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Cities Reward Lifestyle that Conserves Water

Imagine somebody paying you to stop watering your lawn and replace it with indigenous plants. Or collecting a check from your local government because you purchased a new toilet or dishwasher that uses less water and energy.

Across the country, homeowners are doing just that – cashing in on government incentive programs that encourage them to conserve water by paying them to do so. Not only do consumers pick up a modest check for their environmentally friendly efforts, they save money in the long-run because the steps they are taking to make their homes more eco-friendly also help cut down on their water and energy bills.

For example, in Glendale, Arizona, homeowners can pick up as much as $750 for replacing the grass on their lawns with foliage that uses less water. Homeowner associations and businesses can collect up to $3,000 for making the switch. In Charlottesville, Virginia, residents earn $100 rebates for replacing their toilets with more efficient models.

It might not sound like a lot, but the Charlottesville program alone cut water use by 16 percent. In Glendale, water usage dropped 5.6 percent between 2002 and 2005, even though the population grew during the same period.

Some governments, such as the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico, also offer credits for reusing rainwater.

Now saving the environment doesn’t just make you feel good – it can put a little extra money in your pocket.

To read more about this story, please read the article in USA Today.

To read more about this and other environmental health issues, go to: www.environmentalhealthnews.org, www.ourstolenfuture.org, or www.healthandenvironment.org