World Water Day - March 22

World Water Day – March 22

World Water Day is held annually on March 22 as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.

An international day to celebrate freshwater was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating March 22, 1993 as the first World Water Day.

Each year, World Water Day highlights a specific aspect of freshwater. In 2013, in reflection of the International Year of Water Cooperation, World Water Day is also dedicated to the theme of cooperation around water and is coordinated by UNESCO in collaboration with UNECE and UNDESA on behalf of UN-Water.

BWP
SAVE WATER AT HOME INTERACTIVE TOOL shows you simple things you can do inside and outside of your home to save water and money, while helping to protect the environment.

Los Angeles River Presentation: Sep 27

Los Angeles River: Past, Present & Future
Sep 27, 2012
7:00pm - 8:00pm
Buena Vista Branch Library
300 N. Buena Vista St.

A multi-media presentation with Kari Rasmussen, Education Coordinator at Friends of the Los Angeles River.
For further information, call 818-238-5620.

The Los Angeles River: its life, death, and possible rebirth
Blake Gumprecht
Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999
979.493 GUMPR
Three centuries ago, the Los Angeles River meandered through marshes and forests of willow and sycamore. Trout spawned in its waters and grizzly bears roamed its shores. The bountiful environment the river helped create supported one of the largest concentrations of Indians in North America.

World Rivers Day - September 30

October 4 PremierRock the Boat
Downtown Independent Theater

A thoroughly awesome doc about the 3-day kayaking expedition, and a smart, funny, wise film about the LA River.

Green Infographics

The Web’s Best Green Infographics
Earth911.com: 9.08.2011 by Amanda Wills



Infographics for:
Natural Resources
Recycling
E-Waste
Weirdest Place For Waste
Saving Water

World Water Week 2011

World Water Week 2011
“Water in an Urbanizing World”
Aug 21 – 27

Hosted and organized by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) and takes place each year in Stockholm. World Water Week has been the annual focal point for the globe's water issues since 1991.

Some Water Websites:

Circle of Blue
Of all the Earth’s water, 97.5 percent is salt and 2.5 is fresh. Of that water, about 70 percent is locked in glacial ice and 30 percent in soil, leaving under 1 percent (.007 percent of the total water) readily accessible for human use.

An international network of leading journalists, scientists and communications design experts that reports and presents the information necessary to respond to the global freshwater crisis. It is a nonprofit affiliate of the internationally recognized water, climate and policy think tank, the Pacific Institute.

Poster Art to Spread the Clean-Water Word
Sierra: 8.19.2011
To raise awareness about the global water crisis, students from around the world submitted designs for the Water is Life poster-art contest. The winning designs are so inspiring that they're going to be part of a globe-trotting museum exhibit.

The posters are meant to spread the word about Stockholm’s annual World Water Week, a global summit that aims to focus the world's attention on the challenge of water management (as things are now, only one in eight people has access to clean water).This year, the summit happens next week: Aug. 21 to 27.

While the summit itself is primarily for environmental leaders, we all can get involved. How? Read a book, watch a movie, or learn more on the web. Or buy a “Water is Life” poster to spread inspiration. You can also watch live broadcasts from the Stockholm summit.

Water.Org: a U.S. nonprofit committed to providing safe drinking water and sanitation to people in developing countries. Has Lesson Plans and many links.

World Water Council: established in 1996, on the initiative of renowned water specialists and international organizations, in response to an increasing concern about world water issues from the global community.

BWP: Sierra Club Water Conservation Scorecard

Water Conservation Measures Scorecard
Sierra Club Angeles Chapter: July 2011

The Water Conservation Measures Scorecard rated 122 cities in Los Angeles and Orange counties by the number of mandatory water conservation measures enacted. Cities are ranked for measures in their ordinances that address appropriate water use, avoid water waste, improve building standards, and prescribe water-efficient business practices. Five cities were rated “Best” and five cities were rated “Worst.” The scorecard provides cities with a roadmap to update and expand existing water conservation measures in order to meet federal and state water efficiency standards and to work together to better manage use of the region’s limited water resources.

