reduction in the amount of water it can withdraw from Lake Lanier. Georgia attorneys have filed an appeal to that decision. Ideally, they hope to overturn the decision by Judge Paul Magnuson that water supply is not a congressionally authorized purpose of Lake Lanier, which would be a great victory.
That seems unlikely. More realistically, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals could rule that Magnuson’s decision was too punitive to metro Atlanta, perhaps giving the region a reprieve from that looming deadline while a more rational solution is pursued.Water, in other words, is going to remain a chronic, recurring problem for metro Atlanta. “Once you have an interstate water conflict, you always have an interstate water conflict,” says water-law expert Jerry Sherk, an attorney and a water law expert in Colorado. Colorado and Kansas, he said, have fought over the Arkansas River for more than a century.
And they’re still at it.
For more columns from Jay Bookman please visit http://blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/about/
Rainwater Collection A Solution for Atlanta Water Supply Concerns
Rainwater Collection is a proven water conservation approach and with the right equipment a solution for potable water. More homeowners in Atlanta are discovering the many benefits of having a professionally installed rainwater collection system in their backyard. No more worries about water restrictions. Your garden and landscape will thrive and you reduce your environmental impact. For more information on rainwater Collection please visit www.ecovieenvironmental.com
Atlanta Journal Constitution
No news is bad news.
Officially, negotiators for Alabama, Florida and Georgia are still talking, still trying to agree on how to manage shared water resources and end the legal fight that threatens to strip much of metro Atlanta of its right to Lake Lanier’s water.Because the talks have been shrouded in secrecy, it’s hard for outsiders to know how much if any progress is being made. Maybe, just maybe, a deal can still be reached.But we do know this much:
As recently as December, governors of the three states were suggesting that a deal might be concluded fairly quickly, in time to be approved while their respective legislatures were still in session.
Well, the Alabama Legislature adjourned April 22, the Florida session ended April 30, and Georgia legislators went home April 29, with no deal even whispered about. Even if a deal were to be announced now, its prospects might be doomed by another event of April 29. That day, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist announced he was leaving the Republican Party to run for the Senate as an independent.
Like his counterparts, Sonny Perdue of Georgia and Bob Riley of Alabama, Crist’s term as governor is ending. Lame-duck governors often don’t wield a lot of influence, which means it might be hard even under good circumstances for the three to sell a deal to their legislators.With Crist’s announcement, however, he becomes a man without a political base, and as a result any deal he might bring to Florida legislators would almost certainly be rejected.
So where does that leave us?
In the past, Perdue has floated a second means of resolving the dispute politically. Congress, he has said, could be enlisted to impose a settlement on how to manage Lake Lanier and its downstream flow.
Initially, Georgia’s congressional delegation didn’t think much of that approach, perceiving it as a last-ditch effort by Perdue to dump the problem into their laps. Upon further inspection, that assessment hasn’t changed much.
According to John O’Keefe, a staff member for U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey, the governor’s idea “doesn’t seem to be going anywhere.” Georgia can’t match the political heft of the combined Florida and Alabama delegations, O’Keefe told a water conference last month at the University of West Georgia, and other states have no interest in getting involved in the dispute. But O’Keefe also sympathized with Perdue’s predicament. If no solution is found soon, he said, “Gov. Perdue would bear the brunt of the blame” of “an economic death knell to Georgia.”
With a political solution unlikely, that leaves the courts, where Georgia’s success rate has been dismal. Under a federal ruling last summer, the state has until July 17, 2012, to settle with its neighboring states or face a dramatic reduction in the amount of water it can withdraw from Lake Lanier. Georgia attorneys have filed an appeal to that decision. Ideally, they hope to overturn the decision by Judge Paul Magnuson that water supply is not a congressionally authorized purpose of Lake Lanier, which would be a great victory.
That seems unlikely. More realistically, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals could rule that Magnuson’s decision was too punitive to metro Atlanta, perhaps giving the region a reprieve from that looming deadline while a more rational solution is pursued.Water, in other words, is going to remain a chronic, recurring problem for metro Atlanta. “Once you have an interstate water conflict, you always have an interstate water conflict,” says water-law expert Jerry Sherk, an attorney and a water law expert in Colorado. Colorado and Kansas, he said, have fought over the Arkansas River for more than a century.
And they’re still at it.
For more columns from Jay Bookman please visit http://blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/about/
Rainwater Collection A Solution for Atlanta Water Supply Concerns
Rainwater Collection is a proven water conservation approach and with the right equipment a solution for potable water. More homeowners in Atlanta are discovering the many benefits of having a professionally installed rainwater collection system in their backyard. No more worries about water restrictions. Your garden and landscape will thrive and you reduce your environmental impact. For more information on rainwater Collection please visit www.ecovieenvironmental.com
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Rainwater Harvesting Is the Solution for Atlanta
By Bob Drew
Ecovie Environmental
Finally, rainwater “harvesting” – the process of capturing rain, storing it and “recycling” it for any number of purposes both at home and in the workplace – is coming into its own in Atlanta.
