When you go camping, it’s not only your family and the persons you’re with, you are responsible of. When you go camping, it’s not only your personal items you should take care of. When you go camping, it’s not only your tent or your RV or your sleeping cot that you have to look after.

What most people don’t realize is that when they go camping, they are also responsible in taking care of the environment and making sure they do not do anything that is harmful to nature.

One thing you should remember when going camping is to dispose of your trash properly. Never leave any trash behind or worse throw them in lakes or streams. Instead you should always have trash bags ready and take them with you when you leave the campsite. It’s even better if you segregate your garbage and placing biodegradable and non biodegradable trash in different containers. Be sure to dispose of these trash bags properly.

Second, respect the creatures and the wildlife that live in the forest or park you’re camping in. It’s their home and you shouldn’t do anything that may disturb or harm them. Hunting is an activity largely criticized by environmentalists. Those who take pleasure from hurting animals and seeing them cry in pain do not have respect for Mother Nature. There are nature friendly activities you can engage in when you want to marvel at these creatures like bird watching.

Third, don’t follow tips that are harmful to nature like the hairspray tip which encourages you to use a hairspray to get rid off insects. Hairspray contains substances which are contributory to the depletion of the ozone layer and to global warming. If you want to protect yourself from ticks and mosquitoes, just apply insect repellent lotion on your skin. When using soap, choose those that are biodegradable. Also opt for paper bags instead of plastic bags. But if you can’t avoid using plastic bags, make sure that you recycle them.

Fourth, never leave a mark behind. Leave the campsite the way it is. Nix any ideas of your son to carve out his initials on the trees. Discourage your friend from vandalizing on the large rock and writing, “Joe was here”.
Also, never leave a campfire attended because this is dangerous and may start a fire in the campsite.

Fifth, it is a very good idea to use environmental friendly camping equipment. For many years, many human practices and equipment have caused for the deterioration of the environment. That’s why when you go camping it is imperative that you choose camping gears like Coleman heaters that are safe for the environment. The Coleman BlackCat Catalytic heater for instance operates on clean-burning propane that is earth friendly.

Always be concerned with the environment in whatever activity you’re doing, whether it’s camping or any other activity. Remember, there’s no place like Home and we should do everything to take care of our Mother Earth.

Nicole Munoz
http://www.articlesbase.com/Sports-and-fitness-articles/Environmental-care-during-a-camping-trip-268932.html

There is always further reading about Niche Blueprint 2.0 Review here.

I want to major in Environmental engineering but the school i want to go to only has environmental engineering Science listed as a major close to what i want. What is the difference?

Engineering is an occupation or profession, whereas engineering science is the structured body of knowledge upon which that profession is built. So for practical and especially for Educational considerations, they are essentially at least very close, if not practically the same.

There is always further reading about Niche Blueprint 2.0 Review here.

The WaterSense partnership program makes it easy for Americans to save water and protect the environment by helping consumers identify water-efficient, high-performing plumbing products they can buy for their homes. The exciting water-efficiency program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is partnering with manufacturers, Retailers and distributors, utilities, state and local governments, nongovernmental organizations, trade associations, irrigation professionals, and professional certifying organizations to bring water-efficient products to market and spread the word about the need for smart water use.

DesignerPlumbingOutlet.com, a virtual store for kitchen and bathroom fixtures, fittings and accessories is one of nearly 70 retailers who have become a partner with WaterSense. As a partner of the WaterSense program, DPO displays the WaterSense label on quality, water-efficient products certified to meet EPA criteria that are found on the site. Most of these items are bathroom sink faucets and high-efficiency toilets that are designed to save water. 

“We feel it’s our duty to offer our customers a distinct “greener” choice when purchasing faucets and toilets from DPO,” said Founder and CEO Eric Strand. “By joining WaterSense and enabling the “eco friendly” search option on our site, we are giving customers the tools and knowledge to purchase the most water-efficient products available in this marketplace.”   

