Spring Resource Conservation by 209 Multimedia Publications

Spring

Resource Conservation A publication of The Turlock Journal & Ceres Courier

Wednesday, March 30, 2022

C O N T E N T S Working together. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 3 In the kitchen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4 Outdoors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 5 Solar panel project. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 6 Doing your part to save . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 7 Living efficiently. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 8 On the road. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 9 Your part in recycling. . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 10 Carbon footprint. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 11 Owner/Publisher

Editor

Creative Design

Hank Vander Veen

Kristina Hacker

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Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Working together to conserve a vital resource Machine uses approximately 15 gallons of water per load of laundry, The City of Turlock has been a while a standard top-loading longtime advocate of water washing machine uses 40 gallons of conservation. As the area moves water per load. Using a Highinto another drought season, the Efficiency Washing Machine can City offers various tools and also bring energy savings as it uses resources to assist residents with less hot water and electricity to water conservation. operate. The City has many free services A standard-sized ENERGY STAR such as Home Water Survey Kits, certified dishwasher costs about $35 tools to report water waste and the per year to run and can save an Water Pledge, where residents can average 3,870 gallons of water over actively participate and commit to its lifetime. Dishwasher technology making reductions in and around has improved dramatically over the the home. last decade and new ENERGY Another conservation tool the STAR certified models include City offers are rebate programs. several innovations like soil sensors, The City of Turlock Municipal improved water filtration, more Services Department currently efficient jets and dish rack designs offers a new High-Efficiency Toilet, that reduce energy and water Clothes Washer and Dishwasher consumption and improve Rebate Program. Rebates for the performance. By reducing water purchase of high-efficiency toilets, consumption, ENERGY STAR clothes washers and dishwashers certified dishwashers also help will be available for up to $75 per protect our lakes, streams, and toilet and dishwasher, and $100 per oceans. clothes washer. These rebates can be Residents can apply for these combined with other rebates being rebates at: https://bit.ly/3NfU7eZ offered by other entities, including The City of Turlock wishes to TID and PG&E. remind its residents how vital water More than 20% of a customer’s conservation is to the community. It indoor water use is from toilets. A is never appropriate to waste a typical residential toilet uses 3 to 5 natural resource like water. By gallons of water per flush. A Highencouraging appreciation of the Efficiency Toilet utilizes 1.28 value of our water, and educating gallons of water per flush. consumers on efficient water use Replacing a high-water use toilet and conservation practices, the City with a new HET of 1.28 gpf can helps to ensure a sustainable water save about 38 gallons of water each supply both now and in the future. For more information on water day. Efficiency measures such as replacing water guzzling toilets with conservation tips or ideas, visit https://www.cityofturlock.org/ the latest in low-flush toilet watersewergarbageservice/ technology helps ensure the future waterconservation/ and click on water supply is adequate and helps water conservation tips, or contact maintain low water rates. the office at 209-668-5590. A High-Efficiency Washing B Y K RIS TIN A HA C K ER

CONSERVATION TIPS:

 Toilet leaks: Toilets are notorious for their silent leaks and can steal thousands of gallons of water. Put a few drops of food coloring to the tank. Do not flush. If the toilet is leaking, color will appear in the bowl within about 10 minutes. Check the toilet for worn out, corroded, or bent parts, especially the flapper valve. Most replacement parts are inexpensive, readily available and easily installed. (Flush immediately after completing test, since food coloring may stain the tank.)  Shorter showers: A typical shower lasts about 8 minutes and uses about 17 gallons. An efficient shower lasts 3 or 4 minutes and uses 7.5 gallons. Create a “shortest shower” contest for your family. (Wet down, soap up, rinse off; this will result in 50 percent less water usage for these activities)  Repair faucets: Small drips add up to 100-300 gallons a day. Consider the additional waste if you have more than one dripping faucet in your house. Repair dripping and leaking faucets immediately.  High-efficiency washing machine: Your clothes washer is the second largest water user in your home. Energy Star rated washers also have a Water Factor at or lower than 9.5, use 35-50% less water and 50% less energy per load. Switch to a high efficiency washing machine and save money on both your water and energy bills.  Use a commercial car wash: Use commercial car washes because they capture the used water and recycle it and send it to the water treatment facility.  Pool covers help avoid evaporation: Consider a pool cover when not in use to avoid evaporation. You’ll cut the loss of water by evaporation up to 90 percent. It also will keep your pool or spa cleaner and reduce the need to add chemicals.  Proper landscape design & irrigation: Select plants that are appropriate for our local climate conditions. Having a yard with 100% lawn turf area in our dry climate uses significant amounts of water. Consider Valley friendly water efficient plants and grasses. Xeriscape is an increasing trend in landscape design. Adjust your watering to take advantage of the less-thirsty plants. Avoid planting turf in areas that are difficult to irrigate properly such as steep inclines and isolated strips along sidewalks and driveways.  Water early or late in the day: To prevent water loss from evaporation, don’t water your lawn during the hottest part of the day or when it is windy. As much as 30% of water can be lost to evaporation by watering the lawn during midday. Avoid sprinklers that spray a fine mist, which increases evaporation.

