CHICAGO, Ill. – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Monday that Chicago, Ill. Has been chosen as the headquarters of a new water conservation organization. EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson, along with Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and Mary Ann Dickinson, executive director of the California Urban Water Conservation Council (CUWCC) participated in the announcement of the formation of the Alliance for Water Efficiency. The Alliance will be a clearinghouse and advocate for water efficiency research, evaluation and education.
| PROJECT EVERGREEN HONORS CHICAGO MAYOR WITH STEWARDHSHIP AWARD | |
As part of its mission to raise awareness of the environmental, economic and lifestyle benefits of landscapes and promote the significance of those who preserve and enhance green spaces, Project EverGreen presented Chicago Maror Richard Daley with the Project EverGreen Stewardship Award during the Keynote address at the Green Industry Expo in November. Daley was recognized for outstanding leadership in preserving and enhancing the value of green spaces in his city. Paul McDonough, president of Project EverGreen, noted the Mayor Daley’s longtime advocacy for the value of green space in sustaining a healthy environment. “‘Green’ has been a key word during Mayor Daley’s administration,” McDonough says, “and Chicago is the better for it.” Chicago has taken on numerous projects to restore and add green spaces, including reviving its 7,730-acre park system; starting the “CitySpace” program to convert abandoned and underused properties into community gardens; Mayor Daley’s Landscape Awards, an annual program recognizing thousands of Chicagoans that take part in environmental beautification; and the creation of a 20,300-square-foot City Hall rooftop garden, which showcases how green spaces can create energy savings and improve air quality.
While Daley was not able to attend GIE, Astrid Haryati, the mayor’s assistant on green initiatives accepted the award on his behalf. Citing the fact that Daley has an assistant solely focused on the city’s environmental issues, McDonough says Chicago “gets it” when it comes to green-space stewardship. |
"Wise water use means more than just turning off a dripping faucet,” Johnson said in his address. “Water efficiency is a smart, cost-effective solution to the quality and supply challenges facing one of our nation's most precious natural resources. Together with partners like the Alliance for Water Efficiency, EPA is promoting the ethic of conserving our water resources – ensuring the availability of clean water for future generations of Americans."
Mayor Daley said he and his office look forward to welcoming the Alliance to Chicago, a city that already has a high involvement in environmental improvement (see sidebar at right).
Additionally, Dickinson noted CUWCC’s gratification in helping to coordinate the formation of the new organization. "We are delighted we could work with stakeholders nationwide to develop the goals and programs for a new national organization focused on water efficiency," she said. "There is extraordinary interest from a wide variety of groups including water suppliers, government officials, environmentalists, plumbing and appliance manufacturers, irrigation professionals, and building developers to pull together a program of water efficiency options that will benefit the nation as a whole."
In speaking on behalf of irrigation professionals, Irrigation Association (IA) Executive Director Tom Kimmell tells Lawn & Landscape, “With water becoming increasingly scarce and in demand by a growing population, it is important to raise awareness of the nation about the importance of using water effectively. The Alliance for Water Efficiency has the potential to be an excellent resource for information on water efficiency."
Incoming IA President Ken Mills said in his presentation during the Interntational Irrigation Show in November that education on the efficient use of water is key for the organization in the coming year. The IA worked with the EPA to provide significant input on the creation of the Alliance for Water Efficiency. Details on how the new Alliance will operate and the IA’s involvement with the organization are still being worked out.
For more information on EPA's water conservation program, visit www.epa.gov/owm/water-efficiency.
| BENEFITS OF EFFICIENT WATER USE |
The Environmental Protection Agency says efficient use of water has numerous environmental and economic benefits including: |