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Virginia Sustainability Networks’ Energy and Sustainability Conference

Thursday, January 3rd, 2013

Conference on Sustainability & Energy coming to Richmond in January

Have you heard the news? Mark down this event on your calendar… The Virginia Sustainability Network is putting on an amazing conservation and energy conference in January! This two day conference that has been organized by one of the original co-founders of EarthCraft House Virginia, Annette Osso, will be the ultimate place to discuss what is going on in the realm of sustainability in our region.

The Virginia Sustainability Network has just sent out all of the details and have early registration going on. Find out what is happening in all facets of conservation and our industry, whether you are in building, management, operations or just want to find out what is going on in Virginia and beyond.

They have some pretty amazing speakers lined up from the Vice President of Technology at DuPont to the Secretary of Education for the State of Virginia! This conference will even count towards continuing education credits; now, we call that a bonus! REGISTER TODAY- EARLY REGISTRATION ENDS DECEMBER 7

Get the scoop about the conference

“Engage with your colleagues from corporate and institutional management, operations, environmental and sustainability offices, and transportation to hear about national and global trends that increase productivity, improve process and reduce costs, attract customers, and increase return on investment.
New Conference Features Now Confirmed!
January 30: Lunch Plenary
Sustainability from the Corporate Executive Viewpoint
Confirmed Speakers include:

Kevin Corby, Vice President of Technology, DuPont
Jay Fisette, Arlington County Board
Laura Fornash, Virginia Secretary of Education
David Hanson, Chief Financial Officer, Virginia Commonwealth University
Brad Molotsky, Vice President and General Counsel, Brandywine

January 31: Morning Plenary
Virginia’s Biomass Infrastructure: A Panel Discussion
Confirmed Speakers include:

Cassandra Stish, Buckingham County Supervisor, 5th District
John Ignosh, CEM, Biological Systems Engineering, Virginia Cooperative Extension, VA Tech
Allan Brockenbrough, P.E., Office of Water Permit Programs, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
Tony Banks, Commodity Marketing Specialist, Virginia Farm Bureau
David W. Richert, CF, CA, Resource Conservation and Development Forester, Virginia Department of Forestry
Susan Gaston, Principal, Gaston Consulting Group

January 31: Lunch Plenary
Sustainability and Economic Opportunity in the Commonwealth:
The 2015 World Road Cycling Championships Choose Richmond
Join Mayor of Richmond and the Championships’ organizers to find out how they plan to make the event a sustainability showcase that highlights the city and the region. The Championships is cycling’s pinnacle event, held annually in an international city as chosen by the Union Cycliste Internationale through a competitive bidding process. This nine-day event, to be held September 19–27, 2015, will bring 1,500 athletes, almost half a million spectators, and millions more via electronic media to Richmond.
January 31: University Student Sessions

“Examples of Student Engagement on College Campuses”
“Leading Edge Sustainable Research & Development Projects”

Track Sessions
Visit the conference website for updates on track sessions focused on the State and Local Government, Commercial Real Estate, Healthcare, Higher Education, K–12 Schools, and Manufacturing sectors. Speakers will present on business and sustainability from the management viewpoint, the economic development and job creation perspective, and the building and operations viewpoint.
Awards Banquet
Deadline for submission of award nominations is December 20, 2012.
Don’t miss the January 30 Awards Banquet to recognize Virginia companies and the public sector for their successes in energy and sustainability. The leaders of the conference’s Participating Organizations will help us choose award recipients in each of the vertical market tracks. Don’t miss this chance to be recognized for your sustainability achievements —send in your nomination today!
Just Added! GBCI Continuing Education Credits will be available.

Find out about sponsoring and exhibiting at Virginia’s first business and sustainability conference at www.vsbn.org/vcu-esc2013/.

VCU STEERING COMMITTEE

Van Wood, Ph.D., VCU School of Business
Mike Eisenman, VCU School of Business
Scott Rash, VCU School of Engineering
Cliff Fox, Ph.D., J.D., VCU Life Sciences
Robert Taylor, VCU School of Business
Ed Bennett, P.E., LEED AP, VCU Facilities
Jacek Ghosh, LEED AP, VCU Sustainability”

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Sustainable Christmas Trees

Thursday, December 6th, 2012

Trying to be Green this Holiday Season can be easier than you think.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas around these parts. It actually has been looking that way since the day after Halloween! Seriously, bats and skeletons hadn”t quite been put away yet, and the tinsel and tree toppers have already hopped out and were ready to be on display. It seems to happen earlier and earlier every year, and this “magical time of year” when the spirit of giving over takes us starts to sort of run rampant. It sneaks up on you, really.