Spring Resource Conservation

Chop Up Food Waste

very year, the world wastes about 1.4 billion — yes, billion with a B — tons of food.

The U.S. along tosses out 80 billion pounds of food, sustainable services provider RTS says. Food is the single largest component of U.S. landfills. You can stop that. Here’s how.

READ THE LABELS RTS says more than 80% of Americans discard consumable food because they don’t understand expiration labels. The labels that say sell by are not the same as use by or best by. Product dating is not required by federal regulations and the labels on the dates help consumers decide when the food is of best quality, not when it’s safe to

eat, the USDA says.

America is a land of plenty and we can get most foods whenever and now, with more delivery services since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, wherever we want them. This means that we’re more impulsive in our food purchases, tending to buy more than we’ll eat. We also fail to compost or otherwise effectively reuse the scraps of food we leave behind.

legislating food waste, introducing laws to make it more difficult to waste food. California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont restrict the amount of food waste in landfills. Pending legislation in California, Colorado and Massachusetts would fund composting and organic-waste collection programs. Maine and Rhode Island have introduced legislation to reduce food waste in schools, and the USDA and EPA have both pledged to reduce food waste by half by 2030.

CHANGING LAWS

WHAT YOU CAN DO

EMOTIONAL EATING — AND SHOPPING

Some states are actually

RTS has these hints for how to

cut down on your family’s food waste: • Freeze food that can’t be eaten immediately but may be used later. • Donate food to food pantries or take leftovers to friends or neighbors who might need it. • Plan your meals and be deliberate with grocery lists. • Don’t eschew ugly fruits and vegetables. They still taste the same, even if they have a blemish. • Think when you eat out and choose to take leftovers home or split a dish with someone else. Rethink all-you-can-eat buffets, which prompt people to take more food than they could eat.

Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Landscaping to Save Water

he average American family uses 320 gallons of water every day, the Environmental Protection Agency says, and about 30% of that goes to outdoor uses.

Landscape irrigation accounts for nearly 9 billion gallons of fresh water every day. You can save some of this fresh, clean water for drinking by choosing landscaping that sips rather than sucks down water.

GO NATIVE Choose plants that are native to your region. They require less maintenance over all and very little in the way of water, especially after they’re established in your yard. They’re also more hardy and can improve your soil and create wildlife habitat. Ask the specialists at your local home and garden center about available native plants for use in your garden.

PLAN AND PLANT EARLY Plan your garden so that you’re planting in the spring, which keeps your plants out of the water-sucking summer heat. You can also add compost and mulch to keep the plant’s roots nice and wet. Leave space around the base of each plant and resist the urge to mound mulch around plants and trees. You also want to plan to use any sprinklers or other irrigation earlier in the day, before the heat of the day evaporates the

water for your plants. Drip irrigation systems can also use less water than traditional sprinklers, the American Society of Landscape Architects says, up to 20-50% less. You may also want to consider adding things to your soil that will enable it to better absorb water and encourage deeper roots.

REUSE, RECYCLE EVEN YOUR WATER Use graywater or captured rainwater instead of water from your local municipality. Look for irrigation systems that run off your home’s used water systems — keeping that water out of sewers — or rainwater caught in tanks.

CUT DOWN ON THE LAWN Consider replacing that thirsty grass with other groundcovers that are drought-resistant or native plantings, cover less area, and may even require little or no mowing. That’ll cut down on your carbon emissions, too, and give you more time in your weekend. When in doubt, give your water provider a call. Some utility services offer free or low-cost audits to run through your family’s water usage and suggest ways to cut it down.