And not a moment too soon. It’s no secret, of course, that Atlanta has challenges with access to water from Lake Lanier and that periods of droughts and floods are commonplace. This has led to extraordinary debate about its cause – and, just as important, heated discussion about what kinds of remedies can be effected. The goal: Ensuring future generations have ample access to water to support Atlanta’s continuing economic and population growth.
Unfortunately, civic leaders have found few quick fixes beyond encouraging water conservation, banning or limiting activities such as watering lawns, and encouraging the installation of more energy-efficient appliances.
Long-term solutions – the building of one or more reservoirs, for instance – appear elusive, dogged by questions of cost and who will pay for them. Meanwhile, fighting continues over just how three states – Georgia, Alabama and Florida – will share the water of Lake Lanier, Atlanta’s premiere source of H2O – and the city continues raising its water rates (they will increase 12.5% this year and another 12.5% next year and who knows after that). (A little-known fact: According to Fitch Ratings in New York, Atlantans pay more for water than residents of any other major city in the U.S.)
A cost-effective, immediate, “take-charge” solution
Largely overlooked as a solution that can be put in place today – and bring immediate results: Rainwater harvesting by both consumers and businesses. Indeed, to date the concept has received little attention from politicians, civic and not-for-profit groups and the media anywhere in the Southeast, in part because the South has never been “water starved” historically in the way the West has been. As a result, water supply here has been taken for granted, an issue people have thought best dealt with by government agencies rather than by individual consumers and businesses who have had little if any “skin” in the game.
Little known in the Atlanta region – and anywhere in the Southeast: As we have suffered through the drought and watch Lake Lanier drain, a great number of Western states and cities have enacted legislative, tax, plumbing code and related changes and incentives that are making these areas water sufficient in large part through rainwater harvesting.
Here’s the great part: These rainwater harvesting initiatives in the West cost taxpayers little compared to the giant sums that have to be invested in major infrastructure projects such as the construction of reservoirs. And, most important, in many cases consumers and businesses are incented through tax breaks to install water harvesting systems on their property (just as they are in the better-known arena of solar power and the installation of solar panels) – a solution that enables them to take better control over their short- and long-term budgets while also knowing that they’re playing a part personally in a key “green” and eco “sustainability” issue.
To read rest of article please click-http://bobdrew.wordpress.com/
Sponsor: EcoVie Environmental is providing Atlanta homeowners with a number of rainwater collection solutions to help their water conservation needs. Not only do homeowners save money on their water utility bills they have unlimited access to water for all of their gardening and landscaping needs. For more information please visit their website- www.ecovieenvironmental.com
Ecovie Environmental
Finally, rainwater “harvesting” – the process of capturing rain, storing it and “recycling” it for any number of purposes both at home and in the workplace – is coming into its own in Atlanta.
And not a moment too soon. It’s no secret, of course, that Atlanta has challenges with access to water from Lake Lanier and that periods of droughts and floods are commonplace. This has led to extraordinary debate about its cause – and, just as important, heated discussion about what kinds of remedies can be effected. The goal: Ensuring future generations have ample access to water to support Atlanta’s continuing economic and population growth.
Unfortunately, civic leaders have found few quick fixes beyond encouraging water conservation, banning or limiting activities such as watering lawns, and encouraging the installation of more energy-efficient appliances.
Long-term solutions – the building of one or more reservoirs, for instance – appear elusive, dogged by questions of cost and who will pay for them. Meanwhile, fighting continues over just how three states – Georgia, Alabama and Florida – will share the water of Lake Lanier, Atlanta’s premiere source of H2O – and the city continues raising its water rates (they will increase 12.5% this year and another 12.5% next year and who knows after that). (A little-known fact: According to Fitch Ratings in New York, Atlantans pay more for water than residents of any other major city in the U.S.)
A cost-effective, immediate, “take-charge” solution
Largely overlooked as a solution that can be put in place today – and bring immediate results: Rainwater harvesting by both consumers and businesses. Indeed, to date the concept has received little attention from politicians, civic and not-for-profit groups and the media anywhere in the Southeast, in part because the South has never been “water starved” historically in the way the West has been. As a result, water supply here has been taken for granted, an issue people have thought best dealt with by government agencies rather than by individual consumers and businesses who have had little if any “skin” in the game.
Little known in the Atlanta region – and anywhere in the Southeast: As we have suffered through the drought and watch Lake Lanier drain, a great number of Western states and cities have enacted legislative, tax, plumbing code and related changes and incentives that are making these areas water sufficient in large part through rainwater harvesting.
