Sip Lightly: In Las Vegas, a Refresher
Course in the Preciousness of Water
Tate Snyder Kimsey
May 2009
By David Sokol
For at least
3,000 years, migrating native Americans
gathered at Las Vegas Creek, scattered
seeds on its banks, and returned in
autumn to reap the harvest. Modern Las
Vegas rose around the creek precisely
because travelers could find fresh water
there, and in the 1890s inhabitants of
the nascent city gathered at its
artesian pools for social dances. But
after the Las Vegas Valley Water
District acquired the land surrounding
the creek’s source—a spring mound from
which pure water would emerge after a
100-year journey trickling through the
mountains—this historical landscape went
unused. Located just over a mile from
the Strip, the area has become a
community-gathering place once again
with the opening of The Origen a year
and a half ago.
Image courtesy Tate Snyder
Kimsey
The Origen visitors center
at the Las Vegas Springs
Preserve
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The Origen
is the visitor center of the 180-acre
Las Vegas Springs Preserve. The spring
mound may not be visible here anymore,
but it still actively supplies Las Vegas
with 5 percent of its water. What has
changed even more dramatically is
people’s attitudes toward that scarce
natural resource. By narrating different
cultures’ interaction with water in Las
Vegas, the programming content at The
Origen intends to reverse the profligate
mindset of many of today’s city
residents.
The design
of the visitor center, by Henderson,
Nevada–based Tate Snyder Kimsey,
reinforces that goal. The center
comprises two buildings housing
exhibition galleries and guest services,
respectively, which total 73,500 square
feet. The structures are configured to
suggest compression, and the path
between them is punctuated by boulders,
which Tate Snyder Kimsey principal Randy
Spitzmesser, AIA, likens to the spring
water itself “coming through the
mountains and box canyons.” The entrance
to the exhibition building, the larger
of the two, features blue
recycled-content glass panels that evoke
water and provide counterpoint to the
board-formed concrete (with high fly-ash
content) that makes up most of the
building.
Inside the
exhibition building, visitors proceed to
a rotunda where they walk on
structural-glass panels. The bubbling
water underneath is not the original
spring, but a recirculating water
stream. “The first big notion of desert
water is that the original source really
came from below your feet, which is
contrary to the way most people view the
beginning of a water source,”
Spitzmesser says. So that guests may
glimpse the water feature more clearly,
a screen composed of patinated
mild-steel panels and multicolored
recycled plastic panels filters the
intense Las Vegas sunlight entering
through the rotunda’s clerestory
windows.
The
water-conservation message is also
articulated in the native,
drought-resistant flora planted around
The Origen; in combination with
waterless urinals and ultra-low-flow
toilets, the complex has reduced potable
water consumption by more than 30
percent. Yet equally important is that
museum-goers understand the measures
being taken to reduce impact, and
perhaps carry it home with them. So
while lavatory users may not take much
notice of their minimal flushes, for
example, they can’t ignore a
public-restroom installation of large
pipes that, when activated with the wave
of a hand, only release a trickle of
water. The water feature is more
educational than functional, and as
Spitzmesser describes it, “It’s as if
you’re getting the last drops of water
out of the pipe, symbolizing the
careless usage of valuable commodities
like water.”
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Do
Bioplastics Deserve a Seat at Your
Table?
March 2009
Read
this issue of Greentips online
Unlike typical plastics made from crude oil, “bioplastics” are
often made from plant matter such as corn starch, potato starch,
cane sugar, and soy protein. A potentially renewable alternative
to petroleum-based plastics would have the long-term benefits of
reducing global warming pollution and our dependence on fossil
fuels, but do bioplastics fit the bill? As they become more
ubiquitous—in the form of grocery bags and disposable plates,
food containers, and cutlery—numerous concerns have been raised
about their true value:
-
Home composting may not be an option.
Some bioplastics cannot be broken down by the bacteria
in our backyards; polyethylene (PE) made from cane sugar
is one example. Only bioplastics that are fully
biodegradable will break down in a home compost pile,
and it could still take up to two years for certain
items (e.g., forks and spoons). The rest require the
high heat and humidity of an industrial composting
plant—of which there are only about 100 in the country,
and not all collect waste.
-
Plants grown for bioplastics have negative impacts of
their own.
Bioplastics are often produced from genetically modified
food crops such as corn and soybeans, a practice that
carries a high risk of contaminating our food supply.
Also, corn and soybean producers typically apply large
amounts of chemical pesticides and fertilizers that
pollute our air and water. To compound matters, the
growth of the bioplastics and biofuels industries (both
of which currently rely on food crops as their raw
material) increases the demand for crops and the impact
of agriculture worldwide.