All of this “stuff” that people seem to think that they need to be prepared for the holidays. I can only imagine that some people’s attic and basement crawl spaces look like an armory dedicated to the battle of the Seasons. Plastic this, PVC that and who-knows what the other thing is! Well, I don’t have to imagine, because I have to crawl around in them on a regular basis to check out houses. I know your holiday “dirty little secrets!” Don’t worry though… I won’t tell anyone.

So, how is it that we have come to acquire all of these things, and how can we have a little bit more of a sustainable holiday Season? Maybe we could start by planting a tree instead of harvesting one or having that off-gassing thing that is supposed to look -uhm- real? EarthEasy.com mentioned that “although plastic Christmas trees are reusable from year to year, real trees are the more sustainable choice. Plastic trees are made of petroleum products (PVC), and use up resources in both the manufacture and shipping. While artificial trees theoretically last forever, research shows that they are typically discarded when repeated use makes them less attractive. Discarded artificial trees are then sent to landfills, where their plastic content makes them last forever.” This may seem obvious, but there are now so many choices for the fake trees that look real that people flock to them in droves!

You do have options for a more sustainable Christmas tree:

  • Go with a live tree. Yes, they are more expensive, but you can have memories and a “green screen” for years to come.
  • Plant and re-pot a tree that represents a ole tenenbaum. You can get a rosemary plant that is in the shape of a Christmas tree and use it as your ornamental tree. Then you can have fresh herbs all year, too!
  • If you end up getting a live-cut tree, try getting one that has been sustainably grown, and locally! In Northern Virginia, you can mulch your tree at the end of the year if it has not been flocked, so you can still do your part.
  • Find an awesome fallen branch and make it your “rustic tree” with only your favorite ornaments. This is a cool way to have a pinterest inspired Christmas that is sustainable, beautiful and just a little bit different!

EarthEasy.com had some great points about Christmas trees and the accoutrements for a more sustainable holiday season. What do you do for a more sustainable holiday? Share with us!

 

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Bats vs. Nosferatu

Wednesday, October 31st, 2012

Would you rather spray chemicals all over yourself and your lawn or have a box that houses some bats? Let’s ask Nosferatu…

We have all seen Nosferatu, right? A super-creepy,  bulbous vampire-dude, pale as all get-out who sort of slithers from here to there. You know the one.. he is surrounded by flitting winged mammals??? Bats.  Bats are gross, blood sucking creatures who shift in the night to haunt our every move and steal our women. Yeah? Did I nail it?

Kill over 1000 biting insects an hour

No. Bats are not entirely creepy. Yes, the are winged mammals, but did you know that these little creatures are part of our incredibly diverse ecosystem that help sustain life and do plentiful good things? These beneficial animals actually can eat up to 1000 mosquitoes in an hour; darting here and there and everywhere in the twilight sky, bats use their sonar to bounce off of bugs and consume mass quantities! Thanks little guys. Wouldn’t you rather have something else eat bugs than spray loads of chemical pesticides into the atmosphere?

The colony approach to living

In Northern Virginia alone, there are seventeen species of bats, two of which have only been documented one time a piece, but still, seventeen species of “little brown bats” or “big brown bats” or even “big eared bats” sounds pretty interesting to me! Another interesting thing about bats is that they are colony animals. They live together, sort of like a “den” or “pack” animal like a wolf. They don’t like to live alone- all upside down…

The bat problem

The gross part about the colony aspect of bat life, if you happen to get a colony of bats in your attic or barn, they can cause quite a problem- because their urine and feces can contain some properties that can be quite caustic and damaging to property. Did you know that bat guano used to be a major component of gun powder? On the more awesome and sustainable side of things, the nitrates in bat guano are awesome in the garden. Some of the better garden soils have high bat guano percentages. Speaking of the bat guano- never, ever touch it with your bare hands. Bats and their feces have been known to carry the fungus histoplasmosis which can cause health problems such as lung infections and more. On that note from histoplasmosis, please understand that this fungus grows where it is humid and warm on bird droppings, too- so by that rationale, bird droppings cause just as much damage. The thing to learn here- don’t huff on random animal feces dust. Got it? Bats have also been known vectors of rabies- just as gophers, squirrels or even the occasional angry river beaver; so, remember to never, ever touch a fallen bat or engage an injured animal- no matter how helpless it looks or even if it is dead, and if you are ever bitten, immediately seek medical treatment.