Here’s the great part: These rainwater harvesting initiatives in the West cost taxpayers little compared to the giant sums that have to be invested in major infrastructure projects such as the construction of reservoirs. And, most important, in many cases consumers and businesses are incented through tax breaks to install water harvesting systems on their property (just as they are in the better-known arena of solar power and the installation of solar panels) – a solution that enables them to take better control over their short- and long-term budgets while also knowing that they’re playing a part personally in a key “green” and eco “sustainability” issue.
To read rest of article please click-http://bobdrew.wordpress.com/
Sponsor: EcoVie Environmental is providing Atlanta homeowners with a number of rainwater collection solutions to help their water conservation needs. Not only do homeowners save money on their water utility bills they have unlimited access to water for all of their gardening and landscaping needs. For more information please visit their website- www.ecovieenvironmental.com
Monday, April 26, 2010
Politicians Discuss Water Conservation and Potable Water
Speaking at a forum addressing the state’s potable water resources, nine gubernatorial hopefuls said Friday that while the effort to maintaining drinking water will be arduous, the focus needs to be both on conservation and the future creation of additional reservoirs.
Hosted by the University of West Georgia, candidates included Democrats Thurbert Baker, Carl Camon and David Poythress as well as Republicans Jeff Chapman, Nathan Deal, Eric Johnson, Ray McBerry, John Oxendine and Austin Scott.
In addressing water on the state level, Camon said, it’s important to remember that it’s a localized problem, and only through working with local governments and communities can the state begin to address the issue statewide.
“I think water is a local issue because it affects local people all around the state, and local governments collectively make up the state as a whole,” Camon said. “It’s imperative that anyone that serves as governor of Georgia has the opportunity to go where the help is to effectively communicate with the people who can make things happen, and I think I can effectively do that as governor of Georgia. As a matter of fact, if I had been in office for the last 10 or 15 years, some of these problems wouldn’t be here.”
When addressing the issue of conservation on a small scale, the matter becomes sticky, Camon said. While the government may need to regulate private water consumption to an extent, it must be careful not to infringe on individual landowners’ property rights.
For complete article please visit -http://www.times-georgian.com/view/full_story/7184651/article-Gubernatorial-hopefuls-address-water-issues-?instance=west_ga_news
Rainwater Collection is a proven water conservation approach and with the right equipment a solution for potable water. More homeowners in Atlanta are discovering the many benefits of having a professionally installed rainwater collection system installed in their backyard. No more worries about water restrictions. Your garden and landscape will thrive and you reduce your environmental impact. For more information on rainwater Collection please visit www.ecovieenvironmental.com
Hosted by the University of West Georgia, candidates included Democrats Thurbert Baker, Carl Camon and David Poythress as well as Republicans Jeff Chapman, Nathan Deal, Eric Johnson, Ray McBerry, John Oxendine and Austin Scott.
In addressing water on the state level, Camon said, it’s important to remember that it’s a localized problem, and only through working with local governments and communities can the state begin to address the issue statewide.
“I think water is a local issue because it affects local people all around the state, and local governments collectively make up the state as a whole,” Camon said. “It’s imperative that anyone that serves as governor of Georgia has the opportunity to go where the help is to effectively communicate with the people who can make things happen, and I think I can effectively do that as governor of Georgia. As a matter of fact, if I had been in office for the last 10 or 15 years, some of these problems wouldn’t be here.”
When addressing the issue of conservation on a small scale, the matter becomes sticky, Camon said. While the government may need to regulate private water consumption to an extent, it must be careful not to infringe on individual landowners’ property rights.
For complete article please visit -http://www.times-georgian.com/view/full_story/7184651/article-Gubernatorial-hopefuls-address-water-issues-?instance=west_ga_news
Rainwater Collection is a proven water conservation approach and with the right equipment a solution for potable water. More homeowners in Atlanta are discovering the many benefits of having a professionally installed rainwater collection system installed in their backyard. No more worries about water restrictions. Your garden and landscape will thrive and you reduce your environmental impact. For more information on rainwater Collection please visit www.ecovieenvironmental.com
Monday, April 19, 2010
Atlanta Students Learn About Water Wise Program
Students, with help from guests from the city of Atlanta, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, educational leaders and other organizations, undertook a water measurement water activity at Burgess-Peterson Academy to learn how to conserve resources and save money for their school as part of an innovative new program, Be Water Wise Atlanta.
“Atlanta is no longer in a drought, but that doesn’t mean that we can return to previous wasteful ways,” said City of Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed in a message about the program. ”Droughts are cyclical, and, sooner or later, we will face another one. That’s why I think it is imperative that we think of water conservation not as an occasional hardship but as new way to live our lives…Be Water Wise Atlanta offers our children an excellent start in this learning process.”
