Blog Archives - BWTL

Episode 26 - Water Pressure

3/31/2017

Episode Highlights

[2:45] The Birthday Game - Al Gore, Nancy Pelose and Rachel Maddow.
[5:45] Agriculture Secretary - The Senate Agriculture Committee voted to report Perdue to the full Senate for a confirmation vote.
[8:20] Interior Secretary hints border wall could be on Mexican Land - An article in The Hill discussed how "America can't give away the Rio Grande to Mexico," while building the wall.
[17:42] Water Pressure - Water pressure is important for a properly functioning irrigation system.
- [19:50] Brent's thoughts on water pressure: "Pressure is the hidden water waster."
- Many products are made for lower pressure.
- Pressure is important and the Environmental Protection Agency's WaterSense program is actually working on labeling for new sprinklers that have pressure regulators. This is one way to save water and allow systems to perform better.
- Water pressure in homes - every house has a pressure regulator. The city main line's pressure is way too high for household use.
- Water pressure comes from pumping and also water towers (with gravity).
[32:50] John's dishwasher update - Energy Star labeled.
[33:43] Brent's Tip of the Week - "Gratitude." Here are some photos of the blooming desert from Brent's trip this week:

Episode 25 - Water Resource Challenges In the United States & Around The Globe

3/25/2017

Episode Highlights

[4:10] The Birthday Game - Baron Trump, Matthew Broderick and Wolf Blitzer.
[6:09] Sonny Perdue Confirmation Hearing - The Senate Agriculture Committee held a nomination hearing for Perdue on March 23.
[12:30] California farmers will get bump in irrigation water - this headline is not quite accurate.
- Article is referencing the Bureau of Reclamation's announcement of initial water allocations.
- Farmers in the San Joaquin Valley will receive 65 percent of what they expect.
[20:18] The Drought in Kenya - People are walking miles for clean water in drought-struck Kenya.
- There are not many solutions here outside of significant foreign aid. Also, is this now the new norm? Will water be available at some point in the future.
[22:50] The country of Peru dealing with too much water- rainfall is leading to devastating flooding.
[25.25] There are also significant wildfires - the agriculture communities in Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas dealt with wildfires in March.
- Video of damage to over 2 million acres and the loss of tens of thousands of livestock.
[28:22] Brent's Tip of the Week - "Smile." Don't forget to listen to Brent's story about why we should smile!

Episode 24 - Water Stewardship

3/17/2017

Thank you to one of our listeners for sharing this relevant video. Enjoy!

Episode Highlights:

[3:22] The Birthday Game - Rob Lowe, James Taylor and Mitt Romney.
[5:20] President Trumps Budget - The Office of Management and Budget Released a budget blueprint this week.
- The parts of the budget we focus on dealing with water (EPA, USDA and Interior) are all facing proposed cuts.
- Budget proposes to cut many domestic programs, including Energy Star. WaterSense is also at risk because of how it is funded through the EPA Administrator's budget - Trump's recommendation includes a 30% cut to EPA.
- Budget proposal does include full funding for the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program.
[14:25] World Bank's Water Week - John attended this event and sat on multiple panels.
- At the event, buttons were given out that said: "Eat Smarter, Save Water." What does this mean?
  - At a grocery store, we typically do not think about how much water it takes to grow the food we are purchasing.
  - Many in the general public are purchasing foods they think are better for the environment (i.e. organic and non-gmo).
  - Can "eat smarter, save water" also mean that we do not waste food as a consumer?
[24:14] Agricultural Stewardship - Can you be a steward of agricultural water use and still be a steward of the environment?
- Need everyone at the table talking about solutions.
[29:00] Water Stewardship in your home - the most basic tip is to turn off the water while brushing your teeth. Start small.
- Take shorter showers. Also, low-flow shower heads work even if you take a longer shower while using them.
- Elizabeth will be investing in a quality dishwasher to conserve water.
[33:45] Tip of the Week - "We can't direct the wind, but we can set our sail." - Thomas S. Monson