Spring Resource Conservation

TID selected to pilot first-inthe-nation solar panel project BY ANGELINA MARTIN

Turlock Irrigation District will break ground this fall on a pilot project that’s a first for the nation, building solar panels over a portion of its existing canals as part of a multifaceted partnership meant to create a more water resilient future. In collaboration with the Department of Water Resources, Solar AquaGrid and the University of California, Merced, TID will take part in Project Nexus — the first-ever solar panel over canal development in the United States. The project will assess reduction of water evaporation resulting from midday shade and wind mitigation; improvements to water quality through reduced vegetative growth; reduction in canal maintenance through reduced vegetative growth; and generation of renewable electricity. “In our 135-year history, we’ve always pursued innovative projects that benefit TID water and power customers,” TID Board President Michael Frantz said. “There will always be reasons to say ‘no’ to projects like this, but as the first public irrigation district in California, we aren’t afraid to chart a new path with pilot projects that have potential to meet our water and energy sustainability goals.” The inspiration for the project came from a UC Merced study published last March, which

illustrated that covering all of the approximately 4,000 miles of California canals could show a savings of 63 billion gallons of water annually, comparable to the amount needed to irrigate 50,000 acres of farmland or meet the residential water needs of more than 2 million people. According to the study, the 13 gigawatts of solar power the solar panels would generate each year would equal about one sixth of the state’s current installed capacity. “The Solar AquaGrid model provides a combined, integrated response to addressing our waterenergy nexus,” UC Merced Professor Roger Bales said. “It helps address California’s underlying vulnerabilities while meeting both state and federal level commitments to produce renewable energy, preserve natural lands, lower greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change.” The $20 million project is funded by the State of California and groundbreaking will take place this fall, with the project’s completion expected in 2024 at multiple locations throughout the TID service territory. The project will utilize alreadyexisting infrastructure, and energy storage will be installed to study how storage facilities can support the local electric grid when solar generation is suboptimal due to cloud cover. DWR will oversee administration of the project, will provide technical

Photo contributed

TID has been selected to pilot first-in-the-nation project involving solar panels over canals, called Project Nexus.

assistance, as well as serve as a research partner. “We are excited to explore new efforts to advance the integration of renewable energy into our water supply delivery system,” Karla Nemeth, Director of DWR, said. “The project offers great potential, and we look forward to collaborating with our local and academic partners to advance these types of multibenefit projects.” There are a total of three project sites planned along various sections of TID’s canal system, and in total, 8,500 feet of solar panels will be installed. The three sections are areas of various orientations and canal widths, ranging from 20 feet wide to 100 feet wide. TID has retained Bay Area development firm Solar AquaGrid as project developers and program managers for TID and Project Nexus. The two agencies have been collaborating since the project’s inception. Solar AquaGrid originated

the project after commissioning the UC Merced study in 2015 and has facilitated collaboration among the various parties to bring Project Nexus to fruition. “Research and common sense tell us that in an age of intensifying drought, it’s time to put a lid on evaporation,” said Jordan Harris, CEO of Solar AquaGrid. “We are excited to partner with Turlock Irrigation District, DWR and UC Merced to develop this first-in-thenation pilot project and bring needed innovation to the Central Valley. Our initial study revealed mounting solar panels over open canals can result in significant water, energy, and cost savings when compared to groundmounted solar systems, including added efficiency resulting from an exponential shading/cooling effect. Now is the chance to put that learning to the test.” For additional information about the project and project partners, visit www.tid.org/projectnexus.

Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Everyday Ways to Save Energy

mode after not being used for a certain amount of time.

aving energy at home can save you big on your utility bills and save our precious Earth, all at the same time.

GET A SMART THERMOSTAT

The good news is that many of these changes are easy to make and may even improve your life in other ways. Keep reading to learn more.

that keep out most of the sun’s heat while allowing natural light filter through to your space.

