May, 26 2009, 03:40pm EDT
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New Report: California Businesses Could Save More Than Enough Water to Supply Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco
Innovative Businesses, Agencies Show How to Save Money with Water Efficiency
SAN FRANCISCO
In the midst of a third consecutive dry year, California's water
supply continues to shrink as the state's population grows, but
according to a new report by the Natural Resources Defense Council, the
state's commercial, industrial and institutional (CII) sector has the
tools to save more than enough water to meet the annual needs of Los
Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego combined. Some leading California
businesses and institutions are already catching on - saving water and
money at the same time.
"After three consecutive dry
years and global warming threatening to intensify California's
droughts, we need smart-water solutions that that
will stop waste and help businesses use only what they need," said
Ronnie Cohen, Director of Water Efficiency Policy for the Natural
Resources Defense Council. "Luckily, 21st-century technologies exist to
stretch our water supply and save money. And some trailblazing
California businesses and water agencies are already showing us how
it's done."
The complete report, Making Every Drop Work: Increasing Water Efficiency in California's Commercial, Industrial and Institutional (CII) Sector, is available online from NRDC.
In
February of 2008, Governor Schwarzenegger called for a 20 percent
reduction in per capita water use by 2020, and legislation to help
reach that target is currently pending in the State Assembly (AB 49).
California's CII sector - which includes office buildings, hotels, oil
refineries, golf courses, schools and universities, restaurants and
manufacturers - is responsible for one-third of urban water use, making
progress in this sector essential to reaching this reduction goal. The
CII sector uses the equivalent of more than a million Olympic-sized
swimming pools of water annually. NRDC estimates California businesses
could save about 25-50 percent of that water with efficiency measures,
or as much as 700,000 -1.3 million acre-feet - the equivalent to
350,000-650,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Water
efficiency improves water quality, supply and ecosystem health by
reducing polluted landscape runoff and the amount of water taken out of
rivers and streams - making it an important tool in managing the
troubled San Francisco Bay-Delta, and restoring the state's quarter
billion dollar salmon fishery. Water efficiency has also proven to be
good for the bottom line of businesses, as it lowers water bills and
energy costs, as well as wastewater charges and costs for chemicals and
water purification.
Payback for investing in
water-efficient technologies is between one and four years. Many water
agencies help accelerate payback by providing free water audits,
equipment and technology rebates, and in some cases, free
water-efficient products and installation.
While the CII
sector has made some progress over the last decade, there is still a
tremendous potential for improving their water efficiency and lowering
their bills. For example, the report reveals:
- Commercial
dishwashers use 25 percent of the water in commercial kitchens. A
water-efficient commercial dishwasher would reduce that water use by 25
percent. Commercial kitchens can also save up to $1,050 a year on
energy and water bills with a water-efficient pre-rinse spray valve,
and cut faucet water use and related bills in half with a low flow
faucet aerator, which run less than $5 each. - The
average hotel will use more than 604,000 gallons of water every year
just to wash bed sheets and towels. If that hotel installs a
water-efficient washing machine, it can cut that number by 38 percent. - Landscaping,
such as at office parks, schools, parks and street medians, is
responsible for one-third of the CII sector's water use. But with smart
irrigation controllers that adjust for weather conditions,
commercial-sized landscapes can reduce water use by 40-50 percent. - Restrooms
are responsible for 15 percent of CII water use. But low-flow
showerheads, which can be purchased in bulk for $5-12 each, can save
two to 3.5 gallons of water per shower, and more efficient toilets and
urinals could save 35,000-64,000 gallons a year.
Performance Leaders Are Already Reaping the Benefits
In
this new report, NRDC demonstrates how businesses and water agencies
across California are already taking steps to reduce water use.
Based
in Mountain View, Calif., Intel has saved enough water through
efficiency measures since 1995 to supply 180,000 homes for a year. At
their plant in Santa Clara, they developed a recycling system that
allows them to take leftover water and use it for on-site cooling and
landscaping. They also replaced water-intensive air scrubbers with
alternative technology to reduce emissions.
