RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif. - May 27, 2021 - (Newswire.com)
Residents across the U.S. took part in 2021's Wyland National Mayor's Challenge for Water Conservation, April 1-30, by pledging to save over three billion gallons of water over the next year. The annual campaign to promote water-resource resiliency ended with mayors from 42 states vying to see whose city could be the nation's most "water wise."
The cities with the highest percentage of residents making pledges included Laguna Beach, CA; North Port, FL; Oceanside, CA; Tucson, AZ; and Dallas, TX. Overall, residents around the nation made 759,000 pledges to change behaviors ranging from fixing home leaks to reducing harmful runoff into local streams.
The challenge, presented by the Wyland Foundation and Toyota, with support from the U.S EPA, National League of Cities, The Toro Company, Hobie Surf Shops, and Petal, addresses the growing importance of educating consumers about the many ways they use water. In addition to online pledges, residents supported the health of local watersheds with tree plantings, storm drain projects, neighborhood cleanups to remove pollution that might otherwise find its way into storm channels, and mobile science outreach in Florida, Arizona, and California.
Residents from winning cities will now be entered into a drawing for thousands of dollars in eco-friendly prizes, including $3,000 toward their annual home utility bill, home irrigation equipment from The Toro Company, gift cards for shopping at Hobie Surf Shops, and eco-friendly hand soaps from Petal. A $500 home-improvement shopping spree will also be chosen from among the entire pool of U.S. participants.
Additionally, participating residents were asked to nominate a deserving charity in their community to receive a 2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid XLE. The award of the grand prize vehicle is at the heart of the campaign and instrumental in connecting thousands of charities and civic groups to resource conservation. "Tackling large issues like water quality and scarcity at the local level is an important part of developing sustainable communities," said Kevin Butt, general manager environmental sustainability at Toyota Motor North America.
In addition to reducing water waste, participants in 50 states pledged to reduce their use of single-use plastic bottles by 7.4 million and eliminate 176,000 pounds of hazardous waste from entering watersheds. By altering daily lifestyle choices, residents also pledged to put 80 million fewer pounds of waste in landfills. Potential savings of 11 billion pounds of carbon dioxide, 199 million kilowatt-hours of electricity, and $14 million in consumer cost savings rounded out the final pledge results.
About the Wyland Foundation
Founded in 1993 by environmental artist Wyland, the Wyland Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit dedicated to promoting, protecting, and preserving the world's ocean, waterways, and marine life. The foundation encourages environmental awareness through community events, education programs, and public art projects. www.wylandfoundation.org
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Original Source: Winning Cities Announced for Wyland National Mayor's Challenge for Water Conservation