The 5 cities that scored “Best” with water-efficient building standards and best practices for commercial and outdoor water use:
Burbank, La Palma, La Verne, Los Angeles and Mission Viejo

The Report Includes a City Summary and City Scorecards. READ MORE !

water water everywhere - not a drop to drink*

Direct and indirect water use
Water Foot Print Network

People use lots of water for drinking, cooking and washing, but even more for producing things such as food, paper, cotton clothes, etc. The water footprint is an indicator of water use that looks at both direct and indirect water use of a consumer or producer. The water footprint of an individual, community or business is defined as the total volume of freshwater that is used to produce the goods and services consumed by the individual or community or produced by the business. Includes:

Product Water Footprint
-Food & Animal Products: Apples to Wine
(excellent graphic @ National Geographic)
Your Water Footprint
-quick calculator
-extended calculator
National Water Footprint
Corporate Water Footprint
Global Water Footprint

WFPN: promote the transition towards sustainable, fair and efficient use of fresh water resources worldwide.

*The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

COB: Urban Water Management Plan

Urban Water Management Plan
Public Hearing
June 7 - 6:00pm

The City of Burbank has prepared a Draft version of its Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP). California law requires the Burbank City Council to adopt an updated UWMP by June 30, 2011.

Public involvement and comment are encouraged.
A public hearing regarding updating Burbank's UWMP in the Council Chambers, Burbank City Hall, 275 East Olive Avenue, Burbank, California.

The Plan includes the following:
Assessment of past and future water supplies and demands
Evaluation of the future reliability of our water supplies
Information regarding water conservation and water management activities
Discussion of water recycling activities
Contingency planning for water shortages

Follow the link below to review the 2010 Draft version of the Plan.
Draft: Burbank Urban Water Management Plan 2010

For more information, contact Matt Elsner, Principal Civil Engineer at (818) 238-3500

World Water Day: March 22

World Water Day: March 22

The Institute for Sustainability, CSUN is hosting Water Day on Tuesday, March 22 in the University Student Union, Northridge Center.

11:00am-12:15pm: screening of the documentary, “Tapped”
~ followed by a Q&A with Tony Machado, PhD, REHS, Dept. of Environmental and Occupational Health

12:15pm Refreshments

12:30-1:45pm: Speakers
~ Don Kendall, Ph.D., P.E., Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UCLA: “Water Supply, Distribution and Treatment in California”
~ Fred Barker, P.E., Waterworks Engineer, LADWP “Water Sanitation and Delivery in Developing Nations: A Peace Corps Experience
Please RSVP for this event.

This is the first time in human history that most of the world's population live in cities: 3.3 billion people ...and the urban landscape continues to grow.

38% of the growth is represented by expanding slums, while the city populations are increasing faster than city infrastructure can adapt.

The objective of World Water Day 2011 is to focus international attention on the impact of rapid urban population growth, industrialization and uncertainties caused by climate change, conflicts and natural disasters on urban water systems.

This year theme, Water for cities: responding to the urban challenge, aims to spotlight and encourage governments, organizations, communities, and individuals to actively engage in addressing the challenges of urban water management.

Water and Cities - Facts and Figures (162Kb PDF)

The Majestic Plastic Bag

Video from the EcoBurbank blog

The Majestic Plastic Bag - A Mockumentary
Heal The Bay

Help stop our 19 billion bag-a--year habit in California and put an end to plastic pollution.

Filmed in the style of a nature documentary and narrated by Academy Award-winner Jeremy Irons, this "mockumentary", though lighthearted in tone, hammers home the stark reality of California’s plastic bag pollution situation.

Blue World Map By: OCAL

California Watch: Climate and Water

California 2025
Planning for a Better Future: June 2010

California’s current economic and fiscal realities make nonpartisan, objective information on the state’s future challenges all the more critical. Understandably, the search is on for immediate solutions to the unprecedented crises we face today. But if the present crises make policymakers shelve long-term planning, the result may be an even more uncertain future for our state.

