Resources

Get Water Smart

Find resources at Conserve Water Georgia.
Grade yourself by conducting a self-audit by using the city of Atlanta's Water Use Calculator
Learn about EPA's WaterSense program and WaterSense products - Toll free #1-866-987-7367 (866-WTR-SENS)
Find out about the Metro Atlanta Toilet Rebate Program.

Get Energy Smart

Get more information on ENERGY STAR products - Toll free #1-888-STAR-YES (888-782-7937)
Take the “Change a Light, Change the World” Pledge
Find out where to recycle appliances and CFLs: http://www.recyclemyoldfridge.com/ and http://earth911.com/
Learn about tax credits, rebates, and free water conservation kits

Get Garden Smart

A Georgia Native Plant Guide by Tina Samuels (2006); also see www.gnps.org.

Resources for Water Savings Calculations

- In general, UCR's calculations assume 1 gallon of water to generate 1 kilowatt hour (kWh). Reference World Resources Institute (2009), Southeast Energy Opportunities: Water and Watts, available at http://www.wri.org/publication/southeast-energy-policy.

-Calculations also a ssume Georgian households use 1000 kWh/month, half of which for heating and cooling the home.  Reference http://www.georgiapower.com .

- Lighting fixture calculations compare 60 watt incandescent light bulb to 15 watt CFL bulb; assumes lifetime of the former is 10,000 hours and that of the latter is 1,000 hours. Use this calculator to calculate kWh savings for a specific bulb replacement:  http://www.energystar.gov/ia/business/bulk_purchasing/bpsavings_calc/CalculatorCFLs.xls

- Savings calculations are maximized. Actual energy (and water) savings depends on age and model of refrigerators compared. Use http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=refrig.calculator to calculate kWh savings.

- For calculations regarding use of drought tolerant plants, reference http://www.h2ouse.org/

- For calculations regarding use of mulch, reference, EBMUD (2008), Watersmart Guidebook: A Water-Use Efficiency Plan Review Guide for New Businesses (Oakland, CA), available at http://www.allianceforwaterefficiency.org/

- For calculations for wateringin the garden, reference A. Vickers (2001), Handbook of Water Use and Conservation. WaterPlow Press (Amherst, MA).