Farewell! Despedida! Adieu! Addio!

Farewell Everyone!

I am not going to lie my faithful bloggers, writing this blog has not been easy (I have avoided it for a week due to denial). I am here to say my final goodbyes as a Water Conservation Intern. Graduation is upon us.

Soon, I will be able to call myself a UGA ALUM. How crazy is that? Along with that title, I will take with me my time spent working as a Water Warrior. I can not thank the ACC Water Conservation Office enough for the experiences and the knowledge I have gained while working here. Marilyn, Laurie, Jackie, Nicki, Lauren, and Becky have been amazing and their work here in Athens has truly made a difference (my heart warms when I see the Conserve:Water U Waiting 4? bumper stickers).

I have been fortunate enough to attend and participate in many events with the Water Conservation Office.Within my first semester at the office I was even able to make a collection of short video clips for the Bob Snipes Water Resources Center with the help of Lily Anne Phibian. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QFIk2_UkyA) Looking back, it is difficult to choose just one event to be my favorite. In just this past year I was able to participate in the Ripple Effect Film Festival, the Athens Water Festival, Rivers Alive, the Christmas Parade and Float, and 2 Fix-A-Leak Weeks. Although these were the big names that are associated with the Water Conservation Office, the events and outreach programs done in the schools can not be overlooked! I will take with me all of the good memories I have of attending the Adopt-A-Class programs on Tuesday/Thursday mornings and being able to talk with students about the endless opportunities of jobs in water.

Working in water conservation, you can't help but find a new appreciation for water. I grew up a swimmer, lived on the Chattahoochee River, and loved all water related activities! I often took this precious resource for granted without realizing all the work and effort that goes behind the conservation and protection of our resource. I hope this blog is a weekly reminder of just how important water is and the responsibility associated with its protection. It is in EVERYTHING we do. Even in my favorite TV show!

Photo courtesy of www.quicklol.com

As my time ends, others begin. Keep reading and keep conserving! 

Sincerely,

Nicole Duffy-Intern

Water Resources Center

Stop 3. Water Resources Center

Our journey continues in search of buildings, businesses, and organizations that demonstrate water conservation methods in Athens-Clarke County.  The next stop is the Bob Snipes Water Resources Center (WRC) located off Barber Street (I'm sure you've seen it on your way to Terrapin :)  The WRC is a water and wastewater laboratory along with an educational facility.  It highlights 5 sustainable and water saving elements both within and around the building.  We will discuss each of these 5 elements over the next few blogs.

The first element is the actual building itself.  The WRC is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified.  What exactly is LEED, you ask??  Well, LEED is an international green building certification program that ensures the entire lifecycle of a building is environmentally friendly.  

The WRC gained LEED status by:

• Installing WaterSense efficient plumbing fixtures to reduce water waste by 40%
• Recycling 75% of construction debris
• Designing the roof to minimize heat absorption and maximize energy efficiency
• Planting drought-tolerant plants to reduce water used by irrigation
• Including education in the design

WaterSense dual flush toilet meets EPA criteria

Construction of the Roof

Educational Displays in the Atrium






The benefits of the WRC as a LEED building include reduction in operating costs, reduction in construction waste sent to landfills, conservation of water and energy, providing healthier and safer environment for workers and visitors, and reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.  The public is welcome to visit the WRC Monday through Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm.

Transportation and Public Works

Stop 2. Transportation and Public Works

Our journey continues in search of buildings, businesses, and organizations that demonstrate water conservation methods in Athens-Clarke County.  The next stop is the Transportation and Public Works building at the corner of West Dougherty Street and Lumpkin Street.  The water conservation method highlighted here is a rain chain.  The  side of the building (facing Lumpkin Street) has a rain chain attached to a rain barrel. 