A project of the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) in partnership with the Atlanta Public Schools and Johnson Controls, Inc., Be Water Wise Atlanta includes math, science and language activities that focus on water conservation. A water measurement activity is the first part of an 18-month environmental education program that engages students to research and develop strategies to save water – and money – at their schools. The Walmart Foundation also is supporting Be Water Wise Atlanta.
OHS Virtual Expo
Atlanta faces unique challenges in water management. According to the U.S. Geological Society, Atlanta’s primary water sources are small and greatly affected by droughts. With more than 5 million inhabitants, the metro area has only one sizeable water stream, the Chattahoochee River. Sixteen counties that make up the North Georgia Water Planning District use 652 million gallons of water per day, most of which is consumed by households.
“Be Water Wise Atlanta gives students a chance to solve real-world problems that impact their schools and homes,” said Diane Wood, president of the National Environmental Education Foundation. “The program exemplifies the possibilities and power of environmental education.”
Johnson Controls provided Atlanta Public School teachers and custodians with training and materials in February, which also featured representatives from Georgia Project WET. Students will assess water use at schools by inspecting faucets, water fountains and other plumbing fixtures for flow rates and leaks. After analyzing results, students will offer water conservation ideas to city officials.
Fourteen Atlanta-area schools will take part in the project. Partnering organizations include: the Environmental Protection Agency Region 4, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Johnson Controls, Inc., Georgia Project WET, Conserve Water Georgia, Georgia Green and Healthy Schools, the Georgia Aquarium, the Center for Education Integrating Mathematics, Science and Computing (CEISMC) at Georgia Tech, the City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management, and the City of Atlanta Office of Sustainability.
At the conclusion of the program, students will present their water conservation findings at an assembly before city leaders.
“Atlanta is no longer in a drought, but that doesn’t mean that we can return to previous wasteful ways,” said City of Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed in a message about the program. ”Droughts are cyclical, and, sooner or later, we will face another one. That’s why I think it is imperative that we think of water conservation not as an occasional hardship but as new way to live our lives…Be Water Wise Atlanta offers our children an excellent start in this learning process.”
A project of the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) in partnership with the Atlanta Public Schools and Johnson Controls, Inc., Be Water Wise Atlanta includes math, science and language activities that focus on water conservation. A water measurement activity is the first part of an 18-month environmental education program that engages students to research and develop strategies to save water – and money – at their schools. The Walmart Foundation also is supporting Be Water Wise Atlanta.
OHS Virtual Expo
Atlanta faces unique challenges in water management. According to the U.S. Geological Society, Atlanta’s primary water sources are small and greatly affected by droughts. With more than 5 million inhabitants, the metro area has only one sizeable water stream, the Chattahoochee River. Sixteen counties that make up the North Georgia Water Planning District use 652 million gallons of water per day, most of which is consumed by households.
“Be Water Wise Atlanta gives students a chance to solve real-world problems that impact their schools and homes,” said Diane Wood, president of the National Environmental Education Foundation. “The program exemplifies the possibilities and power of environmental education.”
Johnson Controls provided Atlanta Public School teachers and custodians with training and materials in February, which also featured representatives from Georgia Project WET. Students will assess water use at schools by inspecting faucets, water fountains and other plumbing fixtures for flow rates and leaks. After analyzing results, students will offer water conservation ideas to city officials.
Fourteen Atlanta-area schools will take part in the project. Partnering organizations include: the Environmental Protection Agency Region 4, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Johnson Controls, Inc., Georgia Project WET, Conserve Water Georgia, Georgia Green and Healthy Schools, the Georgia Aquarium, the Center for Education Integrating Mathematics, Science and Computing (CEISMC) at Georgia Tech, the City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management, and the City of Atlanta Office of Sustainability.
At the conclusion of the program, students will present their water conservation findings at an assembly before city leaders.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Ecovie Environmental Showcasing Rainwater Collection at Atlanta Dogwood Festival
The 74th Annual Dogwood Festival will be gracing Piedmont Park once again. The Dogwood Festival will feature entertainment on numerous stages and exhibits from hundreds of national, regional and local artists. The Dogwood Festival has partnered with the Atlanta Chapter of the US Green Building Council to present the Eco- Village. The Eco- Village will feature-Dedicated Exhibit booths in the Green Village featuring companies with sustainable initiatives and products and Discovery Education Centers in the Eco-Village to encourage people to participate in sustainable practices such as: green building, composting, recycling, renewable energy, and water conservation.
