Blog

We have a lot of passionate followers at Water - Use It Wisely and one of our biggest pleasures is getting to hear directly from them. That’s why we’re so excited about our social networks like Facebook and Twitter that allow us to have conversations with concerned citizens everyday. 

But sometimes we receive something so far beyond anything even the latest technology could provide. Such was the case with a letter that recently came in the mail from “impatient fourth grader,” Mya Oleksiak. Mya says what we’re all thinking in a way that only an incredibly bright fourth grader could. Here’s to hoping we can all be filled with the same passion and drive that Mya is. Thanks Mya, and we’re listening.

Remember how Elaine from Seinfeld went through the painstacking exercise to ensure all of her suitors were “spongeworthy?” Well, we’ve just launched new t-shirts here at Water - Use It Wisely and we’re taking a similar approach - we want to know if you’re “shirtworthy.” 

If you think you are, then tell us in 140 characters or less on Twitter and we’ll send the best entries a free shirt sized to order. It’s that simple. The most creative explanations of “shirtworthiness” get a free shirt.

Here’s what you have to do to be considered:

• Go to Twitter and begin a new entry  with “@wuiw” Your entry must start with this tag to be considered.
• Explain why you’re “shirtworthy” in the alloted space
• Contest will run from Friday, May 1 to Friday, May 8. 
• Once complete, Water - Use It Wisely will judge all entries and hand out shirts to the most creative entries. 
• Winners will be notified via Twitter the week of May 11

These aren’t your dad’s typical trade show swag t-shirts either. These are part of American Apparel’s Sustainable Edition brand, custom designed by Water - Use It Wisely. So if you want one, tell us why, and you might get one. Hope you’re “shirtworthy!”

If you’re in Wilmington, NC and you haven’t pledged 2 save 5 yet, then what is taking you so long? The campaign, developed by the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority, asks Wilmington residents to pledge to save 5 gallons of water each day. If every resident took the pledge and did simple things including checking for leaks and cutting down on shower time, it would be enough to save 1,000,000 gallons of water per day!

If you’re a Wilmington resident and haven’t taken the pledge, don’t worry, Water - Use It Wisely has you covered. Click here to sign on to take the pledge and see the current list of pledges here. 

If you’re not a Wilmington resident why not take the pledge yourself. If one city can save that much water by itself imagine what we could all do collectively.

Check out the radio spot here

Two years into an ambitious five-year plan to improve energy-efficiency, recycling rates and greenhouse-gas emissions, Boeing has completed a project expected to save 870,000 gallons of water annually. Trying to save this much water across 23 buildings in Southern California is no easy task and we applaud the steps they took to make it happen. 

Boeing partnered with Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to install motion-activated faucets and water-saving toilets throughout their 23 El Segundo facilities. Even before the five-year plan took effect in 2007, Boeing has worked to reduce its environmental impact. Since 2002, Boeing has reduced its water consumption by 29 percent at all U.S. operations facilities. Not bad. But their outlook for the future is even better. 

Craig Cooing is VP and general manager of Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems and we’re impressed with the way he’s handling the announcement. “This accomplishment demonstrates our commitment to operational efficiency and environmental stewardship, but we have more work to do to further reduce our impact on the environment.”

Kudos Craig! Environmental accomplishments need to be celebrated but then we need to immediately ask what’s next or can we do more? We’re happy to see Boeing doing this and we hope more follow in their foot steps.

Unless sporting a cut off Judas Priest t-shirt, cranking your favorite metal record and grabbing the hose to give the ole’ Camaro a scrub down is something you look forward to, it’s likely washing your car is more hassle than anything else.  

Whether using your own driveway or traveling elsewhere, washing your can be a huge water waster. Thus, for our fifth water saving gift, we’d like to introduce you to something that turns washing the car from hassle to serenity. 

Bayes Waterless Vehicle Wash is a miracle unto itself.  With nothing more than the bottle and a rag, Bayes Waterless Vehicle Wash promises to clean, shine and protect your vehicle.  And trust us, it works.  We’ve tried it ourselves and the results were pretty amazing.  Perfectly clean and not a drop of water spilt.

So, when the weather turns cold, money gets tight, or you just can’t pull yourself away from that “Three’s Company” marathon, Bayes Waterless Vehicle Wash is the perfect fast and practical water conservation tool for car washers everywhere.

To pick up your Bayes Waterless Vehicle Wash click here.

A good shower is important for many reasons.  Among the most obvious benefits are that showers help us avoid unwanted odors and provide a comfortable place to belt out our best Whitney or Josh Groban tune (is that just me?).  However, the most overlooked shower element is that they are one of the main fronts on which the water conservation battle is waged.

Of course more direct measures like water-saving shower heads can be put into place, but for our fourth suggestion in the series we’re recommending a simple step you can take to dramatically limit your daily water consumption - digital shower timers courtesy of BigGreenSmile.com. 

These little beauties are an easy way to keep track of the amount of time you spend in the shower. Shortening your shower by one or two minutes can save roughly 150 gallons a month.  That’s simple savings made even easier with the help of a digital shower timer.  

