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.

The Ripple is in Effect

Lights!  Camera!  Ripple!

Breaking News:  Independent filmmakers gathered at Athens own Ciné to strut the blue carpet, mingle with other local celebrities, and dine on delicious food from the Broad Street Coffee Vegan Restaurant.  After an hour of glamming it up, the sellout crowd moved into the theater for the debut of 17 incredible 30-second films, which had been submitted to the inaugural Ripple Effect Film Project.  Each film had a unique personality, but all had a focus on water conservation.  Audience members were asked to vote for their favorite shorts before viewing the EcoFocus’ Film Festival’s feature film, Last Call at the Oasis. 

Following the big picture of/for water conservation, the winners of the Ripple Effect were announced.  And the winners are… drum roll please….

Student Category

Best Conservation Message:  Hydrowoman Doesn't Exist, by Athens Academy, Global Challenges

Best Overall:  Get a Grip, Stop the Drip, by Tyler Ortel

Audience Choice Award:  Crazy Conservation, by Christian & Christie Marie Shupe (see the video below)

Adult Category

Best Production Quality:  Elio’s Big Splash, by Bryan Redding, Dan Jordan, and Ricardo, Tomas, & Elio Jiminez

Best Conservation Message:  Water is Life, by Lacey Avery

Best Overall:  Every Drop Counts, by Brody Bearden

Audience Choice Award:  Elio’s Big Splash, by Bryan Redding, Dan Jordan, and Ricardo, Tomas, & Elio Jiminez (see the video below!)

Thank you to all of the talented people involved in this project.  Plans for making the other videos available are in the works.  Check back on www.thinkatthesink.com or "like" the Water Conservation Office-Athens Clarke County on Facebook for updates. 

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!

Four More Years!

Last week I celebrated my four-year anniversary as the Water Conservation Coordinator here in Athens-Clarke County.  Even though I had been working in Environmental Planning since the mid 1990s, focusing on water has been eye-opening.    

First, making “Water Conservation” interesting and exciting is hard!  When the Water Conservation Office visits classrooms or hosts a festival, we do more than tell people to turn off the water when they brush their teeth.  We try to get people thinking about water in ways they never have before.  Water sustains life, provides fire protection, drives our economy, transports waste, provides wildlife habitat, makes farming possible, has magical physical properties…  the list goes on and on.  It is also a limited resource.  When people truly understand how important water is and how scarce it can be, they will not need to be told to turn off the tap.  They will just do it.

Another thing I have learned is there is more to drought than just the level of the Bear Creek Reservoir.   I believe soil moisture is the most important drought indicator.  When soil moisture is low the river dries up.  When the river is low, the reservoir cannot be replenished and it also gets low.  Soil moisture is affected by a lot of things, including groundwater tables.  That is why when someone says, “I can use all the water I want to because I am on a well,” I remind them that their water-use can affect the water available to everyone. 

Something else I have learned seems obvious to me now.  When the demand for water is the highest, our supply is the lowest.  The demand is highest in the summer when people are irrigating their lawns, growing gardens, cranking up cooling towers, and playing in the sprinklers.  Late summer is also the time of year when river levels naturally are their lowest.  Thirsty trees draw water up through roots and water evaporates from the rivers under the hot sun.  Increased human demand combined with natural summer pressures can lead to water shortages.  That is why the Water Conservation Office continually reminds everyone to be water smart in the summer.

Everyone’s needs are different and the supply is not always reliable.  Ensuring that Athens has enough water to meet its needs is complicated.   It is challenging and rewarding to work in water conservation.   Think about how you and everyone else uses water and you will understand. I am lucky to have such a meaningful job.   I hope my next four years will be as satisfying as the first.

And please, turn the water off when you brush your teeth.