The WaterSense label indicates that these products have been independently tested by third-party laboratories to meet EPA’s water-efficiency and performance criteria. In addition, customers can be confident that the products will all perform well and may help them save money in the long run. Designer Plumbing Outlet carries many plumbing manufacturers who are WaterSense partners: American Standard, Delta, Grohe, Hansgrohe, Danze, Moen, and Price Pfister.

The WaterSense partnership is one of two steps DPO has taken to become eco friendly and help customers choose water-efficient products.  In addition to joining the WaterSense program, DPO has enabled an “eco friendly” search option on the website so customers can sort the wide variety of faucets, toilets and showerheads found on DPO, that are not WaterSense labeled, but are deemed “green” by their manufacturers, through an “eco friendly” search option.

According to WaterSense, the average American household uses about 100,000 gallons of water in a year, and 11,000 gallons of that are unnecessarily wasted each year due to inefficient toilets and faucets. If every inefficient toilet in the United States was replaced by a WaterSense labeled model, it would save 640 billion gallons of water.

WaterSense partner Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) demonstrates that it can be done. Through aggressive water conservation programs, SPU decreased water consumption in and around Seattle, Washington, by 24 percent since 1990, while in the same period the region’s population grew by 11 percent.

To achieve these savings, SPU targeted its efficiency measures on residential indoor fixtures, residential landscapes, commercial processes, and commercial landscapes. In particular, the program offered rebates or free toilets to upgrade older, inefficient toilets, as well as rebates for water-using appliances, urinals, pre-rinse spray heads, and other equipment. More recently, the region launched a pilot program for water-efficient showerheads. These incentives combined with non-incentive efforts—such as mass media messaging, direct mailings, new outreach materials, and Web sites—helped make the 1% Water Conservation Program a success.

SPU understands that water efficiency plays a key role in any strong municipal water conservation program, so joining WaterSense was an obvious choice. SPU Water Conservation Program Leader Al Dietemann explains, “WaterSense adds consistency with products, messaging, and marketing, and provides utilities with identical criteria to ensure a clear and concise message is conveyed to customers.”

In fall 2007, SPU launched a campaign featuring a TV ad encouraging consumers to purchase WaterSense labeled or FlushStar toilets. SPU also included an article in the utility’s newsletter that reaches up to 300,000 customers and shared point-of-purchase materials with retailers.

Further south in Cobb County, Georgia, government leaders launched a toilet rebate program in October 2007, coinciding with the day its water district declared Drought Level 4, the most severe classification. Since that time, Cobb County has issued 1,128 rebates for WaterSense labeled toilets and 2,048 rebates for 1.6-gallon-per-flush (gpf) toilets, saving the county an estimated 31.4 million gallons of water per year and easing the strain on municipal water supplies.

Cobb County’s rebate program soon achieved even greater influence when the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District adopted the program for the entire district, which includes Atlanta, 16 counties, and more than 60 water utilities. As a result, the program now targets more than 2 million customers.

Customers stand to benefit, too. Rebate participants are saving approximately $70.50 per year by reducing 10,000 gallons of water per household per year. The tiered rebate program credits customers’ water bills directly: $50 for 1.6-gpf toilets and $100 for WaterSense labeled toilets (less than 1.3 gpf). Cobb County Water System initially included 1.6-gpf toilets until WaterSense labeled models became more readily available. County officials hope to phase out rebates for 1.6-gpf toilets by the end of 2009.

Effective outreach has been crucial to Cobb County’s success in bringing WaterSense labeled toilets to the region. Early on, Cobb County contacted major retailers, including Home Depot and Lowe’s to encourage them to stock the toilets on its rebate list. To increase demand for WaterSense labeled toilets, the county educated consumers through its Web site and numerous public presentations. This allowed consumers one-on-one time to discuss the rebate program and WaterSense labeled toilets, which also built brand recognition. The media also drove home the water-efficiency message in print, radio, and television. By effectively building a market base and a steady supply of WaterSense labeled toilets in the area, Cobb County ensured its rebate program would have a significant impact and bring real change to the region.