If you keep your safe distance from bats, you can have your very own natural pest control system. You can even build a little bat house, to keep them at that safe distance from you. Here is a link on how to build your very own bat house.  Just be keenly aware that bats are natures little bug-zappers that aren’t really supposed to tangle with humans. Nosferatu would probably agree.

 

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Concepts of Comfort in the Home

Thursday, October 18th, 2012

From your own ideas of what makes your house a home to what sells- comfort is key.

When you are going through the last five emails of the day at the office, what are you thinking about really? Driving home, pulling into the driveway, shutting the door behind you, kicking off your shoes and snuggling up to a clean, comfortable sofa? Are you like Goldilocks? You’re not too warm, not too cool, your juuuuust-right in the house, all safe and sound and ready to let the day that you had pass behind you?

Being comfortable in your home is a luxury that is seemingly such an intangible thing, because it is different to everyone. What makes you comfortable in your own home might be entirely different than the next person when it comes to the variances of fixtures and finishes, but when it comes to energy, and heating and cooling of a home, it is so “tweakable” that it becomes attainable.

In the home energy audit side of things, most of our clients tell us that the thing that the most want, aside from the cost savings of having a home that is energy efficient, is comfort. They typically say this, because there is a space in their home that is something Goldilocks would flip out in: the hot attic, the cold, damp basement. We want it to be juuuuust-right on the climate side of things, so with certain techniques, comfort can ultimately be achieved.

On your next drive home from work, after that long day of tediousness, remember that you, too can have your exact idea of comfort. When you get an audit, you can specify which rooms “treat you wrong” and then you can work from there to achieve the ultimate home of comfort- your perfect oasis.

 

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Penrose Brings Added Value

Thursday, April 26th, 2012

Columbia Pike Revitalization is doing its job.

In a recent discussion with Takis Karantanis, Director of the Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization, it is brought to light that the updates that have already occurred along the Pike have brought an increase to the value of the neighborhood behind the Pike.

If you had driven down Columbia Pike even three years ago, let alone fifteen years ago, a totally different street facade close to Barton Street would probably be what you recall. To take the stroll down the Pike now infront of what is now the new Penrose development gives a whole new face to what the Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization hopes to see down the entire 3.2 mile stretch of this great road with so much potential to be a pedestrian friendly, multi-modal community in South Arlington. Interestingly enough, Karantanis suggested that the Penrose neighborhood, that the new development is aptly named for has seen an increase in property values since the completion of the development project. People find the community more approachable and the amenities that the new grocery store and convenience of the vibrant restaurants and soon to be lush park squares give the area a new-found air of superiority to the areas of the Pike which are yet to see the revitalization.

With revitalization, always comes push-back, there are of course, some folks within a few of the fish-boning communities that offshoot from Columbia Pike whom are concerned that if the multi-modal revitalization gets too out of hand, that property taxes will rise and that some people, people who can afford to live in South Arlington now, may not be able to afford to live there later after the revitalization of the area is complete.  It is a double edged sword; however, there are over a dozen subsidized low-income multi-family developments along Columbia Pike that are also being developed in a sustainable fashion and are incorporated into the same multi-modal, form-based-code program that the rest of the revitalization projects are conforming to. Is this a double edged sword or a win-win situation?

If areas such as Penrose Square are seeing an increase in the desirability in the neighborhoods behind the newly revitalized Columbia Pike development, what will happen when the rest of the over three miles of proposed roadway is re-vamped to be the same gleaming building style with bits and pieces of the charm, character and charisma that is South Arlington? Can you say multi-modal boomtown?

