Presentations at City Hall

Two presentations at City Hall in the past week:

1. CLU Riverbottom Cleanup Orientation
   
2. City of Ventura Engineering Dept.

The City of Ventura has partnered with California Lutheran University to clean up the riverbottom near downtown. On Monday they removed over 7 TONS of trash - all of which was destined for the beaches in the next flood.

I was asked to give some environmental perspective at the group's orientation last week. I gave my quick overview of the watershed, and the projects that Surfrider has been working on. I finished by showing the Watershed Revolution trailer.

Then yesterday afternoon I was privileged to show Watershed Revolution to the Engineering Department. Rich Reid was there to provide insight form the producer. Although strictly a non-technical presentation, it was followed by a short discussion about water management.

I mentioned my 'low-tech' greywater system (5 gallon buckets to haul the bathwater out to the garden.) Every gallon of 'grey water' that goes into the garden is a gallon that does not have to be pumped out of the river, PLUS a gallon that does not get mingled with sewage for treatment at the wastewater plant.

Now that greywater is LEGAL, there's an opportunity to make this happen. Imagine if greywater were implemented citywide and washing machines and bathtubs watered the garden instead of drinking water? That's a tangible opportunity to save a lot of energy (and water,) take the pressure off the treatment plant, and preserve flows in the river...