By Karen R. Smith
Changes afoot!
I write this in the throes of much excitement here at WC&P. We’re putting the finishing touches on our new POU/PoeNews, a bimonthly newsletter delivered via email right to your desk. I’ll be putting that project together from my new base of operations, Philadelphia, Pa. Do be sure to sign up for it as you won’t want to miss a single issue!
WC&P’s Technical Review Committee is the core of the magazine’s excellence, an evolving body of experts who freely give their time and knowledge to benefit the industry. Uniquely, we manage the scientific portion of the magazine as a peer-reviewed journal in the best tradition of academia. It guarantees you, the reader, of consistent, accurate technical information on every aspect of water treatment.
We want to thank the reviewers who are leaving the committee at this time: Lawrence R. Henke, Deborah Kon, Thomas Leunig and Stephen R. Tischler. We welcome their editorial contributions in the months ahead and know you join us in wishing them continued success.
New committee members will be joining the committee shortly and we’ll share their stories with you in upcoming issues. Two gentlemen joining this month are introduced on page ___. It is a pleasure to welcome Mo Mukiibi and Greg Reyneke to this august group. Openings do occur regularly (usually annually) so do please let us know if you’d like to be considered for a chair. There’s no salary and no benefits – yet it’s one of the most coveted positions in the industry!
I want to thank those who responded to last month’s Viewpoint by writing Governor Schwarzenegger. The battle in California continues; in an interesting turn of events, our eventual success may actually be due to WC&P!
California is the only state in the nation with a law against increasing greenhouse gas emissions. The state is committed to reducing its carbon footprint and this law reflects that determination. Last year, WC&P presented a life cycle analysis (LCA) by John and Candace Blount; they determined that using a water softener with an RO in a hard water area reduced greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to that of 1.3 passenger automobiles driving for a year. Any elimination of water softeners would, therefore, increase greenhouse gases. Making the elimination of water softeners illegal in California…although it is possible to engage in the purchase of carbon credits to offset greenhouse gas production, at the going rate of $40 per credit, this solution is beyond the reach of a state with a budget deficit.
The battle isn’t over yet. Once again, I ask for your help. In addition to writing Governor Schwarzenegger if you haven’t already done so, please make sure your customers know that their water softener and RO units are the most sustainable appliances in their homes. I’ve put together a billing insert for PWQA members that I’m sharing here as well. When you leave a salt bill, or send out an invoice, or make a sales call, use the blank side of that piece of paper to print this positive message to leave with your customers!!
THINK GREEN. Compact fluorescent bulbs and re-useable shopping bags help us all live more sustainably. So does your water softener. In fact, a water softener reduces your carbon footprint (as much a getting rid of an automobile for an entire year!) more than any other device in your house!