 

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EPA’s New Guide for Protecting Health During Remodels

Thursday, February 23rd, 2012

Last week, the EPA Released an New Guide for Protecting Health During Home Energy Upgrades

Haven’t you heard the great news?! The EPA has just released an online guide book for Healthy Indoor Environment Protocols for Home Energy Upgrades! This is fantastic news because this means that the general public has access to this information when they are going to do remodeling jobs and therefore as a homeowner or someone who probably lives inside of one of these “Indoor Environments” can take advantage of the knowledge. The 48 page online guide books will run the reader through the scope of how to deal with contaminants that they might raise up in their home as they try to make their home more energy efficient or “green” on their own. The book has a very details yet limited scope, I know, totally vague, about things like asbestos, carbon monoxide, even pests- yeah, in that order. It is pretty interesting, actually! The EPA even delves into the systems of the house and safety issues. It is set up in a very user friendly- almost childlike way. Super simple and a great bit of information. Get spoon fed the information that will keep you safe in your home with this EPA document.

The EPA says that this book is the first book of its kind and it can be used to:

•    Identify, manage and reduce indoor air quality-related health risks during home energy upgrades, retrofits or remodeling.
•    Improve the quality of work performed across the energy efficiency industry.
•    Promote occupant health and safety.
On the recent release of the valuable tool to the online following, the EPA stated that “The Protocols were developed by EPA in collaboration with leading scientists, the building industry and federal partners. With your help, the EPA guidelines can improve quality of life for families and ensure homes across the country meet both the energy and health needs of future generations.”

Don’t forget that if you’re looking to do Indoor Air Plus on new construction, this is something very similar to this guide book that we can actually help you out with! To get your copy of the EPA’s online guide for Healthy Indoor Environment Protocols for Home Energy Upgrades simply click on that link, and you can check it out!

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A Wrap up on REC’s

Friday, January 27th, 2012

A follow up on the Dominion Green Power’s REC program through a great dialogue with 3Degrees Management Partner.

So, we’ve filled you in on the chat that was held at the Green Drinks forum in the last post, and that sponsored a wonderful open dialogue with the contractors from 3Degrees, the company who help Dominion get the word out there about the Green Power program. Here are some of the details that weren’t necessarily mentioned in the last post, mostly because they weren’t common knowledge as shared by 3Degrees:

  • The Dominion Green Power program started in January of 2009 and is one of more than 160 programs around the country run by utilities known as Green Pricing Programs.  More information on the voluntary green pricing programs and market can be found in the attached document by NREL.
  • Dominion Green Power’s of $0.013/kWh is among the most affordable among green pricing programs, where the average was $0.017 (based on the latest data).
  • While we are working on including more Virginia based renewable facilities in the product mix, and have increased the amount of Virginia based renewables every year since 2010, there remains a continued need to include RECs from outside of Virginia as well to meet demand.  It is important to note that we only source RECs from the PJM and SERC territories.  Facilities within these regions deliver green electrons to the power pool that serves Virginia and power our homes, laptops, etc.
  • The Dominion Green Power program delivers only Green-e certified RECs from new renewable facilities (began commercial operation on or after January 1, 1997).  Green-e is the nation’s leading independent consumer protection program for the sale of renewable energy and greenhouse gas reductions in the retail market. Green-e offers certification and verification of renewable energy and greenhouse gas mitigation products.  www.green-e.org.renewable.
  • Every customer that participates in the Dominion Green Power program and other utility pricing programs across the country sends a powerful message to the market that there is strong support for renewable energy.

See? We’re open to chatting about all sorts of things. Have a comment? Concern? Question? Totally join in the discussion! The GreenGobbler is here to share knowledge and spur conversation about all things involving sustainability.

 

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Dominion Green Power- RECs in Virginia

Thursday, January 26th, 2012

Learning more about Dominion Power’s Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) program put somethings in perspective.

Last Thursday at the Green Drinks Arlington gathering over at Buzz Bakery in Ballston, the Green Drinks crew offered some kitschy advice: come get enlightened and maybe catch a buzz. Yeah. Hardy har har. These ladies are funny. Buzz Bakery is a local chain known for their coffee, sweets and sustainability through the use of the Arcadia farm, which we’ll talk about again soon, but the enlightening part, yes, another pun, was the chat with a representative of 3 Degrees, Inc., the contractors who work for Dominion Power to work community outreach regarding the green energy program called Dominion Green Power.

