For Immediate Release
Contact: Jennifer Brown, Senior Environmental Programs Coordinator
Phone: 310-456-2489 ext. 275
Email: jbrown@malibucity.org [mailto:jbrown@malibucity.org]
Malibu Joins Southern California Cities and Thousands of People for Dirty Car Pledge to Save Water and Raise Awareness on Water Conservation
(Malibu, CA – November 24, 2014) The City of Malibu has joined the cities of Santa Monica, Burbank and nearly 6,000 individuals across Southern California in the “Dirty Car Pledge,” a campaign by conservation group Los Angeles Waterkeeper to break water-wasting habits, raise awareness about water conservation, and to save millions of gallons of water to address California's historic drought.
“We’re proud to join the Dirty Car Pledge and show that we are leaders in water conservation,” said Malibu Mayor Skylar Peak. “I hope that our dirty city vehicles will inspire Malibu residents to join in the conservation efforts, because every drop counts during California’s devastating drought.”
The City has pledged to stop washing its 12 fleet vehicles, which are normally washed every other week, for 60 days, and display Los Angeles Waterkeeper’s pledge stickers in the windows to encourage Malibu residents to join the effort. Although the move will save some water, about 200 gallons, its real value is in raising awareness on water conservation.
“Water conservation is one of the most urgent and important challenges facing our generation, especially in drought-stricken California,” said Liz Crosson, Executive Director of Los Angeles Waterkeeper. “Los Angeles Waterkeeper is excited to partner with the City of Malibu in raising awareness about this critical issue and we hope it will inspire Malibu residents to take action in their daily lives.”
The City of Malibu encourages all Malibu residents to join the effort and take the Dirty Car Pledge to not wash their car for 60 days, and post photos of their dirty cars on social media with the hashtag #DirtyCarPledge and #Keepitcleanmalibu.
Anyone who pledges to not wash their car for 60 days will receive a “Go Dirty for the Drought” window sticker from Los Angeles Waterkeeper to let the world know that they are proud of their dirty car and the water they are saving by not washing it. The stickers are static cling, so they can be easily removed and should be placed on the inside of the car window. To sign up for the Dirty Car Pledge, visit http://lawaterkeeper.org/DirtyForTheDrought [http://lawaterkeeper.org/DirtyForTheDrought] .
L.A.-area residents each use an average of 122 to 129 gallons of water a day, according to Los Angeles Waterkeeper, while drought-challenged nations such Australia and Israel have gotten their per-capita water use down to 40 to 60 gallons a day.
Cutting down on car washing is an easy way to reduce water use. Los Angeles Waterkeeper estimates that washing a car at home uses about 85 gallons of water, and the runoff can go into storm drains where it may carry soap and pollutants into the ocean. Commercial carwashes use an average of 56 gallons per vehicle, including facilities that recycle their water.
If the campaign reaches its goal of 10,000 people taking the Dirty Car Pledge, it would save as much as 3 million gallons. The City uses a hand-washing service that employs water-saving and environmentally sensitive methods.
The Dirty Car Pledge is in line with Malibu’s position as a consistent leader in water conservation, with progressive water conservation policies in place since the City’s founding in 1991. The City regularly hosts free community workshops on sustainable landscaping techniques, such as Smart Gardening, which focuses on composting; a water-efficient landscaping course in Spanish; and Surfrider Foundation’s Ocean Friendly Gardening which teaches about conserving water and preventing pollution. The City also has built an Ocean Friendly Demonstration Garden at Bluffs Park.
Malibu also established the Malibu Area Conservation Coalition (MACC) with local water providers and energy utility companies to collaborate on conservation efforts, providing rebates and incentives, and conducting outreach to the public. In September Malibu launched an online form that allows people to easily report water waste at www.malibucity.org/WaterWaster [/WaterWaster] so that the City can respond with education and resources, and work with those residents or businesses to help them reduce their water waste.
Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency over California’s drought in January 2014, and he and city leaders across the region are calling for a 20% reduction of water usage. While Californians have reduced their water use, the state has still not met those goals. Recent rains are barely a drop in the bucket of what is needed for the state’s water supply to recover.
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