Environmental advocates are
calling for bioplastic production based on renewable crops (such
as native wild grasses) grown without chemicals. Bioplastics
could also be developed from agricultural waste. Until then,
what’s a consumer to do?
Related Resources
BioCycle Magazine—Find a composter
Biodegradable Products Institute—Compostable logo program
Sustainable Biomaterials Collaborative—Fact sheets
World Centric—Bioplastic categories and composting times
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THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY’S WATERSENSE PROGRAM
ATTRACTS PLUMBING RETAILERS, MANUFACTURERS AND ORGANIZATIONS WHO WANT TO
GIVE PEOPLE ECO FRIENDLY OPTIONS
Water-saving faucets and
high-efficiency toilets are the new rave in the “green” home improvement
movement
The
WaterSense partnership program
makes it easy for Americans to save water and protect the environment by
helping consumers identify water-efficient, high-performing plumbing
products they can buy for their homes. The exciting water-efficiency
program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is
partnering with manufacturers, retailers and distributors, utilities,
state and local governments, nongovernmental organizations, trade
associations, irrigation professionals, and professional certifying
organizations to bring water-efficient products to market and spread the
word about the need for smart water use.
DesignerPlumbingOutlet.com, a
virtual store for kitchen and bathroom fixtures, fittings and
accessories is one of nearly 70 retailers who have become a partner with
WaterSense. As a partner of the WaterSense program, DPO displays the
WaterSense label on quality, water-efficient products certified to meet
EPA criteria that are found on the site. Most of these items are
bathroom sink faucets and high-efficiency toilets that are designed to
save water.
“We feel
it’s our duty to offer our customers a distinct “greener” choice when
purchasing
faucets and toilets from DPO,”
said Founder and CEO Eric Strand. “By joining WaterSense and enabling
the “eco friendly” search option on our site, we are giving customers
the tools and knowledge to purchase the most water-efficient products
available in this marketplace.”
The
WaterSense label indicates that
these products have been independently tested by third-party
laboratories to meet EPA’s water-efficiency and performance criteria. In
addition, customers can be confident that the products will all perform
well and may help them save money in the long run.
Designer Plumbing Outlet carries many plumbing manufacturers who are
WaterSense partners: American Standard, Delta,
Grohe,
Hansgrohe,
Danze,
Moen, and
Price Pfister.
The
WaterSense partnership is one of two steps DPO has taken to become eco
friendly and help customers choose water-efficient products. In
addition to joining the WaterSense program, DPO has enabled an “eco
friendly” search option on the website so customers can sort the wide
variety of faucets, toilets and showerheads found on DPO, that are not
WaterSense labeled, but are deemed “green” by their manufacturers,
through an “eco friendly” search option.
According to
WaterSense, the average American household uses about 100,000 gallons of
water in a year, and 11,000 gallons of that are unnecessarily wasted
each year due to inefficient toilets and faucets. If every inefficient
toilet in the United States was replaced by a WaterSense labeled model,
it would save 640 billion gallons of water.
WaterSense
partner Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) demonstrates that it can be done.
Through aggressive water conservation programs, SPU decreased water
consumption in and around Seattle, Washington, by 24 percent since 1990,
while in the same period the region’s population grew by 11 percent.
To achieve
these savings, SPU targeted its efficiency measures on residential
indoor fixtures, residential landscapes, commercial processes, and
commercial landscapes. In particular, the program offered rebates or
free toilets to upgrade older, inefficient toilets, as well as rebates
for water-using appliances, urinals, pre-rinse spray heads, and other
equipment. More recently, the region launched a pilot program for
water-efficient showerheads. These incentives combined with
non-incentive efforts—such as mass media messaging, direct mailings, new
outreach materials, and Web sites—helped make the 1% Water Conservation
Program a success.
SPU
understands that water efficiency plays a key role in any strong
municipal water conservation program, so joining WaterSense was an
obvious choice. SPU Water Conservation Program Leader Al Dietemann
explains, “WaterSense adds consistency with products, messaging, and
marketing, and provides utilities with identical criteria to ensure a
clear and concise message is conveyed to customers.”
In fall 2007,
SPU launched a campaign featuring a TV ad encouraging consumers to
purchase WaterSense labeled or FlushStar toilets. SPU also included an
article in the utility’s newsletter that reaches up to 300,000 customers
and shared point-of-purchase materials with retailers.
Further south
in Cobb County, Georgia, government leaders launched a toilet rebate
program in October 2007, coinciding with the day its water district
declared Drought Level 4, the most severe classification. Since that
time, Cobb County has issued 1,128 rebates for WaterSense labeled
toilets and 2,048 rebates for 1.6-gallon-per-flush (gpf) toilets, saving
the county an estimated 31.4 million gallons of water per year and
easing the strain on municipal water supplies.