Rainwater Collection Featured At Eco-Village
Atlanta is faced with water supply issues and the Eco Village will provide educational opportunities for homeowners and interested consumers to learn what they can do to protect this valuable resource. One solution that has been popular in Europe is Rainwater Collection.One of the key companies in Atlanta providing Rainwater Collection systems is Ecovie Environmental. Please visit their exhibit booth at the Eco Village or for more information on rainwater collection please visit their website- www.ecovieenvironmental.com
For more information on Eco Village or the Dogwood Festival please go their website www.dogwood.org
Rainwater Collection Featured At Eco-Village
Atlanta is faced with water supply issues and the Eco Village will provide educational opportunities for homeowners and interested consumers to learn what they can do to protect this valuable resource. One solution that has been popular in Europe is Rainwater Collection.One of the key companies in Atlanta providing Rainwater Collection systems is Ecovie Environmental. Please visit their exhibit booth at the Eco Village or for more information on rainwater collection please visit their website- www.ecovieenvironmental.com
For more information on Eco Village or the Dogwood Festival please go their website www.dogwood.org
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Potable Rainwater
By Doug Pushard
When I was growing up, I remember drinking out of a rain barrel with a ladle. My great aunt would yell out the door, “Remember not to drink off the top!” That was then and now is now. A lot has changed in 4 decades. There are a lot more pollutants, and we are more aware of the risks. We now know that E. coli and other harmful bacteria can be passed along in untreated contaminated water. A report by Peter H. Gleick estimates that if no action is taken to address unmet basic human needs for water, as many as 135 million people will die from water-related diseases by 2020.
Rainwater harvesting is viewed by many, including the EPA, as a partial solution to the problems posed by water scarcity: droughts and desertification, erosion from runoff, over-reliance on depleted aquifers, and the costs of new irrigation, diversion, and water treatment facilities.
Please click here to read full article
Sponsor: Ecovie Environmental is an Atlanta based company focused on providing homeowners with a water conservation solution- rainwater collection. Rainwater Collection systems provide an environmentally responsible method to use collected rainwater for your gardening and landscaping needs. Imagine being able to water your garden and lawn at any time without worrying about water bans or increasing water bills. With an Ecovie Environmental custom- built Rainwater Collection system you can. For more information please visit http://www.ecovieenvironmental.com
When I was growing up, I remember drinking out of a rain barrel with a ladle. My great aunt would yell out the door, “Remember not to drink off the top!” That was then and now is now. A lot has changed in 4 decades. There are a lot more pollutants, and we are more aware of the risks. We now know that E. coli and other harmful bacteria can be passed along in untreated contaminated water. A report by Peter H. Gleick estimates that if no action is taken to address unmet basic human needs for water, as many as 135 million people will die from water-related diseases by 2020.
Rainwater harvesting is viewed by many, including the EPA, as a partial solution to the problems posed by water scarcity: droughts and desertification, erosion from runoff, over-reliance on depleted aquifers, and the costs of new irrigation, diversion, and water treatment facilities.
Please click here to read full article
Sponsor: Ecovie Environmental is an Atlanta based company focused on providing homeowners with a water conservation solution- rainwater collection. Rainwater Collection systems provide an environmentally responsible method to use collected rainwater for your gardening and landscaping needs. Imagine being able to water your garden and lawn at any time without worrying about water bans or increasing water bills. With an Ecovie Environmental custom- built Rainwater Collection system you can. For more information please visit http://www.ecovieenvironmental.com
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Even the U.S. Military Is Conserving Water
It's not just the troops' uniforms that are green: The U.S. military says its investments to conserve energy and water are beginning to pay off, with benefits for cost, national security and troop safety.
The Army has cut water usage at its permanent bases and other facilities around the world by 31% since 2004, according to Pentagon data. The amount of energy used per square foot at Army facilities declined 10.4% during that same period.
The data do not include the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, where increased troop levels caused energy usage to rise, but the military has several green measures in place there.
For example, the military has spent more than $100 million on "spray foam" insulation for tents in Iraq and Afghanistan, cutting leakage of air conditioning by at least 50%, says Tad Davis, the Army's deputy assistant secretary for environmental issues. The energy savings usually recover the investment within 90 days, he says.
The military's green efforts will result in at least $1.6 billion in savings through the projects' lifetime, says Joe Sikes, director of facilities energy at the Defense Department.
President Obama says the armed forces are investing $2.7 billion this year to improve energy efficiency. Improvements include: more energy-efficient lighting, low-flow toilets, heating and air-conditioning upgrades,and solar panels.
For the full article please visit the USA Today website at http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/environment/2010-04-11-military-going-green_N.htm
The Army has cut water usage at its permanent bases and other facilities around the world by 31% since 2004, according to Pentagon data. The amount of energy used per square foot at Army facilities declined 10.4% during that same period.
The data do not include the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, where increased troop levels caused energy usage to rise, but the military has several green measures in place there.
