Water Conservation Reaches out to Hispanic Community
Changing water-use behavior takes on new meaning when reaching out to a community native to a tropical, water-rich region. Couple this with a language and cultural barrier and you have a unique population that uses more water than they should, yet are rarely effectively targeted to join the water conservation effort. The City of Phoenix Water Services Department embraced this dilemma and developed a unique approach to reach a growing, conservation-challenged community.
The Hispanic, Spanish-dominant population is native to a dramatically different topography than the desert southwest. Desiring to surround themselves with familiarity of their home, they typically plant lush, water-intensive landscapes in their new desert yard. Needing to slow the water consumption in this growing population, the City of Phoenix Water Services Department created the Nuestro Bello Desierto (Our Beautiful Desert) campaign and calendar. The calendar/water conservation tool includes planting suggestions and conservation tips amidst colorful photographs from the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona. Featuring desert plants having the specific colors from the dress and architecture of Latin cultures — fuchsia, yellow, orange, and green, this monthly calendar of tips and resources shows the desert as a lush, lively place that can remind this unique community of their homeland.
To learn more about this great approach to educating the Hispanic community about water conservation, call the Water – Use It Wisely office at 602-957-7323.
Spanish T.V. Ads to air in Florida
A newly created Spanish-language television station, Channel 33 in Ft. Meyers, FL, chose the Water – Use It Wisely Spanish-language ads to help educate their Hispanic community about water conservation.
Radio Spots Reach Satellite
Sirius Satellite Radio will air Water – Use It Wisely radio PSAs on their LIME Channel 114, Healthy Living with a Twist station. With an emphasis on a greener, more balanced life, they believe people wish to be enlightened and entertained, not lectured. Check out lime.com for a complete listing of their life-balancing programming.
Animated Tips Banners Now Available
Upgrade your website with an eye-catching revolving tip banner linking to the Water – Use It Wisely website. Showing two tips each, the web banners come in eleven themes and three sizes each, and they are a great way to call attention to water conservation. See samples of the three banners. If you’re not a partner (yet), a set of three tips banners is only $250. Partners will receive the set for free.
Avondale: “I Use How Much Water?”
Showing Avondale, Arizona, residents just how much water they use every day, the Water – Use It Wisely water tower was placed in the lobby of City Hall. Standing 16 feet high, this 138-gallon, head-turning display, effectively representing Arizona’s per capita water use, captured everyone’s attention. Call the Water – Use It Wisely office to learn more about this great demonstration.
Partnering with Local Sports Teams
Long-time sponsor of the campaign, the Phoenix Coyotes hockey team demonstrate their continued commitment to educating the public about water conservation by showing the Water – Use It Wisely television PSAs on the JumboTron during home games. Congratulations City of Glendale for leveraging existing sponsors to get the message out.
Welcome New Partners
U.S. EPA Region 6 kicked off their Water – Use It Wisely campaign Texas-style with a scavenger hunt this summer at the Texas State Fair. Wearing their Water – Use It Wisely Red Caps, annual conference attendees scoured the fair for water-saving devices and tools. What a great, fun way to get employees motivated and show fair visitors that water conservation is big in Texas.
Global Water recently joined Water – Use It Wisely Arizona Coalition as a corporate sponsor. Ideally fitting with their model of water re-use and re-purposing, Global Water sees an ideal fit with the Arizona partnership.