Cobb County’s
rebate program soon achieved even greater influence when the
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District adopted the program
for the entire district, which includes Atlanta, 16 counties, and more
than 60 water utilities. As a result, the program now targets more than
2 million customers.
Customers
stand to benefit, too. Rebate participants are saving approximately
$70.50 per year by reducing 10,000 gallons of water per household per
year. The tiered rebate program credits customers’ water bills directly:
$50 for 1.6-gpf toilets and $100 for WaterSense labeled toilets (less
than 1.3 gpf). Cobb County Water System initially included 1.6-gpf
toilets until WaterSense labeled models became more readily available.
County officials hope to phase out rebates for 1.6-gpf toilets by the
end of 2009.
Effective
outreach has been crucial to Cobb County’s success in bringing
WaterSense labeled toilets to the region. Early on, Cobb County
contacted major retailers, including Home Depot and Lowe’s to encourage
them to stock the toilets on its rebate list. To increase demand for
WaterSense labeled toilets, the county educated consumers through its
Web site and numerous public presentations. This allowed consumers
one-on-one time to discuss the rebate program and WaterSense labeled
toilets, which also built brand recognition. The media also drove home
the water-efficiency message in print, radio, and television. By
effectively building a market base and a steady supply of WaterSense
labeled toilets in the area, Cobb County ensured its rebate program
would have a significant impact and bring real change to the region.
Kathy Nguyen,
water-efficiency program manager for Cobb County Water System, relates
the success of the rebate program to the WaterSense label, saying,
“WaterSense has made it easy for us by providing tools and resources to
use for our rebate program. We’ve also found value in utilizing a
national brand with consistent messaging, which makes it easier for our
customers to identify products that are third-party certified for water
efficiency and performance.”
Portions of
this article were provided by the EPA; visit
www.epa.gov/watersense for more
information.
For more
information on DesignerPlumbingOutlet.com call 1-800-768-5980 or visit
http://designerplumbingoutlet.com
or
http://ShopDPO.com.
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by: Keith Winn
I am just your average Joe. Working, and raising a family. I guess I’m
your typical American: making mortgage payments on my home and loan
payments on our two cars. I have read the news about global climate
change and even saw Al Gore’s movie: An Inconvenient Truth. People can
argue about the exact cause, but it’s pretty obvious to me that someone
has to do something to reverse what is happening. In addition, with the
ups and downs of energy and fuel prices, and hearing talk about
“alternative” and “clean” energy, I started looking into what I could do
to save money, help out the environment, and create an example for my
family. I decided to Go Green.
Enlisting the help of my family, we decided to see what our impact is on
the environment. This is known as a Carbon Footprint. According to the
Wikipedia, a carbon footprint is a measure of human activity on the
environment in terms of greenhouse gases produced, in units of pounds of
carbon dioxide. Just about everything we do, from washing our clothes to
driving a car to lighting an office building, increases our impact or
carbon footprint. The carbon each of us generates adds to the greenhouse
gases in the atmosphere, which adds to the planet’s heating. The major
environmental goal in Going Green is to become as close to carbon
neutral as possible. Using today’s technologies, we found a tool online
called a Carbon Calculator. By taking a few minutes to complete the
information on the major categories of Vehicles (cars), Electricity,
Travel and Natural Gas, we had our estimate of our family’s impact,
which was a surprising 20.91 tons of carbon produced annually. These
figures do not even consider the indirect effects of our plastic, paper,
water consumption, nor emissions from other fuel burning devices such as
lawn equipment, motorcycles, RV’s and boats. Wow…it’s no wonder we have
such an enormous environmental problem but we decided, we were going to
do our part.
The company which sponsored the Carbon Calculator we used offered Carbon
Offset certificates for sale as a method to offset our family’s impact.
There are dozens of energy companies offering these certificates. When
you purchase Carbon Offsets, your purchase is used to offset your
household's emissions using the following methods: 1) Buying renewable
energy credits (RECs) from solar, wind and biomass facilities around the
country 2) Funding reforestation projects through the carbon offset
company’s partnerships with organizations; 3) Supporting other
project-based carbon offset technologies - for example, new projects to
increase energy efficiency. This method has become quite popular,
especially for companies who are also concerned about their carbon
footprint. These certificates even make innovative gifts for friends and
family. However, we decided that there were many things, we as a family
could do to reduce our carbon footprint, save energy, save money and
help our environment. The purchase of carbon offset certificates would
be something we might consider down the road, after we had exhausted all
of the carbon reducing methods available to us. But we might consider
buying them as gifts, in the hopes of encouraging those close to us to
also Go Green.
In future articles, I will detail the steps our family is taken and
provide ideas and recommendations you might use with your family. I
invite you to follow us and join us on our family’s journey towards a
greener and healthier lifestyle.