 

What are rain chains? Rain chains are alternatives to downspouts.  They visibly guide rain water from the roof down chains to the ground, a drain, or storage container like a rain barrel (remember the ones at Sandy Creek Nature Center, our Stop #1?).  The collected rain water can be used to water flowers and gardens.  The Transportation and Public Works rain chain supplies water for a rain garden. Some organizations suggest rain chains should replace downspouts, claiming they fulfill the same purposes of downspouts, but also break the flow of water as it hits the ground, mitigating its impact. 

History of rain chains.  The Japanese have used rain chains for hundreds of years.  Today the chains are used to direct the rain water from their roof to storage units for later use in household chores.  The Japanese are also known for incorporating large decorative rain chains into their temple design.  

The style. The styles of rain chains vary from traditional chains to cups to decorative flowers.  Link, cup, and flower chain styles are far more attractive than traditional downspouts and often add to the decor of a building rather than detract from it.  Many people make their own rain chain from recycled materials such as clay pottery, pebbles, and even pine cones.  Look at this website for inspiration and installation tips. 

For more information on rain chains visit here.

Check in next month as we visit another place in ACC!

Sandy Creek Nature Center

Are you ready for a road trip???  

If so, join the Water Conservation Office as we travel around Athens-Clarke County in search of buildings, businesses, and organizations that demonstrate cool water conservation methods!  Every month we will visit a new place and learn about how they conserve water.  We will share with you what we have learned and give tips on how to conserve water in your own home or business!  So buckle up and let the journey begin...

Stop 1. Sandy Creek Nature Center

Sandy Creek Nature Center (SCNC) is known for being home to over 4 miles of trails that go through the woodlands and wetlands of Georgia’s Piedmont.  Live reptiles, amphibians, marine and freshwater fishes also call SCNC home.  SCNC has recently expanded and includes various interactive exhibits on everything from composting to water conservation (our favorite part).  Now you might know all of that, but there is one thing that you might not know about Sandy Creek Nature Center...

Sandy Creek Nature Center is the proud home of two 500 gallon rain barrels!  A rain barrel collects and stores rainwater from a downspout.  This collected rainwater can be used on lawns, gardens, and even for washing cars and windows.

The first rain barrel is located in the front of the nature center as you walk in. 

The sign in front of the rain barrel informs readers that this is a rain water capture system that collects rain water runoff from the exhibit hall roof.  SCNC conserves water by using the collected rainwater to water plants instead of using tap water.  This system also reduces erosion and flooding by slowing down runoff from the roof and slowly releasing it to the ground.  

The second rain barrel is located behind the nature center near the trail heads.  This rain barrel collects rainwater from the roof and condensate from the air conditioning system. SCNC uses this water for gardens around their property.

Some of the benefits of using rain barrels include:

~Providing an alternative to using tap water for outdoor watering,

~Reducing stormwater runoff that can cause floods,
~Slowing stormwater runoff so that it can replenish groundwater and soil moisture,

~Saving money on your water bill, and                             

~Rainwater is often softer than tap water, which is better for plants.

Most rain barrels around homes are 55 gallons.  You can find rain barrels at local garden centers or you can build your own.  Here is some more information on rain barrels from the Environmental Protection Agency and you can see how local artists have turned rain barrels into works of art at www.rolloutthebarrels.org.

Finally, visit Sandy Creek Nature Center and check out their awesome rain barrels and gardens! 

Check in next month as we continue our journey around Athens-Clarke County!

Water and Electricity

Water and Electricity

Did you know that when you turn on a light it uses water?  I never thought that conserving energy also conserves water, but it does! Water actually plays a huge role in electricity production.  

There are two main types of power plants in the United States: thermoelectric and hydroelectric.  Thermoelectric power plants heat water to produce steam for generating electricity.  Hydroelectric power plants use flowing water to turn turbines that generate electricity.   There are two components to water use in power plants. Water withdrawal removes water from a local water source; the withdrawn water may or may not get returned to its source. Water consumption is the use of water that is not returned to its source, usually due to evaporation loss.

