The Loma Prietan - November/December 2009

Do you know anyone or any organization doing a great job with water conservation? Nominations open January 4, 2010 for the second annual Silicon Valley Water Conservation Awards. A coalition of 12 organizations — water agencies, business networks, and nonprofits — will be accepting applications and nominations. This is not a ho-hum award.

The primacy of water issues to the health and economic vitality of our region and the environment is clear. The awards go to organizations, agencies, businesses, and individuals whose programs and leadership have advanced water conservation in Silicon Valley (San Mateo County, Santa Clara County and Alameda County from Hayward south).

Award categories:

1. Government Agency/Water Utility
2. Business
3. Organization
4. Agricultural
5. Landscape Management
6. Education
7. Multiple Benefit

2010 Awards Timeline:

January 4 — Application/nomination process opens

February 26 — Application/nomination process closes

March 22 (World Water Day) — Awards presentation and ceremony

More information and nomination forms are at www.WaterAwards.org.

The coalition sponsoring the Awards includes the Sierra Club as well as Acterra, Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency, Clean Water Action, California Native Plant Society, Joint Venture Silicon Valley Network, Santa Clara County Creeks Coalition, Santa Clara Valley Water District, Silicon Valley Leadership Group, Sustainable San Mateo County, Sustainable Silicon Valley and Tuolumne River Trust.

Among the recipients of the 2009 Water Conservation Awards was the California Native Plant Society, one of whose directors is Arvind Kumar, whose Gardening Green column appears regularly on the Loma Prietan. Other recipients were Applied Materials, First Community Housing, John Laird, Kirsch Center for Environmental Studies, L-3 Communications, Montara Water & Sanitary District, Redwood City, San Jose Environmental Services Department, Stanford University, and ValleyCrest Landscape Maintenance.

Peter Drekmeier is Bay Area Program Director for Tuolumne River Trust.