Archive for water conservation
WaterSense Products a Key Element in Green Rebuilding Efforts
Posted by: | CommentsOn May 4, 2007, the town of Greensburg, Kansas was destroyed by an EF5 tornado. Ninety-five percent of the town was leveled by the storm and 11 people lost their lives. In the wake of this tragedy the residents of Greensburg chose to take advantage of what they realized was an historic opportunity and began to rebuild their home into the first LEED Platinum town in the country.
Today, on the 3rd anniversary of the Greensburg tornado, the Professor gives a tip of the hat to the resilient residents of Greensburg for their amazing accomplishments.
Most of the news coverage has focused on Greensburg’s wind farm, rainwater harvesting efforts, recycled building materials, and LED-powered streetlights. However, one other important feature in the town’s new, environmentally-friendly plan includes the installation of WaterSense-certified plumbing products in the reconstructed homes.
To help residents conserve water, American Standard Brands donated a number of products, including several low-flow Cadet 3 and FloWise toilets, both of which use 20% less water per flush than standard toilets. Several Greensburg homes also received water-saving Reliant 3 faucets and FloWise bath and shower kits.
Making use of clean energy technologies and reclaimed building materials are truly laudable actions, but as always, the Professor is especially pleased to see that water conservation is a key aspect of Greensburg’s low-impact lifestyle.
Greenversations Green Plumbers Combat Climate Change and Plumber Perception
Posted by: | CommentsCame across an interesting post about GreenPlumbers® on the EPA’s blog: Greenversations Green Plumbers Combat Climate Change.
It strikes the Professor that media coverage about GreenPlumbers doesn’t include the usual “cracks” about plumbers. In this article, Greenversations equates GreenPlumbers with superheroes–albeit Luigi of Super Mario–but still, recognizing the plumbing profession as a critical and valued link the fight to preserve freshwater resources. Greenversations lists the actions that superhero GreenPlumbers take:
- Water audits
- High efficiency product and equipment upgrades
- Installation and maintenance of greywaterand rainwater catchment systems.
Georgia’s first certified Green Plumber, Nick Marine, of Marine Plumbing, does all the above, as well as solar installations across the Southeast.
Toilets Take a Stand for World Water Day in Washington, DC on March 23rd
Posted by: | Comments
Toilets will take a stand on the steps of our nation’s Capitol to draw attention to the lack of access to clean water.
American Standard water saving toilets will be used to stage the World’s Longest Toilet Queue in the park between Union Square and Capitol Hill on Tuesday March 23.
It’s a funny visual for a deadly serious issue: Lack of access to fresh clean water. The world’s largest environmental health crisis, poor sanitation kills 4,500 children every day. Read more at American Standard.
Submit your name and contact information to be considered for World Water Day Capitol Hill visits.
Download more information about the World’s Longest Toilet Queue in Washington D.C.
Google Maps to to World’s Longest Toilet Queue in Washington D.C. on March 23, 1 pm.
Tips for Saving Water Around the House
Posted by: | CommentsWater Conservation Put to the Test in Metro Atlanta
Posted by: | CommentsNo one loves tests as much as professors. And no one loves a test of toilets more than Professor Toilet.
Especially when test results reveal a high grade of satisfaction when it comes to toilets, faucets and showerheads that save water.
American Standard identified 21 homeowners in two suburban Atlanta communities who volunteered to replace their existing toilets and bathroom sink faucets last fall with high-efficiency WaterSense®-certified models, and to replace their showerheads with the highly-rated FloWise showerhead that delivers an invigorating, satisfying soak while reducing water usage up to 40 percent.
After two months of measurement, green building consultant Tommy Linstoth, LEED-AP found an overall household savings of at least 25 percent. The level of satisfaction has been higher than expected. American Standard has not received a single request to return to the higher-consumption products and several volunteers reported that the products exceeded their expectations, as well as the performance of their previous higher-consumption products. Learn more at Tommy’s RehydrateUS.org blog.
Below, Tommy explains the purpose of the test:
Green Lodging News ~ Torn in Two About the Benefits & Challenges of Dual Flush Toilets
Posted by: | CommentsFollowers of Professor Toilet know that dual flush toilets can be a mixed blessing. On one hand, dual flush toilets can save both water and money.
Glenn Hasek of Green Lodging News, notes the downside to some models regarding the small area of water in the bowl also known as the water spot:
“…some dual flush toilets do not clean the bowl as efficiently as traditional single-flush versions. Be sure to ask vendors about this. Without getting into too much detail here, you obviously do not want to leave your guests with a bad impression and you do not want to add to the work load of your housekeepers.”
Hasek echoes what the Professor has said before about dual flush toilets. “Dual flush toilets that use a siphonic design have a water spot the size found in standard toilets.“ Learn more from Toilet Scientist Jim McHale and follow Hasek’s blog at Green Lodging News:
Read Any Good Water Bills Lately?
Posted by: | CommentsIf water conservation is the goal, do you know how to read your water bill?
In today’s lesson, Tommy Linstroth, founder of RehydrateUS.org, helps demystify the water bills from the City of Atlanta. Linstroth is consulting with American Standard on a water efficiency test for two Georgia neighborhoods.
Most bills have a fee for water use and sewer use, both of which are based on how much water comes through the meter at your house. Utilities typically assume that the same amount of water coming into your house (your water bill) is the same amount leaving in the sewer (your sewer bill). Thus the two fees are directly related.
Water is often billed in a unit of hundreds of cubic feet, shown as CCF. One CCF (or hundred cubic feet) = 748 gallons of water.
Unfortunately, by measuring in such large units, there’s not that sense of satisfaction Americans are used to in seeing numbers going down, such as reducing a grocery bill with coupons or losing weight.
And with water so inexpensive, there isn’t even the fun of seeing significant cost savings, similar to the dramatic change that homeowners see when upgrading to higher efficiency heating and cooling equipment. Use this water savings calculator to see how much you can save with your local water rates.
The good news is that if you lower your home water consumption, you’ll lower not only your water bill but also your sewer bill, and likely your electric bill. Less water coming into your house, less going into the sewer – everybody wins. Learn more and take the water efficiency pledge at RehydrateUS.org.
American Standard at Greenbuild 2009
Posted by: | CommentsAmerican Standard Brands was on the scene at the 2009 Greenbuild show that just wrapped up in Phoenix, AZ.
H2Option Toilet Demo and Comparison by American Standard
Posted by: | CommentsStay clean while going green. H2Option is first dual flush toilet with jetted bowl cleansing. Using as little as 0.8 gallon of water on the low setting, H2Option scours the sides of the bowl to remove every last trace of paper and waste. The Professor believes everyone deserves a clean bowl with every flush.
Toilet Talk Tuesdays
Posted by: | CommentsHappy Toilet Talk Tuesday!
-Are you unsure whether the United States has water-related environmental problems? Take a look at these facts, and make sure your own toilet isn’t leaking.
-Will photos of interesting toilets ever get old? I think not! What’s your favorite?
-If everyone in the United States flushed the toilet at the same time, sewer systems across the country would be overwhelmed with wastewater. That would make for one messy toilet story!