For example, the military has spent more than $100 million on "spray foam" insulation for tents in Iraq and Afghanistan, cutting leakage of air conditioning by at least 50%, says Tad Davis, the Army's deputy assistant secretary for environmental issues. The energy savings usually recover the investment within 90 days, he says.
The military's green efforts will result in at least $1.6 billion in savings through the projects' lifetime, says Joe Sikes, director of facilities energy at the Defense Department.
President Obama says the armed forces are investing $2.7 billion this year to improve energy efficiency. Improvements include: more energy-efficient lighting, low-flow toilets, heating and air-conditioning upgrades,and solar panels.
For the full article please visit the USA Today website at http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/environment/2010-04-11-military-going-green_N.htm
Monday, April 12, 2010
Rainwater Collection Will Help Water Conservation in Atlanta
Harvesting rainwater to ease Atlanta’s water woes
By G. Edward Van Giesen
Metro Atlanta’s water challenges have rolled through the region like a giant thunderclap in the night, waking its residents from their dream that Georgia’s water resources are unlimited and well-managed.
U.S. District Court Judge Paul Magnuson’s order threatening a dramatic rollback in the amount of water the region can withdraw from Lake Lanier, last year’s drought and staggering property damage from storm-inundated water channels have made indisputably clear the need for new ways to think about how we gather, use and manage our water resources.
The fastest, easiest and most effective technique for increasing our available water resources, coping with drought conditions and controlling storm runoff has been overlooked so far in efforts to change the state’s water management systems, however.
A decentralized approach to rainwater harvesting, as described by Australian water authority Peter Coombes in a series of recent academic studies, can produce tremendous benefits for the state both in conservation of potable water and reduction of storm water runoff.
For rest of article:http://www.ajc.com/opinion/harvesting-rainwater-to-ease-444310.html
Sponsor: EcoVie Environmental is providing Atlanta homeowners with a number of rainwater collection solutions to help their water conservation needs. Not only do homeowners save money on their water utility bills they have unlimited access to water for all of their gardening and landscaping needs. For more information please visit their website- www.ecovieenvironmental.com
By G. Edward Van Giesen
Metro Atlanta’s water challenges have rolled through the region like a giant thunderclap in the night, waking its residents from their dream that Georgia’s water resources are unlimited and well-managed.
U.S. District Court Judge Paul Magnuson’s order threatening a dramatic rollback in the amount of water the region can withdraw from Lake Lanier, last year’s drought and staggering property damage from storm-inundated water channels have made indisputably clear the need for new ways to think about how we gather, use and manage our water resources.
The fastest, easiest and most effective technique for increasing our available water resources, coping with drought conditions and controlling storm runoff has been overlooked so far in efforts to change the state’s water management systems, however.
A decentralized approach to rainwater harvesting, as described by Australian water authority Peter Coombes in a series of recent academic studies, can produce tremendous benefits for the state both in conservation of potable water and reduction of storm water runoff.
For rest of article:http://www.ajc.com/opinion/harvesting-rainwater-to-ease-444310.html
Sponsor: EcoVie Environmental is providing Atlanta homeowners with a number of rainwater collection solutions to help their water conservation needs. Not only do homeowners save money on their water utility bills they have unlimited access to water for all of their gardening and landscaping needs. For more information please visit their website- www.ecovieenvironmental.com
Friday, April 2, 2010
State Of Georgia and Gwinnett County Challenging Use of Lake Lanier water
Georgia has asked an appeals court to allow metro Atlanta to use Lake Lanier for most of its water needs, warning that a contrary decision "will be devastating to 3 million residents who have no meaningful alternative source of water supply."
Separately, Gwinnett County also asked the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta to reverse a ruling last July that declared the region has no legal right to rely on Lake Lanier for most of its water supply.
The ruling "imposed what can only be termed the death penalty for subsistence by existing households and businesses, as well as future economic growth within Gwinnett," the county said. It noted that its approximately 800,000 residents rely on the lake as their sole source of water supply.
The almost 200 pages of legal briefs filed by Georgia parties and Gwinnett are the first salvos in a high-stakes appeal over water rights to Lake Lanier. The 11th Circuit has set a briefing schedule that ends July 26. Once all legal briefs are filed, the court is expected to schedule oral arguments in the case.
For rest of article please visit AJC.com-http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-politics-elections/georgia-appeals-devastating-water-429545.html
Separately, Gwinnett County also asked the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta to reverse a ruling last July that declared the region has no legal right to rely on Lake Lanier for most of its water supply.
The ruling "imposed what can only be termed the death penalty for subsistence by existing households and businesses, as well as future economic growth within Gwinnett," the county said. It noted that its approximately 800,000 residents rely on the lake as their sole source of water supply.
