Pacific Institute Presenting Water-Energy Tools at River Rally

If you haven't registered for River Network's National River Rally--which takes place May 29-31 in Baltimore, Maryland--you should get on it! In addition to the usual 3-days of learning, inspiration and awesomeness, this year's River Rally will feature a 4-hour workshop called "The Water-Energy-Carbon Connection" on Friday, May 29th. I will be presenting alongside Heather Cooley from the Pacific Institute. This workshop will begin by exploring the linkages between water, energy and climate change, then exciting new tools from River Network and the Pacific Institute will be introduced to help illustrate these connections.

This four-hour intensive workshop will cover numerous aspects of the water-energy nexus and we are very excited to have Heather and the Pacific Institute bring their expertise to River Rally and share what they've been working on. Here's a description of "The Water-Energy-Carbon Connection" workshop:

This workshop explores key concepts of the water-energy-carbon nexus and what it means for river and watershed groups. Participants will learn about the water embedded in different energy sources, the carbon footprint of different water uses, and how to utilize these principles at the community level. Tools will be presented to help individuals assess the energy intensity of their water supplies and determine the potential to reduce carbon emissions through water efficiency and other management strategies. This workshop is designed for people interested in reducing water-related energy demands and addressing climate change through water conservation, efficiency, reuse and low impact development.

It's sure to be an interesting session, especially since the Pacific Institute is one of the world's leading water policy think tanks. In case you aren't familiar with the Pacific Institute, here's a brief description from their website:

Our aim is to find real-world solutions to problems like water shortages, habitat destruction, global warming, and environmental injustice. Based in Oakland, California, we conduct research, publish reports, recommend solutions, and work with decision makers, advocacy groups, and the public to change policy.

Since our founding in 1987, we've become known for independent, innovative thinking that cuts across traditional areas of study. Our interdisciplinary approach not only helps us make connections that others miss, it also enables us to bring opposing groups together to forge effective real-world solutions.

Heather Cooley works as a Senior Research Associate with the Pacific Institute's Water Program. Her research interests include water privatization, California water issues, environmental justice, and climate change. Ms. Cooley holds a B.S. in Molecular Environmental Biology with an emphasis in Ecology from University of California, Berkeley and an M.S. in Energy and Resources from UC Berkeley. A few of the more recent reports that Heather has either authored or co-authored are Energy Implications of Bottled Water, Hidden Oasis: Water Conservation and Efficiency in Las Vegas, Desalination, With A Grain of Salt: A California Perspective and More with Less: Agricultural Water Conservation and Efficiency in California - A Special Focus on the Delta.

In addition to receiving a bunch of information on the water-energy nexus, participants in this workshop will be among the first people to use the Pacific Institute's new water-energy tool. Although I have not had a chance to see it yet, the tool has been described to me as a personal water calculator that allows the user to estimate their current water use, their conservation potential, and the energy and GHG savings resulting from specific conservation and efficiency improvements. This tool will be useful for public outreach and education on the potential to save energy and fight global warming by saving water.

If you want to attend River Rally and participate in this session, be sure to register soon because the event is just weeks away!