Kathy Nguyen, water-efficiency program manager for Cobb County Water System, relates the success of the rebate program to the WaterSense label, saying, “WaterSense has made it easy for us by providing tools and resources to use for our rebate program. We’ve also found value in utilizing a national brand with consistent messaging, which makes it easier for our customers to identify products that are third-party certified for water efficiency and performance.”

Michelle Luke
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/the-us-Environmental-protection-agencys-watersense-program-attracts-plumbing-retailers-who-want-to-make-a-difference-in-the-environment-711202.html

There is always further reading about Niche Blueprint 2.0 Review here.

With Environmental pollution being a major issue these days, people are searching for alternative sources of energy. Among all the alternative sources of energy that are available, wind energy is perhaps the easiest one to tap as well as to use. Windmills are making their presence felt in many parts of the world for this very reason. If you are someone who wants to harness windmill power, then you can also think of building one yourself too. The entire process has become a lot easier these days and one need not be a qualified engineer to build one.

Windmill power comes along with its own set of advantages. For one you need not worry about mounting electricity costs. In fact there have been instances when many households have been able to reduce their electricity bills by as much as 70 percent using windmills. The other advantage with windmill power is that it is a renewable source of energy. You can typically generate enough power to run various different home appliances with windmills. Generally speaking the amount of power that a windmill can generate will depend on the design of the windmill as well as the wind speed in the surrounding area.

If you are someone looking to build your own windmill, then you will first of all need to plan well. The first thing that you need to do is to choose the correct location. The location should be such that there is undisturbed access to winds. Moreover while designing a windmill power system for your Home; you should also make sure that it is also compatible with your power company’s wires. This connection between the two systems ensures safety and easy changeover from one system to the other.

sidana.abhi

There is always further reading about Niche Blueprint 2.0 Review here.

How Environmental factors can effect the germination and the growth of plants.

Its under my year 10 horticulture topic,Thanks

The obvious–most seeds need moisture (rain) and warmth to germinate. They will not germinate if environmental conditions are dry or cold.

Many plants require a certain amount of sunlight; their growth will slow during periods of extended cloud cover. Increased light results in increased growth. For the same reason, plants in areas covered with ash from erupting volcanoes will die, although in that instance they also smother. Growth will also slow or the plants will die in periods of drought.

There is always further reading about Niche Blueprint 2.0 Review here.

There are many people in this country losing sleep due to external and internal noise in their environment. One of the big misconceptions of people who wake due to noise, is they believe that it is only the loud noise coming from outside such as traffic, railroads, or airplanes that are the reasons for their sleeplessness.

But you could be waking from noise you didn’t even consider, that could be coming from inside your Home. This is particularly true for people who consider themselves light sleepers. The slightest noise has these people sitting up, wide-awake, from a sound sleep. One thing to understand is, your hearing is always active and your brain is still processing the noise even when asleep. This is why even the slightest noise wakes certain people.

The main effects of this type of sleep interruption are: problems falling asleep, frequent awakenings, and variances in the stages of sleep. Most importantly it will prevent you from getting  a truly deep sleep for a proper period of time that is healthy.

There are five stages of sleep, rapid eye movement or (REM Sleep) is the fifth stage of sleep. Once you have reached this level you have gone through all the stages of sleep, and will have gotten the most restful night you can get. When you are awakened often, you will not reach all the different stages of sleep.

You will feel the affects the next day through symptoms such as increased tiredness, fatigue, even depression. If you let it go on, you can start to suffer long-term effects that could be detrimental to both your psychological and physical health.

One thing to be careful of, when you start losing sleep for any reason, is the use of over the counter drugs or medication prescribed by a doctor. The constant waking due to the noise disturbance will push people to try drugs to help them sleep through the noise.