Some cool things that use water for energy production include:

•      Drill/mine natural gas, coal, and oil
•      Refine oil, uranium, and natural gas
•      Remove pollutants from exhaust
•      Generate steam that turns turbines
•      Transport
•      Cooling
•      Emissions Control

Did you know?

•       In 2005, thermoelectric power plants withdrew 143,000 million gallons every day to produce electricity!  This amounts to 41% of all the water withdrawn for our use.
•       Between 3,000-6,000 gallons of water are used to power a 60-watt light bulb for 12 hours a day over a year               

Below is a list of fuel sources and the amount of liters of water required

Fuel Source	Efficiency (liters of water per 1000 kilowatt hours)*
Natural Gas	38
Tar sands	190-340
Oil Shale	260-640
Coal	530-2100
Hydrogen	1,850-3,100
Petroleum	15,500-31,200
Fuel ethanol	32,400-375,900
Biodiesel	190,900-969,000

*Information from the Virginia Resources Research Center

For more information go here or to find out the typical process of turning coal into electricity go here!

~Jackie Sherry
Water Conservation Graduate Assistant

Slacker or Worker: the new look of PR

I want to take a little bit of a detour from water conservation to talk about social media.  I know, I know, this isn’t why you’re reading this blog, BUT, I have found that within our office, it’s become a huge topic of discussion.  I’ve forced myself into the forefront of social media on behalf of the Athens-Clarke County Water Conservation Office, and sometimes I wonder if I’ve jumped in over my head.

What I mean is I’ve had zero professional training.  I’ve taken zero classes on PR, marketing, journalism, or any other subject that would be remotely useful for expanding social media expertise.  And yet, here I am, forcing my way into this foreign world of computers and instant communication.  I’ve dragged my coworkers and bosses with me: better to make a journey like this with a team than to make it alone, I’m thankful for the support Team Water has given me.

But. There’s always a “but,” isn’t there? 

Though we’ve taken a huge step forward into the world of technology, we’re still creatures of habit.  We still view Facebook as a procrastination tool, as something that is not productive, that doesn’t classify as “work.”  We still feel uncomfortable with Twitter, with the idea that constantly tweeting, retweeting, and reading tweets is actually doing something worth being paid for.  Blogging still feels like writing in a journal, not connecting with a public that is genuinely interested in what our office is doing, and why it matters.  Pinterest sounds like another time-waster, not something useful for expanding your brand recognition.  I could go on, but you get the picture.

So what’s the deal?  Why am I complaining about sitting on Facebook and getting paid to do it?  Well…because I’m struggling with seeing it as acceptable.  

But it is.  

It’s very clear that Twitter and Facebook have done lots of work in furthering our conservation message.  Those of you that are on Facebook, Twitter, and the blog-o-sphere for fun DO see our conservation messages, our links, our photos, our events, our tweets, and (hopefully), they get you thinking about our water supply.  A huge part of our responsibility as the Water Conservation Office is outreach: getting across the importance of our Athens water, and the wise use of it.  How are messages received in today’s world?  Through TweetDeck, your Facebook inbox, and those handy apps on your phone.  That alone, I think, gives me permission to use those tools to speak to you.

Last “but,” I promise.  But what do you think?  Do you think I’m playing around all day?  Do you think this is a valuable endeavor?  Do you benefit from my incessant communication?  The most important thing I want to keep in mind during all these outreach efforts is: is this actually working?  Are those that I am speaking to actually listening?  If not, how can I change what I’m doing?  I do want to hear from you, my readers.  If I get responses, I’ll formulate a follow-up post with your ideas, thoughts, and I’ll give credit where credit is due.  So please tell me: what do you think?

Annaliese Ashley-Intern

40 Gallon Challenge

Alright guys, time to get real.  We’re in a drought. 

Gee thanks, Annaliese, I had no idea, I’ve only been hearing about it on the news for, like, ever.  

Well, I know, me too, but it’s serious.  Check out this Interactive Map of the U.S.Drought by NPR.  It’s a time-scale map of how much of the country has been or is in a drought over the past year. 

