http://growingourcommunity.com Advocating sustainability through community involvment Mon, 31 Jan 2011 19:53:54 -0800 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 http://growingourcommunity.com/sustainable-living/2010/04/flushing-money-down-the-toilet/#comment-47 Jackie Mon, 31 Jan 2011 19:53:54 +0000 http://growingourcommunity.com/?p=36#comment-47 As to the low flow toilet program, I think it's a great idea. It would be even better though if people would reap the financial benefits personally. Without water metering, the benefits will be for the community as a whole. This means that people will be less motivated to purchase a low flow tank than if they would personally be rewarded with lower water bills. Since I moved to Maple Ridge 4 years ago, I have asked City Council several times when we're going to get metering, because I believe that the best way to motivate people to change their behaviour is through financially rewarding those that do the right thing, while not letting those that don't change their behaviour profit from the savings. Not sure where we're at now. Some interesting info can be found in the following info from the District of MR: http://www.sgog.bc.ca/uplo/mr2wateruse.pdf. In the conclusion, it says that through water metering, reductions in water use of up to 30% can be achieved. Also, the development of land development guidelines (resulting in better absorption of water in the soil), as well as influencing the behaviour of lawn irrigation, and encouraging higher density development will all result in lower water usage. As to the low flow toilet program, I think it’s a great idea. It would be even better though if people would reap the financial benefits personally. Without water metering, the benefits will be for the community as a whole. This means that people will be less motivated to purchase a low flow tank than if they would personally be rewarded with lower water bills. Since I moved to Maple Ridge 4 years ago, I have asked City Council several times when we’re going to get metering, because I believe that the best way to motivate people to change their behaviour is through financially rewarding those that do the right thing, while not letting those that don’t change their behaviour profit from the savings. Not sure where we’re at now. Some interesting info can be found in the following info from the District of MR: http://www.sgog.bc.ca/uplo/mr2wateruse.pdf. In the conclusion, it says that through water metering, reductions in water use of up to 30% can be achieved. Also, the development of land development guidelines (resulting in better absorption of water in the soil), as well as influencing the behaviour of lawn irrigation, and encouraging higher density development will all result in lower water usage.

]]> http://growingourcommunity.com/community-events/2010/10/2010-pumpkin-growing-contest-winner/#comment-21 Ilse Wed, 17 Nov 2010 21:44:33 +0000 http://growingourcommunity.com/?p=7#comment-21 Congrats Gramps! Your pumpkin was awesome! Congrats Gramps! Your pumpkin was awesome!

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