Enlightening, indeed. The representative started out the evening by defining what renewable energy certificates are= a “REC is like a receipt for the environmental benefit created when renewable energy is produced. Technically speaking, it is a guarantee that one megawatt-hour of renewable energy was produced and delivered to the regional power pool.” So, that is a REC. It’s like an IOU of sorts for the green power that will be delivered.  Well put.  So, with that explanation of what Dominion’s Green Power plan was actually doing, the selling of RECs, not necessarily sending “green ions” and the true “green energy” to your home, but instead allowing the participants of the Green Power program to buy RECs which would inturn “offset” the environmental impact of all other energy sources, in essence. This is where things got dicey.

She may have then felt a bit ganged up on, as many of the 20 folks in the gathering leaned in closer with their Buzz coffees and special green drinks to hear more about what Dominion was actually buying the RECs in. Biomass? Hmmmm. Is this the burning of excess lumber? Yikes. This is no bueno. Solar and Wind energy that is coming from Mississippi and Tennessee? Uh, that is silly. Why isn’t their anything sourced locally to give back to the local economy. Well, apparently there will be soon, but “local economy” is more like the South Carolina and West Virginia local economy markets. Next came the point that made the folks attending the gathering at Buzz really buzzzzz. Buzz. Buzz. The cost of buying the RECs is at at premium; instead of having a 1 to 1 cost for helping to “over time create environmental benefits” you would have to pay an additional 1.3 cents per kilowatt-hour over and above what your neighbor who isn’t participating in the program would pay. Another fine print item is that the rates will change; Dominion expects the REC rates to stay the same through 2012, but they may change, so your bill could go haywire. All this to do good? Yikes.  This means, that you’re buying at a premium, renewable energy certificates from non-local energy sources that aren’t actually even coming directly to you. They say that you will be getting “a blend of renewable resources which is most likely to include wind, biomass, and biogas, but may also include solar, low-impact hydro and geothermal energy.” But you won’t know until you get your REC on your bill which will be written as a separate line item, apparently.

On the brighter side of this energy conundrum was the visual:

The image of the typical home using the 100% block of RECs option is equivalent to not driving a car on the highway for 18,649 miles or like planting 212 trees. Interesting. Apparently the EPA figured this little gem out. Some of the questions that couldn’t be answered because of authorization purposes: Why this wasn’t tax deductible to be a part of a program such as this?How come the program is so much more expensive than being a part of a regular non-environmentally friendly program? What are the other competitors in the industry?Why is all of the energy brought in from afar?

It sounds like a lovely idea- to have cleaner energy. But do you really want to pay the premium for energy that is coming in from everywhere but locally? That doesn’t sound nearly as sustainable as it should be. Clean currents is another company that offsets energy with RECs they are some of that competition that we couldn’t get them to chat about, but it is totally understandable.

It was an enlightening meeting and makes us all want to know more about cleaner energy options like solar power, wind energy and even that not so fun sounding biomass. What do you think? Join the discussion.

 

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New Energy for the New Year

Thursday, January 5th, 2012

Driving across the front range of the Rockies, you can see that Rocky Flats is the perfect place for a wind farm!

This winter in Northern Virginia has been pretty mild, so a quick trip out to the Central Colorado proved that 18inches of snow wasn’t really missed that much (really, it wasn’t missed at all!)… Something that was pretty hard to miss as we headed towards Boulder, the home of green living and many eco-minded folks and the National Wind Technology Center,  from the Denver suburbs was the patch of Wind Turbines in the foreground of the front rage of the Rockies as you approach Rocky Flats.

It almost feels like Don Quixote sneaking up on the great swordsmen, well, not so much sneaking in the chained tires of the vehicle we were in, as we turned the corner to see the tall spires with spinning wheels of the wind turbines. “What the heck is that?” Oh! It is a wind farm!  “No, it is a testing site called the Rocky Flats Test Site” spouts off the smarty-pants who is driving. Oh. Still…how cool is that?! Literally cool, since it was seriously like 10 degrees outside and you could see the wind picking up the sparkling powdered snow and swishing it across the plains and dancing it playfully in front of the massive blades of the wind turbines of Rocky Flats.  The questions, much like the powdery, sparkling snow began to swirl:

When did these get here? Maybe around 1976-ish…

Who decided to put them up? The Federal Government.

Why aren’t there more of them? Because these are just being tested for the success and they are changed out when a ‘new and improved prototype is established.