This is only replacing one problem with another. There is no telling what the long-term effects can be from any of these drugs on an individual never mind the possibility of addiction. Some people will turn to ear protection devices such as earplugs or headphones to block out the noise.

These things can work for some but, can be uncomfortable and not practical for others. One suggestion for over coming the constant waking is to replace one noise with another. By this I mean things like audiotapes that play soothing sounds such as ocean waves, waterfalls, or rain. This allows you to mask the noise that is waking you with a sound that will help you sleep.

The main reason people wake is because of single distinct noise that goes above a certain decibel on the backdrop of a quite night. This event causes the person to wake, but if that noise is masked with a constant sound that they are used to and can sleep to, then the likely hood of you waking is minimized if not eliminated.

Fortunately there have been a lot of studies on how Environmental noise affects our lives. Unfortunately there are so many variables to this problem, the experts cannot agree on the solutions. So although there have been plenty of studies, there are no clear-cut answers.

One reason is, some people will get use to whatever noise is waking them, while for others, this is not the case. This is just one variable out of dozens. Because of this, experts can’t agree on an essential direction of treatment. One thing is for sure; a deep sleep is essential to good Health. So if you are losing sleep for any reason you should be examining the problem and seeking professional help.

Lewis Malburne
http://www.articlesbase.com/sleep-articles/environmental-noise-and-sleep-disturbance-704953.html

There is always further reading about Niche Blueprint 2.0 Review here.

The WaterSense partnership program makes it easy for Americans to save water and protect the environment by helping consumers identify water-efficient, high-performing plumbing products they can buy for their homes. The exciting water-efficiency program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is partnering with manufacturers, retailers and distributors, utilities, state and local governments, nongovernmental organizations, trade associations, irrigation professionals, and professional certifying organizations to bring water-efficient products to market and spread the word about the need for smart water use.

DesignerPlumbingOutlet.com, a virtual store for kitchen and bathroom fixtures, fittings and accessories is one of nearly 70 retailers who have become a partner with WaterSense. As a partner of the WaterSense program, DPO displays the WaterSense label on quality, water-efficient products certified to meet EPA criteria that are found on the site. Most of these items are bathroom sink faucets and high-efficiency toilets that are designed to save water. 

“We feel it’s our duty to offer our customers a distinct “greener” choice when purchasing faucets and toilets from DPO,” said Founder and CEO Eric Strand. “By joining WaterSense and enabling the “eco friendly” search option on our site, we are giving customers the tools and knowledge to purchase the most water-efficient products available in this marketplace.”   

The WaterSense label indicates that these products have been independently tested by third-party laboratories to meet EPA’s water-efficiency and performance criteria. In addition, customers can be confident that the products will all perform well and may help them save money in the long run. Designer Plumbing Outlet carries many plumbing manufacturers who are WaterSense partners: American Standard, Delta, Grohe, Hansgrohe, Danze, Moen, and Price Pfister.

The WaterSense partnership is one of two steps DPO has taken to become eco friendly and help customers choose water-efficient products.  In addition to joining the WaterSense program, DPO has enabled an “eco friendly” search option on the website so customers can sort the wide variety of faucets, toilets and showerheads found on DPO, that are not WaterSense labeled, but are deemed “green” by their manufacturers, through an “eco friendly” search option.

According to WaterSense, the average American household uses about 100,000 gallons of water in a year, and 11,000 gallons of that are unnecessarily wasted each year due to inefficient toilets and faucets. If every inefficient toilet in the United States was replaced by a WaterSense labeled model, it would save 640 billion gallons of water.

WaterSense partner Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) demonstrates that it can be done. Through aggressive water conservation programs, SPU decreased water consumption in and around Seattle, Washington, by 24 percent since 1990, while in the same period the region’s population grew by 11 percent.