-Marilyn Hall

ACC Water Conservation Coordinator

It Starts and Ends With the River

It starts and ends with the river.  This refers to the lovely film created by Russell Oliver that was shown during the Downtown Development Plan Town Hall Meeting on November 27.  It started with beautiful footage of the North Oconee River then proceeded through a virtual tour of the downtown planning area.  It concluded with more footage of the North Oconee River, framing the downtown discussion.  It was brilliant!

Athens is creating a Downtown Master Plan that will define and direct the type of development for the area.  All of the ideas presented at the Town Hall Meeting include more greenspace.  I agree that downtown would benefit from more trees and open spaces for people to gather, but how will that affect our water resources?  As the frequency and duration of drought increases, and most climate scientists say it will, we need to protect our limited water supply.  Fortunately, additional greenspace does not have to dramatically increase the stress on our water supply.  If planned properly it can even protect our water.

Cisterns can be incorporated into the infrastructure of downtown to collect rainwater and condensate from HVAC systems.   The water collected in the cisterns could be used for irrigation, reducing the amount of potable water needed to maintain the additional greenspace.  Hotel Indigo, Athens-Clarke County, UGA, and others in Athens already use captured rainwater or condensate to irrigate landscapes.  All new developments in downtown should do the same.  Other communities even incorporate underground cisterns into their street infrastructure.

New Jersey's Canal Park includes a linear rain garden, low impact design tree pits, and approximately 80,000 gallons of underground cistern capacity.  Almost all of the stormwater generated by the park will be used to satisfy 95% of the park's needs for irrigation, fountains, toilet flushing, and an ice rink.

Other communities have extensive plans for green infrastructure.  Philadelphia protects and enhances its water resources by using innovative green stormwater infrastructure.  Nashville's Green Infrastructure Master Plan includes the use of underground cisterns for irrigation.

Some large developments, such as the Dallas Omni Hotel, have underground cisterns that capture recycled condensate water that is used to irrigate the landscape instead of using city drinking water.  I am not proposing that a hotel of this scale is appropriate in Athens, but if this place can protect water we can too.

-Marilyn Hall
Athens-Clarke County Water Conservation Coordinator

Wet Feet: Understanding your water footprint

Everyone has heard of a carbon footprint, but have you heard of a water footprint?  A water footprint is the total amount of direct and indirect water used by an individual or manufacturer.  

Direct water use is when you turn on a faucet or a hose.  Some examples include brushing teeth, showering, flushing the toilet, washing a car, or watering a garden.  
Indirect water is needed to produce, grow, or manufacture the items we use every day. It refers to the water necessary for producing steel for your car, growing cotton for your jeans, and processing your hamburger meat. 

Understanding how you contribute to your water footprint is the first step to creating a culture of conservation and protecting water on a larger scale. For example, did you know that almost 70% of the freshwater withdrawn is used in agriculture to produce everything from beef to wheat? 

Check out this table to learn how much indirect water is used to produce everyday items.
 

Item	Gallons of Water Required to Produce
1 pound of chocolate	3,170
1 pound of beef	1,799
1 gallon of wine	1,008
1 gallon of milk	880
1 gallon of coffee	880
1 gallon of beer	689
1 pound of chicken	468
1 pound of wheat	134
1 gallon of tea	128

Want to dry up your water footprint a little bit?  Here are some things you can do:
 

Reduce Your Indirect Water Use:

• Switch to a morning cup of tea instead of coffee.  It takes 37 gallons of water to produce an 8oz cup of coffee, but only 8 gallons for the same sized cup of tea.
• Buy only the food you can eat before it goes bad.  Indirect water is needed to produce fruits, vegetables, grains, meat, and dairy.  Anything you throw away is the same as pouring water (and money!) down the drain.
• Skip the meat in your meal one day a week.  Depending on how far back you go in the production chain, a hamburger can use up to 1,300 gallons of water to produce.
• Purchase cloth items made with synthetic materials.  Sheets made of 100% cotton requires 300% more water to produce than a 50/50 cotton/polyester blend.
• Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.  The less we consume, the less water we use.

