Be a Green Business Partner

Mary Campbell, 
Extension Director

Becoming a more environmentally- friendly business is a choice that can reap big rewards. Green Business practices can help save money, attract customers, enhance your reputation and help make a business more efficient. A company policy of environmental stewardship or mission that includes sustainable practices will help create the vision. There are three main areas where a business can become more green and sustainable:

• Improve energy efficiency and water conservation
• Changes in work practices 
• Recycling and waste reduction

Improve Energy Efficiency and Water conservation
There are simple ways to conserve energy and water plus save money at the same time. Implement staff guidelines for turning off computers, peripherals, as well as office and meeting room lights. Water conservation in outdoor landscapes can save thousands of gallons of water each year (see Florida Yards and Neighborhoods ).

Changes in Work Practices
To become a green business, employees need to be a part of the practice changes that will make it successful. Creating a green committee that promotes these new practices will be a good start, as well as educational programs for staff. Discussing green purchasing practices, recycling, energy conservation, double- sided copying, reduction of paper use through electronic sharing and other practices will get the team started. Start small and build on these practice changes gradually until they become habits. Develop a staff pledge program and rewards around the new practices.

Recycling and Waste Reduction
Reducing waste in an office can make a positive impact on the bottom line. Get a waste assessment to determine strategies and options from Pinellas County Utilities Solid Waste.

Develop an Action Plan

1. Evaluate environmental programs that fit well with your vision and mission. 
2. Communicate your environmental initiatives to customers and staff. 
3. Report successes and get feedback.

Join Pinellas County Green Business Partnership

Seminole Discussion Group on Recycling & Sustainability

Starting the New Year off right with two wonderful guest speakers.

Attend a fascinating meeting
Monday, January 7, 2013
10:00 am to noon

Seminole Community Library Program Room 
9200 113th St. N
Seminole, Florida 33722

PowerPoint presentations on

• Water Reuse
  Speaker: Joy Ingram, M.A., Global Sustainability
• Green Home Certification Program
  Speaker: Joe Triolo, Progress Energy

Bring your questions. Bring your neighbors.

For information and to RSVP, contact Mary, queenofrecycle@hotmail.com.

What’s Happening in Your Watershed?

Lara Miller, Natural Resource Agent  
Michael Barr, Brooker Creek Preserve Intern  

The Tri-County Water School will be held at Brooker Creek Preserve on September 11-12, 2012. This program is designed to educate community leaders, natural resource managers, and decision makers about critical water issues facing Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough Counties. The goal is to encourage improved public policy decision relative to water issues in the counties and throughout Florida. Registration information can be found at www.tricountywaterschool.eventbrite.com.

Florida’s rapidly growing population and vulnerability to changes in water quality and quantity make it essential to understand and address the current issues and future concerns facing our region. Water resources affect not only the availability of clean drinking water, but also agriculture, fisheries, aquatic life, recreation, and the tourism industry. Water is a vital resource in need of protection for the health of Florida’s citizens and economy.

Many complex factors have an impact on the Florida’s water resources. One such factor is the amount of pollution in a watershed. All the land on Earth is divided into watersheds that feed into rivers, springs, lakes, wetlands, estuaries, coastal zones, and aquifers from which a vast majority of Floridians get their drinking water. Contamination occurs as rainfall and storm water runoff flows through agricultural, urbanized and other developed areas, picking up chemicals, bacteria, and other pollutants before draining into a body of water. Improved understanding of watersheds and other factors impacting water quality and quantity is necessary for resolving water resource issues and developing sustainability strategies.

Stay up to date on news and information affecting our environment by following your Pinellas County Natural Resource Extension Agent on Twitter.

Dishwasher vs. Washing By Hand

Pinellas Energy Efficiency Project

Did you know...?

• Washing dishes with a dishwasher is more efficient than washing them by hand, and an ENERGY STAR qualified dishwasher is even more efficient.
• Compared with washing dishes by hand, you can save 5,000 gallons of water, $40 in utility costs, and 230 hours of your time annually by using an ENERGY STAR qualified dishwasher.

You can see the lifetime saving of an ENERGY STAR qualified dishwasher by using the calculation tool at the ENERGY STAR website .

Click here to download the Florida Energy Systems Consortium fact sheet (pdf).