Soon enough your showers will be like an exciting race against time.  And who knows, maybe you’ll be the catalyst to introduce the shower sprint to the 2012 Olympic Games.

We all have that person in our lives so obsessed with cleanliness that before entering their home we need a full briefing on the do’s and don’ts of appropriate footwear and drink placement.  Likewise, we all know the person so comfortable with a life of squalor and filth they have built an immunity to the smells and secretions emanating from their domain. 

While these people may seem like complete opposites, they can both benefit from our next water saving holiday gift …

The ergonomic aluminum handle broom is the perfect gift for either of the people listed above.  Standing 24 inches tall, this broom is sturdy, easy to use, and a perfect way to sweep the sidewalks or garage and save all the water that might have otherwise been wasted with a hose.

As an added bonus, the ergonomic aluminum handle broom is sure to be a devastating gift for anyone age 12 and under, thus providing a priceless holiday picture moment.

Pick up your broom by visiting the Ability One Catalog here.

The holidays are in full swing and rapidly approaching as evidenced by the look of panic hanging over those still searching for the perfect gift.  We’re betting that if you’re like us, most of the gifts you’ve received through the years have either gone back to their place of origin or disappeared from memory faster than Dad’s receding hairline.

If you’re yet to find the perfect gift this year we thought we’d help by suggesting a few items that would be fun, practical and help you conserve water along the way.  Over the course of the next 12 days, the “Water – Use It Wisely 12 Days of Christmas” will outline a potential water saving gift to put on your list or pick up for someone special.  It would be easy to suggest obvious water saving devices like upgraded toilets, and while we love you if you’re going that route, we decided to focus our efforts on the less obvious.

So without further ado, our first gift of the “Water – Use It Wisely 12 Days of Christmas” is…

The Li’l Guppy Multi Tool

It might not look like much but this little beauty, designed by Columbia River Knife & Tool, is perfect for catching those minor repairs before they escalate into something more serious.  The Li’l Guppy can take that leak you see outdoors from prime water waste offender to a thing of the past with a few swivels of the steel blade, adjustable wrench, screwdriver or any of the other numerous functions.

Of course the best part of the Li’l Guppy is that it’s small enough to take anywhere you want, yet noticeable enough to frighten even the most flagrant of water wasters. And trust us, soon enough everyone in the neighborhood will be asking to see your Li’l Guppy (and who doesn’t want that?)

Pick up a Li’l Guppy here at ThinkGeek.com.   

In a recent Los Angeles Times article, reporter Ann Simmons points to the fact that the water supply in Antelope Valley, California is set to be greatly reduced starting Dec. 7 for dramatic system upgrades. You can read Simmons full article here.

From Dec. 7 to Dec. 13 the 165,000 residents of Antelope Valley and its surrounding communities will have their water availability cut by 60 percent as the Quartz Hill Water Treatment Plant completely shuts down. As residents prepare for the water reduction, they’re being asked to adopt water conservation tactics to ease the burden on themselves and the community.  

This will certainly be a challenge for the residents of Antelope Valley and we want to be there to support them so why don’t we all challenge ourselves to reduce our water consumption starting Dec. 7? What we’ll all find, whether a resident of Antelope Valley or not, is that saving water is easy and before you know it, second nature. 

The real challenge for Antelope Valley residents will be maintaining their sudden water conservation effort. The plant upgrade is designed to increase production from 65 million gallons of water per day to 90 million gallons of water per day. That’s a big increase. Could you imagine the savings if the Antelope Valley residents, and all of us that saved along side them, stayed at the water levels that we adopted during the plant closure?  They savings would be gigantc!

So let’s make what started as a random water treatment plant upgrade, into a symbolic water conservation week. Click here for all of the tips you’ll need to conserve, or follow us on Twitter for daily tips. 

Also, as always, make sure to use our Facebook page as a place to update everyone on your results.

At its core Thanksgiving is about gathering with our closest family and friends to give thanks for things that we often take for granted. And it’s in that same spirit that this year we must all come together to recognize the ultimate resource that is often taking for granted - water.

So as you’re preparing your festive meal, trading family stories and indulging in the blissful gluttony that is Thanksgiving, we ask that you keep these simple water saving tips in mind:

• When washing dishes by hand, don’t let the water run while rinsing. Fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water.
• Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Compost vegetable food waste instead and save gallons every time.
• Wash your fruits and vegetables in a pan of water instead of running water from the tap.
• Designate one glass for your drinking water each day or refill a water bottle. This will cut down on the number of glasses to wash.
• Don’t use running water to thaw food. Defrost food in the refrigerator for water efficiency and food safety.

Just following these simple steps can greatly reduce your personal water consumption. Of course there is always more that you can do in the way of conservation, but where we’d really like your help is in spreading the word. So share your new tips with family and friends this week and even better document your Thanksgiving water saving effort on our Facebook page.

Snap a few pictures, take a little video, do anything you want to share your success and become an active member of the Water - Use It Wisely family.