Although Bob Buckhorn frequently says he doesn't like to join national organizations, he is now joining other mayors around the country in an effort to conserve water and cut pollution by entering the "Mayor's Challenge for Water Conservation," joining mayors in cities like Seattle, Houston, Denver, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Honolulu, San Diego, San Francisco, Long Beach, Ca., and Miami, that have participated in the past couple of years.The way it works is simple — city residents go online to mywaterpledge.com to register. There they need to enter the name of their city, and then promise to take certain pledges, such as fixing a leaky faucet, using Energy Star appliances, or using a refillable water bottle, among others. Residents who enter the competition can potentially capture a new Toyota Prius Plug-In, water-saving fixtures, and "hundreds of other prizes," or so says the press release, beginning on April 1.
The water conservation challenge is sponsored by the Wyland Foundation and Toyota, and has gained support from the U.S. EPA’s Office of Water, National League of Cities, and the U.S. Forest Service, as well as some private companies.
"Whether it’s drought conditions in the West or the high costs of energy related to water use in the East, saving water has become one of the most important issues facing the nation today,” said renowned environmental artist Wyland, president of the Wyland Foundation.
Cities compete in these population categories: 5,000- 29,999 residents; 30,000 -99,999 residents; 100,000-299,999 residents; 300,000-599,999 residents; and 600,000+ residents. Cities with the highest percentage of residents who take the challenge in their population category are deemed the winners.