At Pinellas County Extension – registration made easy

Rain barrels, cooking classes, financial plans, 4-H … Pinellas County Extension has always addressed a variety of issues to help residents improve their quality of life. As an outreach of the University of Florida, the educational programs are geared toward making the most of resources, from money management skills to programs that teach energy efficient practices.

To make it easier for residents to participate in the variety of classes and program, Extension agents are introducing a citizen-friendly process to facilitate advance registration for programs. The new format will make it easy to sign up for any of the special events.

Visitors to pinellascounty.org will notice a process that is simple to follow, with readily available information and a fun new look.

“We are very excited about this new registration because it is so easy and fun for people to use,” said Mary Campbell, director of Pinellas County Extension. “We hope it will translate into more of our citizens taking advantage of our services.”

The new registration site will come online on Monday, Aug. 1, for all of the Extension classes that require registration, including those held at the Extension office in Largo, Brooker Creek Preserve in Tarpon Springs and Weedon Island Preserve in St. Petersburg. Online visitors will be easily directed to the registration page. Payment for classes with fees can be made using a credit or debit card (no cash or checks).

Pinellas County Extension is a partnership between Pinellas County government and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) as part of a nationwide network of land grant universities. The University of Florida is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

The mission of Pinellas County Extension is to provide research-based knowledge and education programs enabling people to make practical decisions to improve their quality of life and the world around them. Education focuses on sustainable living, lawn and garden, families and consumers, and 4-H youth development.

Pinellas County Extension offers programming at the Extension office, 12520 Ulmerton Road, Largo, (727) 582-2100,www.pinellascountyextension.org; Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center, 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs, (727) 453-6800, www.brookercreekpreserve.org and Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center, 1800 Weedon Drive N.E., St. Petersburg, (727) 453-6500, www.weedonislandpreserve.org.

Pinellas County complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you are a person with a disability who needs any accommodation in order to participate, you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. At least seven days prior to the event, contact the Office of Human Rights, 400 S. Fort Harrison Ave., Suite 500, Clearwater, FL 33756, (727) 464-4062 (V/TDD).

Automatic Savings from Irrigation Devices

By: Greg Plantamura, Grant Worker

If your home uses an automatic irrigation system, these devices can help you save energy, water and money–and keep your yard looking greener.



Rain sensors, the simplest rain shut-off device, are designed to bypass a scheduled event from an automatic irrigation system timer after a specific amount of rainfall has occurred. They are small and inexpensive devices that are wired to the irrigation system timer. They can result in a 34% savings during normal/wet weather conditions and 15% savings during dry weather conditions.

Soil moisture controllers are designed to bypass a scheduled event from an automatic irrigation system timer if the soil water content is above a certain threshold, defined and set by the user. The sensor, buried within the turf grass or landscape root zone, checks the soil water content. Savings could provide a payback in one to two years and result in 69 to 92% savings during normal/wet weather.

ET (Weather-based) controllers schedule irrigation based on on-site weather data (Stand-Alone) or a signal from a local, publicly available weather station (Signal-Based). ET controllers work differently depending on the manufacturer but typically can be programmed with site-specific conditions such as soil type, plant type, sprinkler type, sun and shade, etc. Yearly signal fees may be required.

All of these devices can be set up to conform to day-of-week watering restrictions.

Resources:

Energy Efficient Irrigation Systems

Gray Water Reuse for Florida

By: Mary Campbell, Extension Director and Urban Sustainability Agent

As we try to reduce our carbon footprint water conservation can be an important factor. It takes a lot of energy to treat and move water through our community. The more water we use, the more energy that is used. If you have maximized your water conservation practices like fixing all leaks, filling your dishwasher before using and taking shorter showers; and if you have already installed low flow toilets, low flow shower heads, a water efficient washing machine and micro-irrigation, you may be wondering how you can reduce your water use even further.

Reusing gray water from showers, bath tubs, clothes washing, and some sinks for flushing toilets and irrigating non-edible portions of the landscape is a way to reduce the need for new sources of fresh water and reduce reliance on groundwater resources.

There are several requirements for gray water systems for flushing toilets in Florida. Distribution piping must be clearly identified as containing non-potable water by pipe color or with metal tags. Gray water must be filtered, disinfected, and dyed. Gray water storage reservoirs must be appropriately sized and must have a make-up potable water supply. Storage reservoirs must also have drains and overflow pipes which must be indirectly connected to the sanitary drainage system.