-------
The author, Keith Winn, is the VP Marketing/COO of GreenProfit
Solutions, Inc. which assists businesses in becoming environmentally
responsible. You may view their website at
www.greenprofitsolutions.com.
 I
recycle, at least, I try to. Lifelong dedication to the environment, and
I still wonder whether that envelope I’m holding is accepted in our
paper recycling program. Are the plastic windowed ones allowed? If so,
does the window have to be under a certain size? What about shiny paper?
Usually it is excluded, however, junk mail is specifically mentioned as
accepted. Of course, that doesn’t cover the plastics. Bypassing the
issue of the numbers, a separate discussion altogether, take the example
of plastic shopping bags. These items must be deposited elsewhere for
recycling (the thin bags get trapped in the machinery and clog it), even
though they are tagged with otherwise-included numbers. Did I mention
that if otherwise excluded items wind up in the recycling pile, the
entire batch is considered contaminated and subsequently thrown away? No
pressure. Move to another city and the accepted items are likely
completely different. With such a convoluted system, what hope does the
average person trying to do their part have?
Recent news reports from USA Today, claim that the incoming Obama
administration will be appointing former EPA administrator Carol Browner
as energy “czar” to “coordinate energy issues across the federal
government” . An entirely new position in the United States, surely her
responsibilities will solidify as she grows into her role. Coordination
is a wonderful idea; by keeping a unified focus in all federal
activities, real progress can be made in energy policy. Energy, however,
is not nearly as closed a field as implied. To make substantive impact
on the global environment, they will need to focus on all aspects of
energy use, and guarantee that we are using our energy efficiently and
intelligently.
This is where the stories converge.
Recycling, at its very core, is intended to reduce the need to expend
resources in making something new when an already-produced equivalent
exists. If one were to ask a person why they might use recycled paper, a
logical answer may include the following: “So we don’t have to cut down
more trees”. The same goes for bottled water or a can of soda - why go
through the effort of producing more virgin plastic when a recycled
bottle already sequestered the necessary energy? In essence, recycling
is the act of being more intelligent with our energy (and resource) use.
Suddenly, recycling sounds like a topic upon which the administration
will wish to focus, but how to do so? Waste services are privately owned
enterprises operating independently or on contract with municipalities,
not the federal government. It is doubtful they would be open to
nationalization, nor is that necessarily a good idea, but what about
some standards? Is there anything else the federal government has a hand
in regulating by allowing its operation by the private sector? Bingo,
organic foods. Currently, the USDA provides standards for independent
certifying bodies to inspect operations for compliance. If approved,
they are permitted to use the USDA Organic seal on their product,
providing standardization and ease-of-use for consumers.
I propose a similar system for recycling. Instead of the current
labyrinth of policies, simply have a universally-recognizable logo
printed on all products meeting the federal government’s recycling
standard. The EPA (presumably the lead agency on the issue) will then go
about assisting and approving existing waste disposal/recycling
companies. Upon certification, they will be capable of processing a
given criteria of materials, for example, plastics coded 1-6, clear and
green glass, aluminum, and specific forms of paper, for all of their
existing customers. The difference now is that on the disposal end, we
do away with the traditional recycling logo and affiliated marks, and
replace them with a custom EPA Recycle logo, in the same vein as the
USDA Organic logo. For citizens living/working within a service area of
an EPA-approved waste disposal company, they can rest assured that if
they place an EPA Recycle labelled product in their recycle bin, it will
be properly recycled. Market forces will push waste operators to achieve
the EPA distinction to accommodate the demands of their clientele, as
well as product manufacturers adopting its use on appropriate products.
Such a system eliminates the consideration of plastic code numbers (many
people don’t even know they exist), cardboard versus paperboard
recycling, or any number of other issues that can and do arise daily.
Reference the success of the USDA Organic seal. Average citizens
regularly seek out organic options, a change partially brought about
simply by the addition of a standardized logo.
We have a golden opportunity ahead of us as we welcome a new
administration strongly committed to the environment. A national
recycling standard will help bridge the gap between the U.S. and,
according to Swiss Recycling News, Switzerland, the global leader,
standing at 76% . As of 2007, the EPA reports the United States had a
recycling rate of approximately 33%, a value needlessly diminished by
confusion, contamination, and general ignorance of the current situation
. Americans want to recycle, but when presented with a hodgepodge of
policies nationwide, it can make even the most green of people simply
throw it away.
Joseph Winn is the President/CEO of GreenProfit Solutions, Inc. which
assists businesses in becoming environmentally responsible. You may view
their website at
www.greenprofitsolutions.com or e-mail Joseph at
jwinn@greenprofitsolutions.com.
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