Creating Emory University’s ‘Revolutionary’ WaterHub

Dana Vazquez grew up in Cleveland, Ohio near the Cuyahoga River more than thirty years after the polluted waterway caught fire in 1969 and sparked an environmental revolution that began with the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970.

Today, the Cuyahoga is much cleaner – it no longer “oozes rather than flows” with industrial waste and sewage, as it did nearly fifty years ago; however, like most urban waterways, it still has challenges.

Dana remembers that, when she was a child, the lifeguards would not let anyone swim in Lake Erie, downstream of the Cuyahoga, until the water had been tested. It wasn’t until she came to Emory University in Atlanta and took a class on environmental justice, however, that she learned the full story about her hometown river.

Now a junior, Dana says that she became interested in sustainability and business while in high school, which led to her major: Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on Corporate Sustainability and Ethics. That focus resulted in an internship with EarthShare of Georgia – an organization that connects people to trusted nonprofit organizations dedicated to conserving and protecting our air, land and water.

For many years, EarthShare of Georgia has organized Earth Day events in Atlanta that have inspired and engaged businesses, individuals and students to get involved in projects to protect our natural resources. As one of her first intern assignments last fall, Dana was charged with finding a new venue for Earth Day 2017: a place that would attract a “fresh and more diverse” audience of corporations, community members and students.

She didn’t have to look very far. The WaterHub, Emory’s “revolutionary” on-site water recycling system, is just a short walk from her dorm.

By Sally Bethea

As Dana learned more about the ecoengineering facility – the first system of its kind to be installed in the United States – and how it is reducing the university’s water footprint, she knew that she had found a perfect Earth Day venue. Created and managed by Sustainable Water, the WaterHub is capable of recycling up to 400,000 gallons per day for non-potable uses –nearly 40% of Emory’s total campus water needs.

On April 13, EarthShare of Georgia will host the 2017 Earth Day Water Symposium & Career Expo in partnership with Emory’s Career Center and Office of Sustainability Initiatives. Participants can choose to attend all day or select events of interest. Student discounts are available.

Dana is particularly excited about the Career Expo, which will be held at the Emory Student Center from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.; it will showcase volunteer, internship and employment opportunities with EarthShare of Georgia’s corporate sustainers and member groups. She is anxious for her colleagues at Emory and students from other universities to learn that positions in the nonprofit and government sectors can be just as “glamorous” as corporate jobs.

A Leadership Luncheon in Emory’s Cox Hall will feature keynote speaker, Nicholas Mallos, director of the Ocean Conservancy’s Trash Free Seas program. His presentation will be followed by facilitated table discussions and the annual awards program.

WaterHub tours will be offered to attendees from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., along with informal water industry presentations and small group discussions. A reception with a silent auction, music and networking will close the all-day event.

On Earth Day 1970, twenty million Americans took to the streets, parks and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment in massive coast-to-coast rallies and teachins. Support came from Republicans and Democrats, rich and poor – as groups that had been fighting against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, loss of wilderness and extinction of wildlife realized that they shared common values.

Today’s alarming proposals to eliminate or significantly reduce funding for federal and state environmental programs make it more important than ever for each of us to help save our planet: rally, demonstrate, learn, volunteer, celebrate, engage and support the organizations that are defending our air, land and water.

For more information about the 2017 Earth Day Symposium & Career Expo and to register, visit earthsharega.org.

Palm Sunday: April 9

Sanctuary Services | 8:45, 10:00, 11:15 am

Summit Services | 8:45, 11:15 am

Preaching: Dr. Richard Kannwischer

Maundy Thursday: April 13

Communion Service | 7:00 pm

Good Friday: April 14

Buckhead Community Service

Peachtree Presbyterian Sanctuary | 12:00 pm

Easter Egg Hunt: April 15

Chastain Park | 10:00 am–12:00 pm

Easter Services: April 15 & 16

Sat. Sanctuary Service | 5:00 pm

Sun. Sanctuary Services | 8:45, 10:00, 11:15 am

Summit Services | 8:45, 11:15 am

Preaching: Dr. Richard Kannwischer

*Nursery available for all services.

Sunday parking onsite & via bus from 7:30 am–1:00 pm.

Powers Ferry Square: 0.5 mile north of the church on the west side of Roswell Road between BB&T Bank & bartaco

Cates Center: 110 East Andrews Drive

Eco Briefs

MARTA is going green with an electric bus pilot program. The 40-foot Proterra Catalyst bus is on loan to MARTA as the authority explores cleaner transportation options. Currently, MARTA’s bus fleet is inclusive of both diesel, hybrid and compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles. The Catalyst holds up to 40 seated passengers and can travel more than three hours on a single charge. MARTA Operations has outfitted the test routes with periodic rapid charging stations. The Catalyst fully recharges in approximately 10 minutes.