Why don’t we see more wind energy being harvested? This answer didn’t come from the smarty-pants who was driving us to Boulder, but from Telos, a Wind Energy Advocate it probably could have been inferred from the conversation that we ended up having on our day-after Christmas Drive in Boulder…”In the United States, the federal government’s involvement in wind energy research and development began in earnest within two years after the so-called “Arab Oil Crisis” of 1973. Despite the speed with which it was initiated and began to show results, this program ultimately proved to be largely ineffective because of the interference of political factors and the withdrawal of financial support before success could be achieved.”

What’s the future of wind energy? Telos tells us that “in the near future, wind energy will be the most cost effective source of electrical power. In fact, a good case can be made for saying that it already has achieved this status. The actual life cycle cost of fossil fuels (from mining and extraction to transport to use technology to environmental impact to political costs and impacts, etc.) is not really known, but it is certainly far more than the current wholesale rates. The eventual depletion of these energy sources will entail rapid escalations in price which — averaged over the brief period of their use — will result in postponed actual costs that would be unacceptable by present standards. And this doesn’t even consider the environmental and political costs of fossil fuels use that are silently and not-so-silently mounting every day.” Interesting, indeed.

So many questions. Jeez… take your time, we’re on our way to Boulder, where things slow down a bit at a higher altitude.

 

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Vanishing Beauty- Flight of the Monarchs

Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

How water usage doesn’t just affect us; it is affecting the migration of the monarchs, too!

Simply put,  people think that I tend to not feign to be interested in the beauty of nature. Well, that simply put, just isn’t true. I may be a rough’n'tumble’-hold you to your word- not afraid to get dirty-construction site sort of person; however, I can see the beauty in all sorts of things. I can especially see the beauty in nature, and I can especially see the beauty in something that has the stamina and wherewithal to make a trip from Canada to Mexico year after year for the survival of the species. Monarchs. Yeah, we’re talking somewhat about butterflies today. Who knew?

So, I was cruising through Yahoo! Reader about to get ready to do some of my business admin work for a job we’re about to complete here in Arlington, VA and I saw this stunning photograph of several Monarch butterflies perched on a thistle, with a background of cerulean that nearly looked like the ocean. The photo was captivating, so I clicked it. Damn marketing doing its work, huh? Yeah. It is working.

The article in a nut shell: Monarchs are having difficulty getting from point A to point B because of the severe drought that our nation is going through and there might not be enough Milkthistle for the Monarchs to lay their eggs on once they are ready to do so, and this is the only plant they lay their eggs on. Plus, the vast wasteland that much of Texas has become because of the ravages of drought means no plants for nectar and water for these migrant butterflies to stop and re-fuel on this trans-continental voyage. Yikes. I mean, just a few months ago Bastrop and Spicewood, Texas were disaster areas with thousands of acres of wildfires devastating the corridor that these butterflies hike down. Now what does this mean for us? How does this drought affect us over here in Northern Virginia? So, we’re not butterflies going from Canada to Michoacan, are we? But, think about the milk ration signs you may be seeing at your local grocery store: ” Due to the water shortages in the mid-west we are on a Milk ration at this grocery store until further notice.We’re sorry for the inconvenience.” Hello, dust bowl.

This is scary stuff, people. Back to the Monarchs and their brave battle…the eye-catching article stated that:  “Monarch populations have faced significant declines over the last two decades, hit hard by a steep reduction in milkweed across North America, the only plant upon which the butterflies lay their eggs. Due to herbicide use and farming practices in the United States, milkweed has disappeared from some 140 million acres in the last 10 years, Taylor said.
It’s still not clear how well this year’s monarch population survived their journey south, he said, since it’s hard to assess how many butterflies survived, and how much fat they’ve stored ahead of winter.
‘It’s one step at a time,” Taylor said, “but what they did to get through Texas could have consequences all the way into early next summer.’ ”

As for the Monarchs, we’ll have to see how they survive. As for all of us, what can we do? Conserve water. Look for ways to decrease the water use in your everyday life. Look for ways to decrease water use in your house and business. If you’re building a new home, use low flow, or dual flush, go with flash hot water or on demand hot water to not sit and wait for hot water, use drought tolerant or xeriscaped/native landscaping… Shall I go on? If you are already in your home, retrofit your current fixtures if you are able and monitor your water intake. You can always take a shower instead of a bath- and for that, we thank you… Just think of the Monarchs.

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