CHOOSE NATURAL LIGHT

It seems so simple — turn things off when you’re not using them — but we’ve all forgotten to turn off the TV or the computer before leaving. Set timers to make sure your electronics turn off when you’re not using them and get into the habit of turning off lights when you leave the room. Ask your computer to go into hibernate

Turn off the lamps and go with natural light. IGS Energy says that studies have shown that natural light can also boost serotonin levels in your brain, making you feel more happy and relaxed. Arrange your working and living spaces to take maximum advantage of any natural light. Choose curtains and blinds

HIT THE POWER BUTTON

Don’t be intimidated. Smart thermostats can save you a lot of energy and money, and many of them will even pay for themselves a couple times over in the long run. Some models can even learn your schedule with minimal input from you to automatically adjust for when you’re out or asleep.

CHECK YOUR INSULATION Have an expert come out to your home and check that your insulation is doing the best job that it can keeping out winter’s chill and summer’s heat. Improper insulation

means that your climate control systems are working harder to keep your family comfortable. Some utility services may offer this for free or very low cost, and there may even be rebates available to help your family home get properly insulated.

CUT BACK ON HOT WATER A lot of energy goes into keeping a tank full of hot water. Reduce the number of baths your family takes in favor of more efficient showers. And limit your time in the shower to use less hot water. Wash your family’s clothes in cool or cold water, if you can, and run the dishwasher only when it’s full.

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Spring Resource Conservation

Live Your Most Efficient Life

nergy audits are professional energy assessments that can provide you ways to save money and improve the sustainability and livability of your home.

The professionals that conduct home energy assessments are credentialed for the job, Energy.gov says, and have training in how to assess and improve your home’s energy usage.

HOW IT WORKS

The auditor will do a room-byroom examination of your home. They may conduct a blower test and a thermographic scan, looking for sources of energy loss in your house. Also look for other hightech gear such as surface thermometers and furnace efficiency meters. You can find an energy assessor through your state or local

government, through your energy utility or through services such as the Residential Energy Services Network or the U.S. Department of Energy. Just like contracting with any professional, get references and contact them. Check with the Better Business Bureau for complaints. Ask if their equipment is properly calibrated.

bills ready for the auditor. You might also want to have answers to these commonly asked questions: • Is anyone home during work hours? • What is the average thermostat setting for summer and winter? • How many people live in the home? • Is every room in use?

GETTING READY FOR YOUR AUDIT

DURING AND AFTER THE ASSESSMENT

Before your selected energy assessor visits, make a list of any problems you know off in the house. This could be an uncomfortably drafty room or condensation in your windows. Have copies of your home’s energy

Your assessor will go through your house room by room. Walk with them and don’t be afraid to ask questions as you go. The assessor will gather information and give you a report including a characterization of your home and

steps you can take to reduce your family’s energy usage and increase the comfort of your home. Some common recommendations include: • Adding insulation to your home’s attic, foundation or walls. • Seal and insulate ducts in unconditioned spaces. • Remove or repair parts of the home with internal moisture or mold. • Improve the efficiency of heating, cooling and hot water equipment. • Install home ventilation, smart thermostats, LEDs, smart power strips, Energy Star appliances, solar panels, electric vehicle chargers and other efficient technologies.

Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Slowing Down Fuel Usage

A In 2019, the Census Bureau said the average one-way commute jumped to 27.6 minutes, increasing about 10% over 14 years. In 2020, those commuters and other Americans burned 123.73 billion barrels of finished gasoline, or about 338 million gallons per day. Here’s how you can reduce your fuel bill.

TAKE IT EASY Speeding, braking and gunning it are all great ways to waste gas. Poor driving habits can drop your fuel economy by 15-30%, Investopedia says, toasting between 31 cents and $1.24 per

merica is, by and large, a carbased society. We hop in our cars to go to school, work and play.

gallon. TURN IT OFF Gas mileage also decreases Idling your car nets you exactly above 50 miles per hour, so tone it zero miles per gallon. The down all the way around and save California Energy Commission big at the pump. says that cars should be turned off if the expected wait will be longer CLEAN IT UP than 10 seconds. Turn off the Most of us haul everything but engine. You’ll save about 3 cents the kitchen sink (and, OK, maybe per minute. that, too) with us in our cars. An additional 100 pounds in your car DO YOUR MAINTENANCE (that adds up fast if you’re in any Check your tire pressure. way connected with youth sports) Underinflated tires can waste 1.25 can reduce gas mileage by up to billion gallons of gas per year. 1%. Keep totes with sports gear Check your tires at least monthly and other things you frequently (they can lose about 2 pounds per square inch in pressure per haul in your garage and change month) and pay attention to your them out as needed.

check tire light when it comes on. Follow the guidelines on your vehicle’s door sticker and not what’s on the tire. Also have your tires aligned and balanced regularly, according to your vehicles specifications. You should also replace your spark plugs on a regular schedule. The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence says that bad spark plugs can decrease fuel economy by a shocking 03% and cost drivers about 94 cents per gallon. If you notice a sudden drop in your miles per gallon, have a mechanic check your spark plugs.

