In early 2011 the P-Patch program decided to hold a water conservation contest. The goals were rooted not only in saving money for the program, but also in the ethic of conserving one of the most precious resources on earth. The initial goal was to reduce water consumption by 10%. We met our goal in 2011; however, this year we far surpassed it, reducing consumption by just under 20%. That translates into a savings of 731,544 gallons of water!
In early 2011 the P-Patch program decided to hold a water conservation contest. The goals were rooted not only in saving money for the program, but also in the ethic of conserving one of the most precious resources on earth. The initial goal was to reduce water consumption by 10%. We met our goal in 2011; however, this year we far surpassed it, reducing consumption by just under 20%. That translates into a savings of 731,544 gallons of water!
What accounted for the reduction? Awareness of the initiative was the first step. Each garden received a poster and spigot cards with guidelines for efficient watering. Other factors included the use of rain catchment barrels and at some gardens, much larger rain collecting cisterns. The collective effort of thousands of gardeners made a huge difference, especially during the drought-like months this past summer.
Water conservation is an ethic of the P-Patch program and we will continue our efforts to raise awareness and to provide resources to reduce our impact on the environment. Due to the success of the contest we’ll continue to hold it in the foreseeable future.
The winners of the 2012 water contest are as follows:
1st Place: Spring Street (4,488 gallons less than 2011=66% savings)
Prize: $100 Gift certificate to Stewart Lumber
2nd Place: Pelican (1496 gallons less than 2011 =50% savings)
Prize: Garden Tool Package
3rd Place: Cascade (14,960 gallons less 2011 = 40% savings)
Seattle Tilth’s NW Maritime Garden Guide
Honorable Mention: The following sites saved at least 25 % as compared to last year.
Angel Morgan 25% = 10,472 gallons saved
Eastlake 37%= 41,888 gallons saved
Hawkins 32%= 6,732 gallons saved
Hazel Heights 33%= 2,244 gallons saved
Hillman 25%= 18,700 gallons saved
Longfellow 38%= 3,740 gallons saved
Phinney 32%= 11,968 gallons saved
Congratulations P-Patchers!
