Santa Fe residents urged to take the pledge.
Mayor Javier Gonzales is urging Santa Feans to make a longterm commitment to manage water resources more wisely by taking part in the annual Wyland National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation — and in return residents can win a new Toyota Prius, water saving fixtures, and hundreds of other prizes.
The annual challenge, April 1- 30, is a non-profit national community service campaign to see which leaders can best inspire their residents to make a series of informative and easy-to-do online pledges at mywaterpledge.com to use water more efficiently, reduce pollution, and save energy.
“Our low per-capita water use is evidence that most people in Santa Fe are already good at conserving water. This competition is a chance for us to tell the whole country just how good we are,” said Mayor Gonzales. “At the same time, those who take the pledge have a chance to win a car.”
Last year, residents from over 4,100 cities in all 50 U.S. states pledged to reduce their annual consumption of freshwater by 1.9 billion gallons, reduce waste sent to landfills by 42 million pounds, and prevent more than 87,000 pounds of hazardous waste from entering our watersheds. The challenge goes beyond recent drought issues and looks at the ways our water use will affect the future of our communities — from how we grow food to reducing polluted runoff.
“In Santa Fe, our rich history and cultural heritage have instilled generations of knowledge around water scarcity in our region. Santa Fe sits in a high-desert environment and residents are well-aware of its limited water supply. The community knows that we have to implement strong measures to mitigate the threats of climate change – and water conservation is a key component of those efforts. The City of Santa Fe is proudly one of the most water-conscious cities in the nation. Participating in the National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation is a way to reaffirm our ongoing commitment to water conservation in the City Different.” Said Santa Fe Mayor Javier Gonzales
To participate, residents enter online at mywaterpledge.com, and then make a series of online pledges to conserve water on behalf of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Cities compete based on population categories – Santa Fe competes against other cities with 30,000-99,999 residents. Cities with the highest percentage of residents who take the challenge in their population category are entered into drawings for hundreds of eco-friendly prizes, including home improvement gift cards, home irrigation equipment, and a Grand Prize Toyota Prius. The challenge also features additional resources for residents to take their commitment of conservation even further, from regional water and energy resource issues to cost-saving tips at home.
The 6th National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation is presented by the Wyland Foundation and Toyota, with support from the U.S EPA WaterSense, The Toro Company, National League of Cities, Conservation Irrigation, and Earth Friendly Products (makers of ECOS).
About the Wyland Foundation
Founded in 1993 by environmental artist Wyland (best known for his series of 100 monumental marine life murals), the Wyland Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization 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