To achieve these savings, SPU targeted its efficiency measures on residential indoor fixtures, residential landscapes, commercial processes, and commercial landscapes. In particular, the program offered rebates or free toilets to upgrade older, inefficient toilets, as well as rebates for water-using appliances, urinals, pre-rinse spray heads, and other equipment. More recently, the region launched a pilot program for water-efficient showerheads. These incentives combined with non-incentive efforts—such as mass media messaging, direct mailings, new outreach materials, and Web sites—helped make the 1% Water Conservation Program a success.

SPU understands that water efficiency plays a key role in any strong municipal water conservation program, so joining WaterSense was an obvious choice. SPU Water Conservation Program Leader Al Dietemann explains, “WaterSense adds consistency with products, messaging, and marketing, and provides utilities with identical criteria to ensure a clear and concise message is conveyed to customers.”

In fall 2007, SPU launched a campaign featuring a TV ad encouraging consumers to purchase WaterSense labeled or FlushStar toilets. SPU also included an article in the utility’s newsletter that reaches up to 300,000 customers and shared point-of-purchase materials with Retailers.

Further south in Cobb County, Georgia, government leaders launched a toilet rebate program in October 2007, coinciding with the day its water district declared Drought Level 4, the most severe classification. Since that time, Cobb County has issued 1,128 rebates for WaterSense labeled toilets and 2,048 rebates for 1.6-gallon-per-flush (gpf) toilets, saving the county an estimated 31.4 million gallons of water per year and easing the strain on municipal water supplies.

Cobb County’s rebate program soon achieved even greater influence when the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District adopted the program for the entire district, which includes Atlanta, 16 counties, and more than 60 water utilities. As a result, the program now targets more than 2 million customers.

Customers stand to benefit, too. Rebate participants are saving approximately $70.50 per year by reducing 10,000 gallons of water per household per year. The tiered rebate program credits customers’ water bills directly: $50 for 1.6-gpf toilets and $100 for WaterSense labeled toilets (less than 1.3 gpf). Cobb County Water System initially included 1.6-gpf toilets until WaterSense labeled models became more readily available. County officials hope to phase out rebates for 1.6-gpf toilets by the end of 2009.

Effective outreach has been crucial to Cobb County’s success in bringing WaterSense labeled toilets to the region. Early on, Cobb County contacted major retailers, including Home Depot and Lowe’s to encourage them to stock the toilets on its rebate list. To increase demand for WaterSense labeled toilets, the county educated consumers through its Web site and numerous public presentations. This allowed consumers one-on-one time to discuss the rebate program and WaterSense labeled toilets, which also built brand recognition. The media also drove home the water-efficiency message in print, radio, and television. By effectively building a market base and a steady supply of WaterSense labeled toilets in the area, Cobb County ensured its rebate program would have a significant impact and bring real change to the region.

Kathy Nguyen, water-efficiency program manager for Cobb County Water System, relates the success of the rebate program to the WaterSense label, saying, “WaterSense has made it easy for us by providing tools and resources to use for our rebate program. We’ve also found value in utilizing a national brand with consistent messaging, which makes it easier for our customers to identify products that are third-party certified for water efficiency and performance.”

Michelle Luke
http://www.articlesbase.com/Home-improvement-articles/the-us-Environmental-protection-agencys-watersense-program-attracts-plumbing-retailers-who-want-to-make-a-difference-in-the-environment-711202.html

There is always further reading about Niche Blueprint 2.0 Review here.

Does anybody know whether the environmental damage, caused in the production of solar pv’s, offsets the Environmental benefits?
Any info appreciated!

SOLAR panels are a cheaper way of protecting the environment.

There is always further reading about Niche Blueprint 2.0 Review here.