The almost 200 pages of legal briefs filed by Georgia parties and Gwinnett are the first salvos in a high-stakes appeal over water rights to Lake Lanier. The 11th Circuit has set a briefing schedule that ends July 26. Once all legal briefs are filed, the court is expected to schedule oral arguments in the case.
For rest of article please visit AJC.com-http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-politics-elections/georgia-appeals-devastating-water-429545.html
Thursday, April 1, 2010
ecoTransitions Promoted Fix A Leak Week
Interesting information from the ecoTransitions blog
Because minor water leaks account for more than 1 trillion gallons of water wasted each year in U.S. homes, ecoTransitions is promoting “Fix a Leak Week,” March 15 through 21, 2010. Fix a Leak Week is sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) WaterSense® program as an annual reminder to Americans to check household plumbing fixtures and irrigation systems for leaks.
“Leaks can add up to more than 10,000 gallons of water wasted at home every year—that’s enough to fill a backyard swimming pool,” said Andrea Paulinellli, CEO and President. “ecoTransitions is participating in Fix a Leak Week to help homeowners save money on their utility bills and to help save water in our community and for future generations. Atlanta may lose its rights to access water from Lake Lanier in 2012. If that is the case, Georgia must undertake the difficult — and costly — process of either living on less or finding more water. By replacing old, water-guzzling fixtures in our households, we can make a great start in reducing our indoor water use by up to 50 percent.”
To help consumers here in Georgia and across the country save water, ecoTransitions and WaterSense are promoting ways to identify and repair dripping faucets, running toilets, and leaky showerheads. In most cases, fixture replacement parts pay for themselves quickly and can be installed by do-it-yourselfers, your favorite handy person, plumber, or WaterSense irrigation partner. Following are a few water-saving tips:
Reduce faucet leaks by checking faucet washers and gaskets for wear and, if necessary, replace the faucet with a WaterSense labeled model.
Leaky toilets are most often the result of a worn toilet flapper. Replacing the rubber flapper is a quick fix that could save a home with a constantly running toilet up to 200 gallons of water per day. If the leaky toilet uses 3.5 gallons per flush, replace it with a High Efficiency Toilet and save hundreds of Dollars per year.
For a leaky garden hose, replace the nylon or rubber hose washer and ensure a tight connection to the spigot using pipe tape and a wrench.
Landscape irrigation systems should be checked each spring before use to make sure they are not damaged by frost or freezing.
If homeowners have to replace a plumbing fixture, ecoTransitions reminds them to look for the WaterSense label. WaterSense labeled toilets, faucets, and (soon) showerheads have been independently tested and certified to save water and perform as well as or better than standard models. For more information on Fix a Leak Week, visit www.epa.gov/watersense/fixaleak.
For more information please visit the ecotransitions website- www.ecotransitions.com
Because minor water leaks account for more than 1 trillion gallons of water wasted each year in U.S. homes, ecoTransitions is promoting “Fix a Leak Week,” March 15 through 21, 2010. Fix a Leak Week is sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) WaterSense® program as an annual reminder to Americans to check household plumbing fixtures and irrigation systems for leaks.
“Leaks can add up to more than 10,000 gallons of water wasted at home every year—that’s enough to fill a backyard swimming pool,” said Andrea Paulinellli, CEO and President. “ecoTransitions is participating in Fix a Leak Week to help homeowners save money on their utility bills and to help save water in our community and for future generations. Atlanta may lose its rights to access water from Lake Lanier in 2012. If that is the case, Georgia must undertake the difficult — and costly — process of either living on less or finding more water. By replacing old, water-guzzling fixtures in our households, we can make a great start in reducing our indoor water use by up to 50 percent.”
To help consumers here in Georgia and across the country save water, ecoTransitions and WaterSense are promoting ways to identify and repair dripping faucets, running toilets, and leaky showerheads. In most cases, fixture replacement parts pay for themselves quickly and can be installed by do-it-yourselfers, your favorite handy person, plumber, or WaterSense irrigation partner. Following are a few water-saving tips:
Reduce faucet leaks by checking faucet washers and gaskets for wear and, if necessary, replace the faucet with a WaterSense labeled model.
Leaky toilets are most often the result of a worn toilet flapper. Replacing the rubber flapper is a quick fix that could save a home with a constantly running toilet up to 200 gallons of water per day. If the leaky toilet uses 3.5 gallons per flush, replace it with a High Efficiency Toilet and save hundreds of Dollars per year.
For a leaky garden hose, replace the nylon or rubber hose washer and ensure a tight connection to the spigot using pipe tape and a wrench.
Landscape irrigation systems should be checked each spring before use to make sure they are not damaged by frost or freezing.
If homeowners have to replace a plumbing fixture, ecoTransitions reminds them to look for the WaterSense label. WaterSense labeled toilets, faucets, and (soon) showerheads have been independently tested and certified to save water and perform as well as or better than standard models. For more information on Fix a Leak Week, visit www.epa.gov/watersense/fixaleak.