It highlights the state’s most pressing long-term policy challenges in 8 key areas -budget, economy, education, population, transportation, workforce; and

• Climate Change: California is charting new territory with its plans to reduce emissions. But the state also needs to prepare for the effects of climate change that are already coming. Watch a “Briefing” Slide Show.

• Water: California faces growing water management challenges—including growth in demand, climate change, and instability in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Potential solutions will involve difficult and sometimes costly tradeoffs. The comprehensive package of water legislation enacted in late 2009 is a good beginning in policy reform but increased momentum—coupled with new investments—is essential to the state’s future.

2 other publications on water from the Public Policy Institute of California:

California Water Myths, December 2009

California faces enormous challenges in establishing a sustainable path for water resource management. This study highlights eight common water myths, focusing on water supply, ecosystems, and legal and governance issues. In combating these myths, the report sets the stage for a more informed approach to water policy and management.

Interactive Map: Per Capita Urban Water Use: 1960-2005
Interactive Feature: Virtual Tour (Center For Watershed Sciences, UC Davis)

Lawns and Water Demand in California, July 2006

Over the next 25 years, outdoor water use will be a major factor in escalating water demand in California. The demand will be aggravated by the dominant land-use pattern in inland areas: single-family homes with lush lawns. Without efforts aimed specifically at reducing outdoor urban water use, the demand will pose significant financial and environmental challenges for California. Also analyzes population growth and housing trends in the state’s major climactic regions, estimates residential lot and yard sizes, and examines the water needs of cool-season turf grass lawns. It also evaluates several outdoor water conservation programs.

Water Efficiency Measures

Business not going with the flow, yet
Burbank Leader: July 31, 2010 by Gretchen Meier

Less than half of all business owners in Burbank have installed water-saving fixtures in advance of the Nov. 1 deadline that will mark the beginning of a 25% surcharge on water bills for delinquent customers, officials said.

Enacted as part of the new rate plan established last year, the deadline has already been extended beyond June 30 until the end of October, yet only 45% of businesses have returned certificates of compliance, officials said.

Burbank Water and Power has been pushing those under deadline at least twice since the beginning of the calendar year, but only half of the remaining 55% have confirmed they are "working on it," customer programs assistant Karen Wilcox said.

Utility customers are being asked to replace older toilets with those that use 1.6 gallons per flush and replace aerators in kitchen and bathroom faucets with a lower flow rate.

Burbank Water and Power offers a rebate of $100 to replace older toilets for high-efficiency models that use 1.28 gallons per flush.

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In an ordinance passed by the Burbank City Council last week, all properties must now retrofit faucets and toilets upon resale as a condition of escrow. READ MORE !

* Important Notice Regarding Your Water Service *

The City of Burbank now requires that all multi-family residential, commercial and industrial water service customers certify that certain water efficiency measures have been installed on their property.

Compliance must be achieved by October 31, 2010. Failure to certify compliance will result in a surcharge of 25% on the customer’s water bill for 12 months commencing on November 1, 2010. If non-compliance continues beyond the 12 month period, the surcharge will increase to 50% per month, until compliance occurs. To view more information on the Required Water Efficiency Measures, CLICK HERE

Burbank Water and Power

Residents cut water use
Burbank Leader: April 14, 2010 by Christopher Cadelago

CITY HALL — Burbank Water and Power customers have reduced their daily per-capita use from 193 gallons to 163, a drop-off that utility officials said had put the city on track to meet state mandates by 2020.

The utility serves more than 7 billion gallons per year to about 100,000 customers, with 75% going to residential, 19% to commercial and the rest to industrial and other users.

Taken together, the latest figures from the utility show that the groups have reduced their usage by about 10% from last year, inching closer to compliance with the 2009 law that mandates municipalities to reduce their water consumption by 20% within 10 years.

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Drinking water to local customers comes from the San Fernando Valley Basin, Colorado River and the State Water Project.

The figures beat the City Council’s goal of a 10% reduction in water use in line with the United Nations Urban Sustainability Accords, according to the report.

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Multifamily residential, commercial and industrial water customers face steep fines if they fail to certify that certain water-saving fixtures have been installed effective June 30. READ MORE !