In
California's Coachella Valley, the owners of Desert Willow Golf Course
built a course irrigated almost entirely with recycled water in the
arid area known for its golf. Not only does it use recycled water to
replenish the course, it was designed to need less water, by including
less turf grass and more desert plants. These technologies have saved
the business $84,600 a year, and enough water to meet the needs of 565
families of four.
Fetzer Vineyard in Mendocino County is
a water-saving star of the wine industry, using about 75 percent less
water than their competitors. On average, it takes about eight gallons
of water to make a bottle of wine - but Fetzer has managed to cut their
process down to just over two gallons per bottle. Water meters to
regulate their usage help them find and repair leaks more easily. And
they use aeration ponds to treat their own wastewater and use it to
irrigate their organic grapes and landscaping. These measures allow
them to save 8 million gallons of water a year
These are
just a few of the examples listed in the report, which provides case
studies and a reference for other CII facilities and urban water
agencies to begin taking advantage of similar savings opportunities.
NRDC works to safeguard the earth--its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. We combine the power of more than three million members and online activists with the expertise of some 700 scientists, lawyers, and policy advocates across the globe to ensure the rights of all people to the air, the water, and the wild.
(212) 727-2700LATEST NEWS
'Tragic Outcome' for Gig Workers as California Supreme Court Hands Win to Uber, DoorDash
"Today's ruling only strengthens our demand for the right to join together in a union so that we can begin improving the gig economy for workers and our customers," the case plaintiff said.
Jul 25, 2024
Labor advocates on Thursday decried a ruling by the California Supreme Court upholding a lower court's affirmation of a state ballot measure allowing app-based ride and delivery companies to classify their drivers as independent contractors, limiting their worker rights.
The court's seven justices ruled unanimously in Castellanos v. State of California that Proposition 22, which was approved by 58% of California voters in 2020, complies with the state constitution. Prop 22—which was overturned in 2021 by an Alameda County Superior Court judge in 2021—was upheld in March 2023 by the state's 1st District Court of Appeals.
The business models of app-based companies including DoorDash, Instacart, Lyft, and Uber rely upon minimizing frontline worker compensation by categorizing drivers as independent contractors instead of employees. Independent contractors are not entitled to unemployment insurance, health insurance, or compensation for business expenses.
There are approximately 1.4 million app-based gig workers in California, according to industry estimates.
While DoorDash hailed Thursday's ruling as "not only a victory for Dashers, but also for democracy itself," gig worker advocates condemned the decision.
"Over the last three years, gig workers across California have experienced firsthand that Prop 22 is nothing more than a bait-and-switch meant to enrich global corporations at the expense of the Black, brown, and immigrant workers who power their earnings," plaintiff Hector Castellanos, who drives for Uber and Lyft, said in a statement.
"Prop 22 has allowed gig companies like Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash to deprive us of a living wage, access to workers compensation, paid sick leave, and meaningful healthcare coverage," Castellanos added. "Today's ruling only strengthens our demand for the right to join together in a union so that we can begin improving the gig economy for workers and our customers."
Lorena Gonzalez, president of the California Federation of Labor Unions, AFL-CIO, said that "we are deeply disappointed that the state Supreme Court has allowed tech corporations to buy their way out of basic labor laws despite Proposition 22's inconsistencies with our state constitution."
"These companies have upended our social contract, forcing workers and the public to take on the inherent risk created by this work, while they profit," she continued. "A.B. 5 granted virtually all California workers the right to be paid for all hours worked, health and safety standards, unemployment insurance, workers compensation, and the right to organize."
"Rideshare and delivery drivers deserve those rights as well," Gonzalez stressed.
The Gig Workers Rising campaign said on social media that "Uber and other app corporations spent $220 million to buy this law, and they did it by tricking Californians."