For more information please visit the ecotransitions website- www.ecotransitions.com
Rainwater Collection A Solution to Our Water Challenge?
By Bob Drew- President Ecovie Environmental
To find a long-term, affordable solution to the ongoing "water wars" with neighboring states- and to put some much needed, long term sanity back to into the region's overall water-related strategizing-metro Atlantan’s need look no farther than their own roofs. Put another way: Area residents are a lot closer than they think to a solution to the current water crisis-potentially for a fraction of the cost being discussed by various government agencies that think building new reservoirs and water treatment constitutes the only effective way out of this morass.
What exactly is this fix? Three words: rainwater collection systems. Rather than large new reservoirs, these personal mini-reservoirs can have a major impact on demand from municipal water. We’re not talking about what immediately comes to mind when most people think of collecting rainwater. Installing 55 gallon rain barrels in yards typically bought at so-called "big box" retailers or farmer's markets-barrels intended to help water gardens.
Rain barrels are a meaningful way to begin any effort at conserving and utilizing rainwater, but more substantive collection means the installation of residential tank systems that commonly store between 2,000 and 10,000 gallons for a home. When outdoor water use accounts for around half of all residential demand and upwards of 100,000 gallons every summer, this sort of capacity is required to keep up with demand.
In Austin, Texas, rainwater collection now accounts for five million gallons a day for commercial and municipal applications alone. Translated into a metropolitan area the size of Atlanta, this would mean 18 million gallons a day. Adding the impact of residential rainwater collection, the impact would be much higher.
For more information please visit www.ecovieenvironmental.com
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Georgia House Natural Resources Committee Listens to Advantages of Rainwater Collection
Major legislation to encourage water conservation seemed to Eddie Van Giesen the perfect opportunity for convincing policymakers to latch onto the idea of rainwater harvesting.
The soft-spoken Watkinsville resident signed up for his chance to speak before the House Natural Resources Committee when it held a hearing last month on the legislation championed by Gov. Sonny Perdue. When his turn came, he spoke excitedly on behalf of the Rainwater Harvesting Association of America about how 300 million gallons of water is available for use in Georgia per day by capturing rain.
Van Giesen is a registered lobbyist and policy coordinator for Blue Ridge Atlantic Enterprises, a North Carolina company that distributes and installs various water-conservation and rainwater devices. It has installed them in facilities like the Tate Student Center at the University of Georgia and Hotel Indigo in downtown Athens.
"Every time you flush a toilet with treated water, you waste money, energy and precious potable water," he said. "You might as well be choking the sewer system with dollar bills."
Use of rainwater for irrigation, laundry and even toilet flushing would save drinking water for critical uses and possibly answer metro Atlanta's supply shortage in light of a federal order prohibiting withdrawal from Lake Lanier starting in 2012. And the cost of such a reservoir, that's broken up into tanks at thousands of homes and office buildings, would be far cheaper and easier to construct than trying to duplicate Lake Lanier or pipe water from the Savannah River.
For full coverage click here
The soft-spoken Watkinsville resident signed up for his chance to speak before the House Natural Resources Committee when it held a hearing last month on the legislation championed by Gov. Sonny Perdue. When his turn came, he spoke excitedly on behalf of the Rainwater Harvesting Association of America about how 300 million gallons of water is available for use in Georgia per day by capturing rain.
Van Giesen is a registered lobbyist and policy coordinator for Blue Ridge Atlantic Enterprises, a North Carolina company that distributes and installs various water-conservation and rainwater devices. It has installed them in facilities like the Tate Student Center at the University of Georgia and Hotel Indigo in downtown Athens.
"Every time you flush a toilet with treated water, you waste money, energy and precious potable water," he said. "You might as well be choking the sewer system with dollar bills."
Use of rainwater for irrigation, laundry and even toilet flushing would save drinking water for critical uses and possibly answer metro Atlanta's supply shortage in light of a federal order prohibiting withdrawal from Lake Lanier starting in 2012. And the cost of such a reservoir, that's broken up into tanks at thousands of homes and office buildings, would be far cheaper and easier to construct than trying to duplicate Lake Lanier or pipe water from the Savannah River.
For full coverage click here
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Water Conservation in Atlanta Blog Launches
Water is a precious resource everywhere but it will play a crucial role in Atlanta and our ability to grow. The current water conservation is exciting and will create a new culture of conservation in our State. The bill has passed both the Georgia House and Senate and only waits on Governor Perdue's signature to become law.
This blog will be a source of information for consumers and business leaders on water conservation programs, resources and new ideas.
This blog will be a source of information for consumers and business leaders on water conservation programs, resources and new ideas.
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