Your Better Bathroom Is Closer Than You Think

Bathrooms are by far the largest water users in the home, accounting for 60 percent of all indoor water use. Whether you are making simple fixes with your fixtures or tackling a bigger remodeling project, a better bathroom that saves water in style is closer than you think!

There are more than 24,000 WaterSense labeled models of bathroom fixtures available in a wide variety of styles, colors, and prices to help you create your dream bathroom that also saves water, energy, and money. These fixtures include tank-type toilets, showerheads, sink faucets, faucet accessories, and even flushing urinals for residential bathrooms. A bathroom remodel that replaces older, inefficient bathroom fixtures with WaterSense labeled models provides water savings and satisfaction, since WaterSense labeled products are independently certified to use at least 20 percent less water and perform as well as or better than standard models.

Not ready for a full remodel? Dip a foot in the water with these simple “bath hacks” that result in serious savings:

• Flip that flapper. Most people don’t realize that the rubber flapper in their toilet tank wears out over time and can cause water to be wasted down the drain. Replace that old flapper for a few dollars and put an end to silent toilet leaks.
• Put a little air in your flow. WaterSense labeled faucet aerators reduce water use in your bathroom sink by 30 percent without a noticeable difference in flow. If your sink already has an aerator, it might be time to change it out for a new, labeled model.
• Swap out a showerhead. WaterSense labeled showerheads are not only independently certified for spray force and flow, they save water and energy used to heat the water. You’ll clean up every time you wash up!

Learn more to get your better bathroom. 

Climate Alliance States Have Significant Leverage

The U.S. Climate Alliance is a group of more than a dozen states set on upholding the Paris climate accord goals despite President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the agreement in early June.

Even with the United States officially out of the Paris accord, some are optimistic that the U.S. can still meet the Paris targets, even without the support of Washington.

For the U.S., that means reducing emissions by 26 percent by 2025, based on 2005 levels. But meeting the Paris targets will likely also mean higher energy costs and tougher regulations.

“Even before the announcement about the Paris Agreement, it was going to be very very difficult,” said Robert Stavins, director of the Harvard Project on Climate Agreements.

Collectively, Stavins said, the climate alliance states — including New York, Massachusetts and Minnesota — represent about one-third of U.S. gross domestic product, which gives the alliance some significant leverage.

“The most important thing that these states can do is to link their policies together,” Stavins said. “That will bring down the cost for all of them.”

“The 14 or 12 states that are part of the coalition represent a small and a declining share of total U.S. emissions, because these are the states that have been out ahead already,” Larsen noted.

In addition to the states, over 300 cities are also pledging to help, many of which already have projects underway, such as Richmond, Virginia’s, new $49 million bus rapid transit line, scheduled to open later this fall.

“Just like getting on to a metro train, it's the same thing as that. The signals will all be timed to favor the bus, so the bus is not waiting with traffic like the cars are,” said Alicia Zatcoff, Richmond’s sustainability director.

Developing public transit will help take cars off the road, but without support from Washington, can states still pull the rest of the country along to reach the Paris targets?

“From my vantage point, I think the answer is yes,” Zatcoff said. “We’ve already reduced our emissions 15 percent, and we’re really just getting started.”

Full story here. https://www.marketplace.org/2017/07/18/sustainability/climate-alliance-states-have-significant-leverage

Six Richmond Groups Win Keep Virginia Beautiful Awards

Keep Virginia Beautiful awards grants of $500 to $1,000 for projects in four categories each year: Community Beautification and Greening, Litter Prevention, Recycling, and Cigarette Litter Prevention. In addition, this year there were five bonus grants of $2,000.

A panel of experts review the applications in May and announced the 30 Grants in 30 Days recipients during the month of June. This year's local winners were:

Keep Hopewell Beautiful, Hopewell for Beautification
Richmond Guardian Angels, Richmond for Beautification
Robious Elementary PTA, Midlothian for Recycling
Linwood Holton Elementary PTA, Richmond for Recycling
Richmond Clean City Commission, Richmond for Litter
Friends of Pocahontas State Park, Chesterfield for Beautification
Virginia Oyster Shell Recycling Program, Richmond for Recycling
Renew Richmond, Richmond for Beautification
Groundwork RVA, Richmond for Litter