It’s hard to believe.  Some of the drought in the past few years has been influenced by the climate in the States.  What I wonder, is how much of our water shortage could be controlled by each of us conserving water in our own homes?  Maybe a few gallons, say, ten or so?  

That’s what I thought at first.  But after helping run a Project WET program called “The Long Haul,” I gained a better understanding of just how much water we use per day.  The average American family of four can use 400 gallons a day. A DAY.  That’s about 9.5 standard bathtubs full of water.  Those in other countries that walk to their water every day use about 5 gallons a day, so let’s say around 20 gallons for a family of four.  That means we use about 20 times more water per day here than those without plumbing.

So, what’s with all these numbers being thrown at you?  I know it’s a lot to take in, but bear with me, because the point is here.

Use less water.

Join me in the nationwide 40 Gallon Challenge this month.  Take a pledge to save water using tips listed online.  You’ll see lots of information on the website, but I’ll break it down for you here:

Nationwide, people are filling out online pledge cards that have conservation recommendations for households.  This pledge system is designed for two reasons: 1) to conserve the community’s water supply, and 2) so you can see a difference in your water-bill.  Most water bills are tiered by the 1000 gallons.  If you do the math, the 40 gallon challenge pledge to save 40 gallons a day, for 30 days, is 1200 gallons, which could knock you down a tier on your bill.  So, if you see that you’re already doing some of these conservation tips, don’t pledge to “do them,” because you’re already saving yourself some money, and you won’t be able to accurately track your pre and post-40gallon challenge savings.

I’m not trying to say: hey, don’t waste water, think about all those people in the world who don’t have any…but just consider that they can get by on 20 times less water than the average American.  Consider that we share our water with our farmers, with the industrial plants, with the vegetation, with the animals, and with each other.  Things could get tense around here if we run out, which is the understatement of the year, so just consider what you can do to help keep our blue planet blue.

I challenge you to take the 40 gallon challenge, and I want you to let me know when you do.

Annaliese Ashley-Intern

Opening Ceremony

Drum roll please…

With the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Summer Olympics still fresh in our minds, it seemed appropriate to have our own introductory parade of Team Water!  I wanted to introduce you to my teammates, those who have taught, inspired, challenged, and led me this summer.  Each member of Team Water gives something vital to our team: each member contributes in his or her own unique way which makes Team Water worthy of much more text than I’ve given them here.

  Marilyn Hall: The staunch leader of Team Water, Marilyn has been working at the Water Conservation Office for 3 years.  Her kids affectionately call her a “water conservation geek,” and she has been a lifelong water enthusiast.  She grew up in San Diego, a city that only receives about 11 inches of rain a year, so if anyone is prepared for the drought we’re currently experiencing, it’s Marilyn.  She hopes to instill a water conservation ethic in the Athens community, through educational programs, running and participating in festivals, and other community outreach opportunities. 

 Laurie Loftin: The education specialist of Team Water, Laurie has been working at the Water Conservation Office for just over a year.  When she began working here, her outlook on the importance of water changed: it is necessary to everything!  She hopes to foster that same appreciation she found for water within the rest of the Athens community.  Laurie believes that a greater understanding of the role water plays in our everyday lives leads to a desire to protect this valuable natural resource.  As Mark Twain said, “water, taken in moderation, cannot hurt anybody.”

 Will Cottrell: An offsite member of Team Water, Will is the Operations Coordinator of the JG Beacham Water Treatment Plant (on Barber St).  He is the resident tour-expert there, and is now also teaching kids and adults about water treatment at various camps and classes.  His quiet leadership has kept things running beautifully over there, and we’re all very thankful for his dedication to the Athens-Clarke County Public Utilities Department and to the conservation of our beloved water.

 Jackie Sherry: The new graduate assistant, Jackie began working with the Water Conservation Office this summer, and will continue with this office until she finishes her Master’s of Natural Resources at Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources (UGA) in 2 years.  She feels that educational programs with kids are the most important thing this office does, and her main goal is to get the students she comes in contact with interested in water and excited about conserving it!  She thinks it is important that this up and coming generation appreciates where our water comes from and how it is treated, cleaned, and returned. 