Prop 22's passage in November 2020 with nearly 59% of the vote was the culmination of what was by far the most expensive ballot measure in California history. App-based companies and their backers outspent labor and progressive groups by more than 10 to 1, with proponents pouring a staggering $204.5 million into the "yes" campaign's coffers against just $19 million for the "no" side.
"Voters were told the initiative would provide us with 'historic new benefits' and guaranteed earnings," said Gig Workers Rising. "But since it went into effect, drivers have seen our pay go down, learned the benefits are a sham, and have to accept unsafe rides because of the constant threat of being 'deactivated,' kicked off the app with little explanation or warning."
"If Uber really cared about good benefits and fair wages, it could make that happen tomorrow," the campaign added. "Instead, it has shown it would rather slash pay, bamboozle voters, and put drivers' lives and livelihoods in danger—all while promising $7 billion in stock buybacks to banks and billionaires."
Veena Dubal, a law professor at the University of California, Irvine who focuses on labor and inequality, toldCalMatters that Thursday's ruling was "a really tragic outcome," but "it's not the end of the road."
Dubal's sentiment was echoed by some California state legislators, who said the ruling presents an opportunity to act.
"While this decision is frustrating, it must also be motivating," said state Senate Labor Committee Chair Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-28). "I'm more determined than ever to ensure that all workers—including our diverse and Black, Indigenous, and people of color-led gig workforce—have the basic protections of workers compensation, paid sick leave, family leave, disability insurance, and the right to form a union."
Prop 22 has served as a template for lawmakers in other states seeking to deny or limit basic worker rights, benefits, and protections.
In Massachusetts, app-based companies have been fighting for years to get a measure to classify drivers as contractors on the state ballot. In 2022, Lyft made the largest political donation in state history—$14.4 million—to a coalition funding one such proposal.
Last month, Uber and Lyft reached an agreement with the office of Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell, a Democrat, to pay $175 million to settle a lawsuit filed in 2020. As part of the deal, the companies also agreed to increase driver pay and provide paid sick leave, accident insurance, and some health benefits. The agreement does not address how app-based gig workers should be classified.
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Jul 25, 2024
Four youth-led groups on Thursday urged Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, to "fight for our future" by pursuing a policy agenda the coalition unveiled in a March letter to U.S. President Joe Biden.
It's been less than a week since Biden left the race and endorsed Harris, who is expected to face former Republican Donald Trump and his running mate, U.S. Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), in the November election. Since then, she's racked up endorsements from Democratic members of Congress and progressive groups focused on issues including climate, labor, and reproductive rights.
March for Our Lives, which was launched after the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, honored Harris with the group's first-ever endorsement on Wednesday, calling her "the right person to stand up for us and fight for the country we deserve."
"To defeat Trump, you must rebuild support and enthusiasm among young voters."
The gun violence prevention organization is part of the youth-led coalition behind the new letter, which also includes the climate-focused Sunrise Movement; Gen-Z for Change, which advocates on a range of issues; and the national immigrant network United We Dream Action.
"You have an urgent and important task. To defeat Trump, you must rebuild support and enthusiasm among young voters," the coalition told Harris on Thursday, noting that she sought the Democratic nomination during the last cycle. "You should build on your 2020 campaign platform where you put forward a strong vision to make the economy work for everyday people and ensure a livable future for us all."
The groups urged Harris to support the Green New Deal, Medicare for All, and the Reverse Mass Incarceration Act. They pushed her to expand pathways to citizenship, keep families together, end fossil fuel subsidies, and create good, union jobs. They also called on her to prioritize gun violence prevention and investments in public health solutions and green, affordable housing.
"Democrats are at a critical crossroads with young people," the coalition wrote to Harris on Thursday. "Polls showed Biden and Trump neck-and-neck among young voters."
ANew York Times/Siena College poll conducted July 22-24 shows Trump leading Harris 48% to 47% among likely voters and 48% to 46% among registered voters—differences that fall within the margin of error.