Panama’s Environmental Performance has been one of the key features in development of the country. Today the Panama real estate is booming. This is because of the responsibility of the government towards the environment and the Panama property. The Panama Canal is the pride of canal. It was constructed after the hard work of more than 75000 people for over 10 years. This canal is a very important route for ships from all over the world. No longer do ships from the east cost have to go all around South America to reach the west coast. This canal makes it easy for ships to reach the other course in a much shorter way. Also this canal is a great revenue generator for the country. All the ships must pass through this canal to go to the west coast. This saves time as well as fuel for the ships. The ships that are let to pass through the canal without any discrimination there is a separate authority of the canal that is independent which monitors the development of the canal. Also the canal is maintained by this authority employing more than 4000 people every year. This canal brings good value to the Panama property around it. The canal is a matter of pride for the people of Panama and Panama property. There are many positive implications also of the canal to the environment that affects the climate of the regions around the canal. The canal hosts more than 12000 vessels every year as they transit from one coast to another.

There were many deforestation issues while the canal was being constructed in Panama property. Many forests were destroyed during the construction of the canal. However the government has worked positively towards a forestation towards the reconstruction of these forests on Panama property. These forests have helped in maintaining the balance in nature. Because of the tropical climatic conditions of the country flora and fauna thrive well on Panama property. This has added to the development to many wild life reserves and many natural reserves for many types of animals in the world. There are also a large varieties of birds found in the canal region. In fact this region plays host to a number of birds all round the year. This has encouraged into the preservation of birds in Panama property. There are many birds found in this area that are hardly found anywhere. The responsibility of the government towards the environment and Panama property has been tremendous. There have been a lot of efforts put for the development of wild life reserves. Also to preserve the eco system around the canal the government has put in a lot of effort. Many endangered plants and animals as well are preserved in this area. The environment has played a great part in attracting tourists from all over the world. Each year tourists spend over billions of dollars to experience the environment of the country. The environment has also been carefully handled in development of new projects with plantation of more trees if any are cut down during the construction of new buildings and development of Panama real estate.

Laurie Cooper
http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/panamas-Environmental-performance-752131.html

There is always further reading about Niche Blueprint 2.0 Review here.

The WaterSense partnership program makes it easy for Americans to save water and protect the environment by helping consumers identify water-efficient, high-performing plumbing products they can buy for their homes. The exciting water-efficiency program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is partnering with manufacturers, retailers and distributors, utilities, state and local governments, nongovernmental organizations, trade associations, irrigation professionals, and professional certifying organizations to bring water-efficient products to market and spread the word about the need for smart water use.

DesignerPlumbingOutlet.com, a virtual store for kitchen and bathroom fixtures, fittings and accessories is one of nearly 70 Retailers who have become a partner with WaterSense. As a partner of the WaterSense program, DPO displays the WaterSense label on quality, water-efficient products certified to meet EPA criteria that are found on the site. Most of these items are bathroom sink faucets and high-efficiency toilets that are designed to save water. 

“We feel it’s our duty to offer our customers a distinct “greener” choice when purchasing faucets and toilets from DPO,” said Founder and CEO Eric Strand. “By joining WaterSense and enabling the “eco friendly” search option on our site, we are giving customers the tools and knowledge to purchase the most water-efficient products available in this marketplace.”   

The WaterSense label indicates that these products have been independently tested by third-party laboratories to meet EPA’s water-efficiency and performance criteria. In addition, customers can be confident that the products will all perform well and may help them save money in the long run. Designer Plumbing Outlet carries many plumbing manufacturers who are WaterSense partners: American Standard, Delta, Grohe, Hansgrohe, Danze, Moen, and Price Pfister.

The WaterSense partnership is one of two steps DPO has taken to become eco friendly and help customers choose water-efficient products.  In addition to joining the WaterSense program, DPO has enabled an “eco friendly” search option on the website so customers can sort the wide variety of faucets, toilets and showerheads found on DPO, that are not WaterSense labeled, but are deemed “green” by their manufacturers, through an “eco friendly” search option.