Annaliese Ashley: Me, the summer intern.  I began work here at the beginning of June, and will continue keeping up with the social media (this blog, our facebook, and our twitter feed ) through the fall, until my (hopeful) graduation from Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources (UGA) in December.  I cannot begin to describe how much I have learned this summer, but the biggest lesson I will take away from this internship is: you cannot escape your responsibility to water.  What I mean is, it’s everywhere, it’s always used, it’s always important, and it’s our job to be conservation-minded. 

 Lily Anne Phibian: Our beautiful mascot Lily hatched on the shores of the North Oconee River in July of 2009.  She loves meeting new people and spreading the word about how to conserve our earth’s precious water.  Lily loves to visit classrooms, meet kids, and cheer for water conservation! She has generously lent us use of her gmail account for this blog.  She loves being on the cutting edge of social media, and is hopping with excitement to watch this blog grow.

Phileap: He is our other mascot.  He is a green tree frog and is an integral part of some of our outreach programs.  Phileap spends his office hours eating crickets and basking in the lamp-light.  To him, water conservation and wise water use is a matter of life and death.

As this blog continues to grow, I hope to have all of the members of Team Water share their experiences with the WCO, goals for the WCO and for Athens, and their excitement about water conservation.  If it were up to me, I’d give each of my teammates a gold medal for their stellar achievements in the event of water conservation.  But, I’ll leave that to the official Olympics.  GO USA!

Annaliese Ashley-Intern

Who am I, Why am I here?

Blog number two.  If you’re reading this, it means that blog number 1 went over well with the office…Success! 

The beauty of a blog is it’s like a conversation; it’s a place through which I can use my own voice to break down things into a language that is relatable.  I can sit here and type to you and it’s as if we’re sitting at Jittery Joe’s discussing this over a cup of their fabulous coffee. 

So, let’s talk.  I am the summer intern for the Water Conservation Office.  I have been working closely with our education specialist (Laurie) on all of the outreach programs she runs during the summer.  We have been to Sandy Creek Day Camp, Athens Montessori, Timothy Baptist, East Athens Community Center, Athfest…the list goes on.  Every time we take a trip, we bring with us toys, tools, tricks, and tips about water conservation and wise use.  It’s fun!  Watching the kids begin to understand the importance of water conservation is really neat.

In addition to helping Laurie lead these programs, I have also spent time expanding the office’s use of social media.  We have a twitter now (check our links page to follow us!), and we have this blog.  It’s crazy how much this outdoor-loving girl has been glued to a computer over the past two months. 

But I digress, what I really wanted to talk to you about was this office.  Who are we? What do we do? Why are we here?

The Water Conservation Office (WCO) is part of the county government for Athens-Clarke County.  This office is nested within the Public Utilities Department.  The unique thing about the WCO is that although we’re a utilities office, we also do a lot of educational outreach programs.  It seems strange, for a governmental office to be doing as much outreach and as many community events as we do—the government’s job is rules, regulations, etc…right?

Well, maybe.  But I think it’s wonderful that the WCO does as much as it does: what better way to ensure the communication of our purpose than through the sponge-like minds of the children of Athens? 

What is our purpose, you say?  Officially, “the goal of the Water Conservation Office is to ensure water use efficiency so that water demand does not exceed the safe yield of our water supply and related environmental concerns.”  Sound like economics to you? Hey, me too!  But supply and demand is ubiquitous; it happens outside of economics too.  Demand for something cannot exceed the supply, else you have some demanders that are quite unsatisfied.  The water conservation office works very hard to give you the best information we can on how to keep the supply alive…that is, how Athens can keep our water around. 