Forbesnoted Thursday that "Democrats are far more enthusiastic about Harris than they were Biden, the Times/Siena survey found, with nearly 80% of voters who lean Democrat saying they would like Harris to be the nominee, compared to 48% of Democrats who said the same about Biden three weeks ago."
The outlet also pointed to two other polls conducted by Morning Consult and Reuters/Ipsos since Biden dropped out, which both show Harris with a narrow lead over Trump.
"You have an opportunity to win the youth vote by turning the page and differentiating yourself from Biden policies that are deeply unpopular with us, such as approving new oil and gas projects, denying people their right to seek refuge and asylum, and funding the Israeli government's killing of civilians in Gaza," the youth coalition highlighted Thursday. "You must speak to the economic pain young people are facing from crushing student debt and skyrocketing housing and food prices."
Looking beyond November, the groups told Harris—who could be the first Black woman and person of Asian descent elected to the country's highest office—that "you could be a historic president. Not just because of who you are, but what you can accomplish."
"Young people are energized and ready to organize against fascism and for the future we deserve," they concluded. "This is your chance to energize young people and our communities to vote, mount one of the greatest political comebacks in decades, and deliver a resounding defeat to the far-right agenda of Trump and Vance."
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Video Game Actors Strike for AI Protections
"The video game industry generates billions of dollars in profit annually," said one union leader. "The driving force behind that success is the creative people who design and create those games."
Jul 25, 2024
After nearly two years of negotiations with video game giants and no deal that would protect performers from artificial intelligence, unionized voice and motion capture actors who work in video game development announced Thursday that they will go on strike starting at 12:01 am on Friday, July 26.
The performers are represented by Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), which last year won a contract for TV and film actors that included "unprecedented provisions for consent and compensation that will protect members from the threat of AI," after the union went on strike for four months.
The union has been negotiating on behalf of video game actors with major production companies including Disney Character Voices Inc., Activision Productions Inc., and WB Games Inc., and has won concessions over wages and job safety—but "AI protections remain the sticking point," said SAG-AFTRA on Thursday as the impending strike was announced.
Unionized actors want protections that would stop video game companies from training AI to replicate actors' voices or likeness without their consent and without compensating them.
"The video game industry generates billions of dollars in profit annually," said Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, national executive director and chief negotiator for SAG-AFTRA. "The driving force behind that success is the creative people who design and create those games. That includes the SAG-AFTRA members who bring memorable and beloved game characters to life, and they deserve and demand the same fundamental protections as performers in film, television, streaming, and music: fair compensation and the right of informed consent for the AI use of their faces, voices, and bodies."
"Frankly, it's stunning that these video game studios haven't learned anything from the lessons of last year—that our members can and will stand up and demand fair and equitable treatment with respect to AI, and the public supports us in that," he added.
Sarah Elmaleh, negotiating committee chair for the union's interactive media agreement, said the negotiations have shown the companies "are not interested in fair, reasonable AI protections, but rather flagrant exploitation."
"We look forward to collaborating with teams on our interim and independent contracts, which provide AI transparency, consent, and compensation to all performers, and to continuing to negotiate in good faith with this bargaining group when they are ready to join us in the world we all deserve," said Elmaleh.
The unionized actors voted in favor of the strike authorization with a 98.32% yes vote, said SAG-AFTRA.
The strike was announced as more than 500 workers who help develop the popular World of Warcraft video game franchise voted to join the Communications Workers of America (CWA), with the games publisher, Blizzard Entertainment, recognizing the bargaining unit.
CWA noted that the workers' journey to union representation began with a walkout in 2021 at Activision Blizzard, which was later bought by Microsoft, over sexual harassment and discrimination.
"What we've accomplished at World of Warcraft is just the beginning," Eric Lanham, a World of Warcraft test analyst, said in a statement. "We know that when workers have a protected voice, it's a win-win for employee standards, the studio, and World of Warcraft fans looking for the best gaming experience."
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