Spring Resource Conservation

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

he good news is that recycling rates are up, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

The most recycled products in 2018 were paper products such as corrugated boxes, newspaper and other, nondurable paper products. Major appliances, wood packaging and glass containers were also high on the list. Here’s how to recycle some of the most commonly recycled goods.

PAPER AND CARDBOARD Americans recycled more than half of the paper they used in 2018, the EPA says, and that paper is used to make new paper goods, saving trees and other resources. Do recycle newspapers, magazines and mail. Even pizza boxes are fair game, after you’ve removed

any food scraps. Paper gift wrap with shiny or laminated coatings are not recyclable. Instead, the EPA says, use newspaper, gift bags, boxes or tissue paper, all of which can be recycled.

PLASTIC More than 35 million tons of plastics were made in 2018, but only 8.7% was recycled. Check with your local recycling agency to see what you can and cannot recycle and bear in mind that chucking non-recyclable items in your bin often results in your bin going in the trash. Typically, bottles and caps can be recycled, but Styrofoam usually cannot.

GLASS Glass can be recycled many times over. Most curbside recycling programs accept glass colors and types all jumbled together. Just avoid putting in broken glass, which can damage equipment and injure workers. Metal bottle caps should be separated from their bottles before going in the bin.

ALUMINUM The total recycling rate for aluminum in 2018 was 34.9%. Cans don’t have to be crushed and can even be more difficult for some recycling systems to deal

with. Foil is also recyclable, provided that any food waste has been removed.

ELECTRONICS About 38.5% of electronics were recycled in 2018. These items usually cannot go into your curbside bin, but some areas have special dropoffs for these goods. Manufacturers of electronic devices may also participate in programs that will let you recycle devices and get a credit. Before you recycle electronics, delete all your personal information so that it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.

Spring Resource Conservation

Shrink Your Carbon Footprint

carbon footprint, the Nature Conservancy says, is the total amount of greenhouses gases that are generated by your actions.

To have the best chance of avoiding a two-degree hike in global temperatures, the average global carbon footprint needs to drop under two tons by 2050. The U.S. is no help. It has one of the highest carbon footprints in the world at 16 tons per person. Small changes, however, can add up.

CUT DOWN ON TRAVEL When you do have to hit the road, do so in an efficient vehicle. Look for ones that consume an alternative fuel (saving 2 tons), use electricity (6 tons) or a hybrid (3 tons). You could also work remotely, saving a little less than a ton a year, or take public transportation, saving about half a ton a year. Cutting down on air travel will save 0.15 tons.

IN THE HOME Start with one that’s as easy as screwing in a light bulb. Change your older incandescent bulbs to more efficient compact florescent bulbs and save yourself a third of a ton of carbon per year. Switching off those lights as you leave a room will get you another 0.17 tons, while lowering your thermostat in winter will save you nearly half a ton. Energy Star appliances, guaranteed by the federal government to be efficient, can also save . A new Energy Star fridge will save you nearly a tenth of a ton every year and a new Energy Star printer will save you about a fifth of a ton. Choosing to purchase green power will save you a whopping 6.5 tons, so will putting in solar panels.

OUT AND ABOUT

Eating organic foods will save you 0.17 tons a year. A low-carbon diet can save you nearly 2 tons. Low-carbon diets take into account that a third of all food emissions in the U.S. come from red meat and dairy products. Chicken and vegetables have up to ten times smaller carbon footprints per serving. Just by getting the chicken instead of the steak, you can make a big difference in your carbon footprint. You can calculate your own personal carbon footprint — and see easy ways to reduce it — by using the Carbon Footprint Calculator at The Nature Conservancy’s website, nature.org.

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