I find I take water for granted far too often.  Georgia isn’t exactly known for her deserts…we have lakes, streams, rivers, creeks, pools, ponds, reservoirs…we have water.  In fact, it wasn’t until I started working for the water conservation office that I realized just how close this city has come to being without water.  We’ve come really close.  Even now, despite our off-and-on-rain, we are pulling from our reservoir, not our usual water source of the Middle and North Oconee Rivers.  This means our rivers are too dry for us to use their water:  

We could, I suppose, use the river until it runs dry, but remember supply and demand? People--especially people from Athens-Clarke county--aren’t the only ones who are in demand of water.  The rivers flow into other counties not under the WCO’s jurisdiction, the rivers feed the bank-side trees, shrubs, grasses, wildflowers, and animals.  This brings us to a very important phrase in the office’s mission statement: “safe yield.”  Yield and safe yield are two very different ideas.  The desire to maintain safe yield is why it’s called the Water Conservation Office, not the Water Use Office.

I think it’s neat that the WCO cares about not only getting water to you, but keeping it coming.  The people in this office: my bosses Marilyn and Laurie, my fellow intern Jackie, even the accountant and administrative assistant…they all love water.  It’s amazing to see a group of people who love their jobs, who understand the importance of their work every single day.  Their goal here is to keep Athens hydrated: with water and with good conservation practices.  Yes, the drought is hard, the watering restrictions make gardening difficult, but when you step back and think about the big Athens-wide picture, watering your garden too often could mean the difference in having drinking water at the end of the summer or not having it.  It seems dismal to put it like that, but I cannot help but think that way.  The office works very diligently to ensure that we don’t run out, the best thing I think I can do, and you too, is to give them a hand.  

-Annaliese Ashley, Intern

Water Blogging

So this is new: a government organization blogging.  

 As an intern, I’m nervous to be the first to post on this blog for the Water Conservation Office of Athens-Clarke County (GA).  As a college student, I’m in awe that I’m about to be writing on behalf of a part of our government.  Guess this girl is growing up.

It’s amazing to think that technology has come far enough that I can follow the DOA, DOI, the White House, and NPR on Twitter, that I can have national parks respond to my thoughts, ideas, and concerns.  I feel so important…but so is everyone else.  There’s something fascinating, and unendingly confusing, about how instant our communication has become.  Twitter has exploded over the last several years, with followers and with news: it is a constant bombardment of news flashes, trending topics, sneak peeks, and conversations.  The bombardment can be so quick it will make your head spin, but once you get your sea-legs…it’s kind of invigorating.  Blogs are no different.  Pinterest has really expanded the platform bloggers have through which they reach readers. 
But how do we fit in all this?  How does a government agency belong in this new instant world? Do we belong?

The answer is a resounding and unequivocal yes.

We must belong.
If we cannot find our own way to flow into this new technological age...where does that leave us?  Washed up on the shores of old things: floppy disks, 8tracks, phone books, and VHS.  

"But how, you're a government institution, it's not like you just go away..." True.  But.  Do you know what we do? Do you know why we do what we do? Do you know who we are, or why we matter?  Chances are, probably not.  The general reader probably has a basic idea...maybe gathered from our "About me" tab...but that only scratches the surface: a tip of the iceberg sort of thing.

So here's a glimpse at the rest of the iceberg: we're passionate about water.  Everything about it.  How much there is, how clean it is, how it gets to you, how we get it back from you, how we take care of it, how our rivers are doing, how much we are using, and how we can build a better community through water education.  Turns out, a blog is the perfect place for us to share these things with you, for you to learn with us, to experience water the way we do.

Maybe the technological age isn't so bad!  The advances in "social media" have really accomplished a lot: they've made it so easy for us to be "social" with everyone else.  Now you can see how we think, why we do what we do, what we know, how we react to water-disasters...the list goes on.  Now you can comment on our posts, have your voice heard, have an instant conversation with a governmental organization that used to be "just" a building downtown.

Even if all this social media is confusing and in-your-face, it truly gives us a unique opportunity to become instantly accessible to anyone.  And everyone.  To you.

-Annaliese Ashley, Intern