Many of us hear that it simply is not possible to eat meat and
keep in line with sustainability. However, a new study out of Germany has found quite the contrary. Great read!

Check it out here.

photo by shiphome via flickr

Just approved by the city council, beginning June 1, San Diego city residents will have to abide by the following new water restrictions.

Lawn watering for Residents:

• Address ending in odd number – SUN, TUE, WED
• Address ending in even number – MON, WED, SAT

Lawn watering for businesses, condo’s, apartments:

• MON, WED, FRI

In addition, watering can only be performed for 10 minutes, and only between 6 p.m. and 10 a.m.

Vehicles may only be washed by hand between 6 p.m. and 10 a.m., and only with a hose equipped with an auto-shutoff sprayer.

Many agree however that this not a viable long term solution.  A true fix as we know is water efficiency and reducing our demand overall.  This includes installing more efficient toilets, shower heads, clothes washers, and faucet aerators.  If your’re not Bob Villa, we offer our WaterWise service to install shower heads and faucet aerators for you.  In less than an hour we can instantly make your home more water and energy efficient.

If you are looking to permanently reduce your outdoor watering demand, our WaterSmart landscaping takes all the guesswork out of creating the perfect drought-tolerant property.  How does saving 50% in water expenses your first year when compared to a traditional lawn sound?  What if we told you by year two your water savings would be 80% and by year 3, 90% on average?  Contact Us today for an estimate.

Drought Level 2

On Thursday, April 23rd, the San Diego Water Authority moved to a Level 2 drought alert.

Level 1, which we were previously under, asked for mostly voluntary reductions.  Now, under drought Level 2 an 8% mandatory reduction in water use must be met.   In addition, water rates will be increasing dramatically this summer.

Drought Level 2

• Limits outdoor watering to certain days and times.
• Mandates repair of all leaks within 72 hours.
• Bans water runoff from properties.
• Forces restaurants to serve water only on request.
• Directs construction companies to use recycled water when possible.
• Requires hotels to offer guests the option of not laundering towels daily.

Thought this was a great article on “Inland lawns are chief drain on water supply”:
http://www.ieua.org/conservation/docs/InlandlawnsInlandNews.pdf

Here’s something to get you thinking about your outdoor water usage:
1. As the state faces a water crisis, pleas for conservation are no longer focusing on low- flush toilets and low-flow showers, but on the outdoors where 60 percent to 80 percent of a home’s total water goes to keeping landscaping green.

2. A recent statewide survey found that just more than half of the residents polled had no idea how much water they sprinkle on their lawn and gardens. Of those who ventured a guess, 68 percent thought they use less than 50 gallons a day, when the statewide average is 185 gallons

What is your current water usage?  Or that of your apartment complex or housing development?

What steps will you take to conserve once mandates are put in place?  They’re coming to San Diego as early as July of this year.