There are four main components of a gray water system for flushing toilets:

• Filter system
• Storage reservoir
• Disinfection unit
• Coloring dye injection unit

Prior to entering the gray water storage reservoir, gray water must be filtered using an approved media, sand, or diatomaceous earth filter . Gray water storage reservoirs must be constructed from durable, non-absorbent, and corrosive-resistant material. Storage reservoirs must be closed, gas-tight, and must have access openings that allow for inspection and cleaning. Storage reservoirs must be equipped with an overflow connection to a sanitary drainage system. Gray water used for flushing of toilets must be disinfected prior to use by an approved method using one or more disinfectants such as chlorine, iodine, or ozone (Florida Building Code, 2007).

While reusing gray water has the potential to substantially reduce the use of fresh water, there are several barriers which may impede the adoption of residential gray water reuse in Florida and elsewhere. These include:

• System cost
• Knowledge and experience of contractors and local officials
• Sufficient and consistent codes and guidelines
• Homeowner acceptance
• Limited permitted uses

It is likely that policy makers will be more receptive to expanding gray water reuse in the future as pressures increase on finite fresh water resources.

Resourced:
UF EDIS Gray Water reuse in Florida
What is Gray Water Reuse?

District Asks Homeowners to "Skip a Week" of Irrigation this Winter

The Southwest Florida Water Management District recently launched a new campaign to encourage residents who irrigate their lawns to "Skip a Week" of watering during the cooler months of December, January and February.

According to research by the University of Florida, grass doesn't need to be watered as often during the cooler months. In fact, one-half to three-quarters of an inch of water every 10–14 days is sufficient.

“Over-watering in the winter can encourage pests and disease in your lawn," said Sylvia Durell, Florida-friendly landscaping project manager. Skipping a week of watering is as easy as “off” for residents with irrigation timers. “Turn the timer to ‘off’ for the week that you want to skip, and ‘on’ for the week that you want to water,” said Durell.

Homeowners can determine when their grass needs water when:

• Grass blades are folded in half lengthwise on 30 percent of the lawn
• Grass blades are blue-gray
• Footprints remain on the lawn for several minutes after walking on it

Skipping a week of irrigation will help conserve drinking water supplies. Following the “Skip a Week” plan saves water that the public needs for other critical uses during the dry season.

In addition to entering the dry season, the region is experiencing the effects of a four-year drought. All 16 counties within the District are under one-day-per-week lawn watering restrictions through the end of February.

For more water conservation tips, information about the drought and the current water restrictions, please visit the District's web site at WaterMatters.org/skipaweek.

Easy Ways to Conserve Water

Mary Campbell, Pinellas County Extension Director, Urban Sustainability Agent

Here is a quiz. On average, how many gallons of water per day does one person use? Take a guess. If you guessed about 50 gallons/day you are wrong. Ok, I will stop fooling around; the answer is about 100 gallons.

Have you looked at your water bill lately to see how much you use? I was shocked to see that I was using considerably more than the 100 gallons per day per person in my home. I started to try and figure out what was going on, which led me to a leak in an outside line in the garden that was losing about 10,000 gallons per month.

It was not easy to find, so don’t give up if you think you have a leak. Turn everything off in the house and go outside to the meter and see if the little leak detector is spinning. If it is – start hunting. Leaks are a huge water waster and you are paying for that water.

In one year, a faucet that drips at the rate of one drop per second translates into 2,700 gallons of water down the drain. Do-it-yourselfers can remedy the problem by replacing worn washers or the entire faucet; if you're not up to the job, call in a qualified professional.

Toilets are the biggest water hog, accounting for 28 percent of all home water use. Consider replacing an older model with a more efficient, low-flow one that uses just 1 to 2 gallons per flush, or consider upgrading to a pressure-assisted, vacuum-assisted, or dual-flush model. Low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators are two additional water-wise bathroom must-haves that will further cut water use by hundreds of gallons per month.

Here's a water-wasting habit that's easy to break: letting the water run while brushing teeth, washing hands, or shaving. See for yourself how much water you'll save by putting the stopper in the sink and leaving the water running. Fills up pretty fast, doesn't it? Simply by turning off the water when you're not actually using it, you'll save gallons per minute.