The City of Atlanta received the 2017 Climate Leadership Award – Partnership Award Certificate from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its efforts to promote energy and water conservation through the Atlanta Better Buildings Challenge and the Climate Action Plan. The Certificate for Innovative Partnership recognizes organizations working collaboratively on leading edge climate initiatives. EPA also honored Dr. Jairo Garcia, Director of Climate Policies and Renewables in the Office of Resilience, with the Individual Leadership award.

The City of Atlanta continues to lead the country with 111 million square feet of building space committed to reducing energy and water usage through the Atlanta Better Buildings Challenge. UPS is the latest partner to join the challenge and has committed to reducing energy and water usage in more than one million square feet of commercial building space. The Atlanta Better Buildings Challenge has a goal to reduce energy and water consumption by at least 20 percent in participating buildings across Atlanta by the year 2020. To date, the City of Atlanta has already achieved its 20 percent water reduction goal, and has reduced its energy consumption portfolio by 17 percent.

The Piedmont Park Conservancy’s 21st Annual Landmark Luncheon will be held April 27 at 11 a.m. The event will feature a panel presentation from key individuals in the art and entertainment industry, including: Virginia Hepner, the President and CEO of the Woodruff Arts Center; Lee Thomas, Deputy Commissioner Film, Music & Digital Entertainment for the State of Georgia; and Christopher Hicks, Director of The Mayor’s Office of Film and Entertainment. The Conservancy will honor two outstanding individuals. Jim Kennedy, Chairman of Cox Enterprises, Inc., will be presented with the Green Giant award for his commitment to environmental sustainability through the company’s Cox Conserves program and his longtime dedication to Piedmont Park. Virginia Hepner, also a panelist, will receive the Legacy Award in recognition for her tremendous impact on the art community and City of Atlanta. Individual tickets are available for $150 per person and may be purchased at piedmontpark.org. All proceeds from Landmark Luncheon support the Conservancy’s efforts to maintain and enhance Piedmont Park.

Atlanta Audubon Society is launching Lights Out Atlanta this spring to help reduce bird deaths caused by building collisions. Each year, an estimated 350 million to 1 billion birds die in the United States after colliding with buildings. The problem is particularly bad during spring and fall migration. Lights Out Atlanta is a voluntary program encouraging building owners and residential homeowners to turn off or reduce lighting from midnight to dawn during the peak bird migration periods. Participants pledge to reduce non-essential lighting during peak migration periods of March 15 to May 31 (spring) and Aug. 15 to Nov. 15 (fall). The pledge is available on the Atlanta Audubon website at AtlantaAudubon.org/lightsoutatlanta.

Join world-renowned Rabbi Bradley Artson and the Ahavath Achim Synagogue for a weekend of exploration, discussion, and education.

Register now for Friday evening’s dinner and discussion to explore the divine – in reason, science, and Jewish sources – to uncover the God you already know and actually love.

Friday, April 21

Services: 6:30 pm | Dinner and Discussion: 7:30 pm

Register at http://bit.ly/2nRrybY

Ahavath Achim Synagogue 600 Peachtree Battle Ave NW Atlanta, GA 30327

*On Sunday morning at 9:00 am, join Ahavath Achim and the Jewish Abilities Alliance in a conversation with Rabbi Artson about his son, Jacob’s, journey and struggle with severe autism and his efforts to live a life of meaning and joy. For any questions regarding the weekend’s events, please call us at 404.603.5741.

Live Thrive Atlanta, a local non-profit raising awareness for hard to recycle materials, will host A CHaRM’ing Evening at Venkman’s on April 27. Enjoy a night alongside host Lois Reitzes of WABE and a chance to win a BMWi3 in a raffle sponsored by Global Imports BMW. Ticket price gets guests two drink tickets, complimentary appetizers and music from Yacht Rock Review. All of the proceeds from the ticket sales and raffle to Live Thrive Atlanta and the ChaRM recycling center. The event kicks off at 6:30 p.m. at Venkman’s, 740 Ralph McGill Blvd. Tickets are available at livethrive.org.

EcoAddenum will host a program called Discovering Atlanta’s Original Forest on April 25 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Emory University Math and Science Center Auditorium. The evening will feature Joan Maloof (pictured left), forest ecology author and founder of the Old Growth Forest Network. There will also be a panel discussion moderated by Maria Saporta. For more information, visit ecoaddendum.org.

Tickets are available now for the annual Rockin’ at the River hosted by the Chattahoochee Nature Center on May 13. Gardening expert Walter Reeves is this year’s honorary chair. For more information, visit chattnaturecenter.org/ratr/