Reduce Your Direct Water Use:

• Drop your used tissues into the trash instead of flushing down the toilet and save gallons each time.
• Run your dishwasher and clothes washer only when full and save up to 1,000 gallons a month.
• Turn off the water while brushing your teeth and save 25 gallons of water a month.
• Save water and cut down on laundry by reusing your bathroom towels to dry off with.
• Take a shower instead of a bath.  A short shower only uses 10-25 gallons, while a bath takes up to 70 gallons.

We can’t create new water; all the water on the earth is all the water that we will ever have on earth.  

We need to conserve and manage our water in order to meet our water needs now and for future generations. 

Learn about your Water Footprint by visiting one of these two sites:

 

Calculate your water footprint here!   

Or here!

I Invented Bottled Water

I have a confession to make.  I invented bottled water.  Not the fancy, sparkly Perrier kind.  The tap water in a bottle kind.  

It happened long ago, when I was on my way back from Mexico.  My friends and I had gone to Rocky Point, a particularly hot and humid location along Mexico’s coast. On our way back to Tempe, AZ, we found ourselves truly dying of thirst.  We stopped at a lonely gas station with a drink vending machine.  I looked at my soft drink choices and said, “All I want is water.  I wish they had water for sale in here.  I’d buy it.”  This led my friends and me to a discussion. Who would buy water in a bottle when you can get it for free (essentially) at your tap every day?  We figured no one would be that stupid and my idea evaporated into the moment.

Apparently I could have been very, very rich today.  The Beverage Marketing Corp keeps up with sales figures for bottled water.  In 2011, 9.1 billion gallons of water were sold.  Charles Fishman did some math for me (thank you, Mr. Fishman) and found “that comes to 222 bottles of water for each person in the country.”  Revenue for bottled water in 2011 reached $21.7 BILLION.  Yep.  I could have been rich and driving in my very own Dodge Challenger today!

But my fortune would have been accompanied by a heaping dose of good old-fashioned Catholic guilt (thanks, mom!).  First is the guilt of producing something packaged in plastic bottles.  (For the record, I do recycle my recyclables, but only 31% of all water bottles make it to recycling.  The rest are piling up in our landfills.)  Second, I would have the knowledge I am charging people an obscene amount of money for the water – it cost 1,900 times more for bottled water than tap water!  Then there is the fact I am draining the aquifers on which communities depend.  I take the water from their aquifers and ship the water to other parts of the country, their water never to be returned to their water cycle.  Finally, every one liter of bottled water I produced would require three liters of water to make.  Not necessarily very water conservation minded.    

However, the true guilt comes from having learned about the water crisis facing our planet.  We are so fortunate in the USA.  We turn on our tap and expect water to come out.  When it doesn’t, we aren’t happy and immediately call the public utilities office or the plumber.  If we are concerned our tap water is too icky, we drive to a store and purchase flats of water to transport back to our homes – where we already have a faucet waiting to bestow clean water.  We typically drive over four miles to pick up our conveniently packaged water.  We might complain about how heavy it is, how much it costs, etc.*

Compare our situation to other places in the world.  Women and children walk four miles every day to a dirty well, waste filled river, or shrinking puddle to get their water.  They carry an average of 44 pounds of water on their backs or heads to deliver to their families.  They use an average of five-gallons of water per day for drinking, bathing, and cleaning.  We buy a five-gallon barrel of water to set in our kitchen by a refrigerator that dispenses cold water and ice. 

I am not willing to say bottled water is an evil as others might.  I realize there is a place and time for it.  And it sure would have been a much appreciated alternative in the vending machine on the way back from Mexico.  But, as the inventor of bottled water, I do ask everyone to appreciate your accessibility to water.  Do not take it for granted.  Be aware of it, appreciate it, and take action to care for it. 

Laurie Loftin-Education Programs Specialist

 

*Watch this video to hear some other complaints people in the U.S. have.  This may make water appear – from your eyes.