Watering our landscapes is another area that we need to be very careful even if you are using a well. Our groundwater resources are also important. To learn more about conserving water in the landscape: http://pinellas.ifas.ufl.edu/fyn/index.shtml

Water is an important resource that we need to conserve. Only three percent of the planets water is fit to drink – so let’s not waste what we have!

Pinellas County Utilities Water Conservation: http://www.pinellascounty.org/utilities/conserve-altwater.htm

Vigilance Needed to Help Our Water Resources Recover

By Neil Combee
Governing Board Chair
Southwest Florida Water Management District

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's 16-county region has weathered more than two and a half years of drought. And, unfortunately, there are no guarantees that this summer's rainy season will finally put an end to this long dry spell.

That's why the Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board voted unanimously to continue the one-day-per-week water restrictions through Sept. 30, which traditionally signals the end of our summer rainy season.

You may be wondering why the Governing Board would extend the water restrictions when it's raining almost every afternoon and most lawn and landscapes are beginning to look lush and green again. The Governing Board chose to extend the restrictions because although the recent rainfall has been beneficial, we have not seen nearly enough improvements in our water resources to lift the restrictions.

For the 24-month period of June 2006 through May 2008, the District accumulated a 17.2-inch rainfall deficit that we still need to make up. As a result of this lack of rainfall, our lakes, rivers and aquifer levels are far below where they should be. Some lakes in the District are as much as five feet below the bottom of their normal levels.

The summer rainy season, which normally runs from June through September, is when we rely on Mother Nature to provide 60 percent of our rainfall for the entire year. But because of our rainfall deficit and our below-normal water resources, we need above-average rainfall throughout the entire summer for our water resources to have a chance to recover.

In addition to extending the water restrictions, the Governing Board is also asking for your assistance to help our water resources recover this summer by continuing to conserve water. The Board is asking residents to limit their lawn watering as much as possible during the summer rainy season. Now is the time to turn off your irrigation systems and let Mother Nature do the work for you.

Continuing to water your lawn during the rainy season can actually be detrimental. Overwatered grass has short roots that make it harder to survive pest attacks, disease and drought.

The Governing Board recognizes and appreciates everyone’s conservation efforts during this drought, but we must all continue to be vigilant by using our water resources as efficiently as possible. We can't afford to waste this precious, limited resource. If we all work together to conserve, our water resources may finally have a chance to recover this summer

For more information and free materials about water restrictions, the drought and how you can conserve water both outdoors and indoors, I encourage you to visit the District's web site at www.WaterMatters.org/drought.

Saving Water in the Home

By Mary Campbell,
Pinellas County Extension Director, Urban Sustainability


Making a commitment to change future practices is an important step to sustainable living. If you make a commitment to a new practice you are much more likely to follow through and make that practice part of your daily habits. Many practices are not difficult, we just have to remember.
Less than 1% of the water supply on earth can be used as drinking water or is readily accessible water in lakes, streams, rivers (97% is in the oceans and 2% in the ice caps). The water cycle is continuous, so we could be drinking the same water that dinosaurs drank. Preserving our water resources is extremely important. Our daily use of water becomes a habit that may be hard to change. With small changes, thousands of gallons of water per person can be saved each year, which also reduces your carbon footprint since it requires energy to purify and pump the water to your home.
Faucets are responsible for 16% of the water use in our homes. The top three household water uses are the toilet, clothes washer and shower. Fixing leaks is very important to conserve water. To determine if you may have a leak, turn off all the water in your home and record the current reading on your water meter. Wait 30 minutes and read it again. If it has changed (remember – all water off) then you have a leak.
Find new ways to conserve water like: low volume toilets and shower heads and fill the dishwasher or washing machine before using. Flush less — remember the toilet is not a wastebasket. Take shorter showers — 5 minutes or less. Never put water down the drain when there may be another use for it, such as watering a plant or cleaning.



Take the Check Your Green Commitment Pledge at: http://origpledge.awardspace.com/



Resources:
Pinellas County Utilities http://www.pinellascounty.org/utilities/conserve-altwater.htm

Save Water Indoors - http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/conservation/indoors/