According to WaterSense, the average American household uses about 100,000 gallons of water in a year, and 11,000 gallons of that are unnecessarily wasted each year due to inefficient toilets and faucets. If every inefficient toilet in the United States was replaced by a WaterSense labeled model, it would save 640 billion gallons of water.

WaterSense partner Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) demonstrates that it can be done. Through aggressive water conservation programs, SPU decreased water consumption in and around Seattle, Washington, by 24 percent since 1990, while in the same period the region’s population grew by 11 percent.

To achieve these savings, SPU targeted its efficiency measures on residential indoor fixtures, residential landscapes, commercial processes, and commercial landscapes. In particular, the program offered rebates or free toilets to upgrade older, inefficient toilets, as well as rebates for water-using appliances, urinals, pre-rinse spray heads, and other equipment. More recently, the region launched a pilot program for water-efficient showerheads. These incentives combined with non-incentive efforts—such as mass media messaging, direct mailings, new outreach materials, and Web sites—helped make the 1% Water Conservation Program a success.

SPU understands that water efficiency plays a key role in any strong municipal water conservation program, so joining WaterSense was an obvious choice. SPU Water Conservation Program Leader Al Dietemann explains, “WaterSense adds consistency with products, messaging, and marketing, and provides utilities with identical criteria to ensure a clear and concise message is conveyed to customers.”

In fall 2007, SPU launched a campaign featuring a TV ad encouraging consumers to purchase WaterSense labeled or FlushStar toilets. SPU also included an article in the utility’s newsletter that reaches up to 300,000 customers and shared point-of-purchase materials with retailers.

Further south in Cobb County, Georgia, government leaders launched a toilet rebate program in October 2007, coinciding with the day its water district declared Drought Level 4, the most severe classification. Since that time, Cobb County has issued 1,128 rebates for WaterSense labeled toilets and 2,048 rebates for 1.6-gallon-per-flush (gpf) toilets, saving the county an estimated 31.4 million gallons of water per year and easing the strain on municipal water supplies.

Cobb County’s rebate program soon achieved even greater influence when the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District adopted the program for the entire district, which includes Atlanta, 16 counties, and more than 60 water utilities. As a result, the program now targets more than 2 million customers.

Customers stand to benefit, too. Rebate participants are saving approximately $70.50 per year by reducing 10,000 gallons of water per household per year. The tiered rebate program credits customers’ water bills directly: $50 for 1.6-gpf toilets and $100 for WaterSense labeled toilets (less than 1.3 gpf). Cobb County Water System initially included 1.6-gpf toilets until WaterSense labeled models became more readily available. County officials hope to phase out rebates for 1.6-gpf toilets by the end of 2009.

Effective outreach has been crucial to Cobb County’s success in bringing WaterSense labeled toilets to the region. Early on, Cobb County contacted major retailers, including Home Depot and Lowe’s to encourage them to stock the toilets on its rebate list. To increase demand for WaterSense labeled toilets, the county educated consumers through its Web site and numerous public presentations. This allowed consumers one-on-one time to discuss the rebate program and WaterSense labeled toilets, which also built brand recognition. The media also drove home the water-efficiency message in print, radio, and television. By effectively building a market base and a steady supply of WaterSense labeled toilets in the area, Cobb County ensured its rebate program would have a significant impact and bring real change to the region.

Kathy Nguyen, water-efficiency program manager for Cobb County Water System, relates the success of the rebate program to the WaterSense label, saying, “WaterSense has made it easy for us by providing tools and resources to use for our rebate program. We’ve also found value in utilizing a national brand with consistent messaging, which makes it easier for our customers to identify products that are third-party certified for water efficiency and performance.”

Michelle Luke
http://www.articlesbase.com/Home-improvement-articles/the-us-environmental-protection-agencys-watersense-program-attracts-plumbing-retailers-who-want-to-make-a-difference-in-the-environment-711202.html

There is always further reading about Niche Blueprint 2.0 Review here.