Congratulations to Cori Westphal!  We’ll be sending your showerhead out this week!

Thank you everyone for entering.  We had a great turnout!

I wish we could have had more winners but if our glowing review of the product piqued your interest, you can order off their website at a 25% discount!  Simply enter OCAC25 – (case sensitive) for 25% off!

http://evolveshowerheads.com

Here at OCAC, we mostly focus on the local arts and music scenes. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t care about the environment. About 6 months ago, I was given a Roadrunner showerhead from Evolve.  Initially, I was skeptical.  I’m not a fan of water-saving showerheads.  I’ve tried many in the past and they always leave me unsatisfied with the water pressure.  But evolve “lower-flow” (rather than low-flow) showerheads deliver in a way that nothing else I’ve ever tried could.  First off, the surface area of the showerhead was a lot larger than typical models and that meant a larger spray pattern… I wasn’t trying to wash my hair in about a quarter-sized stream of water.  Secondly, the water pressure didn’t seem to suffer one bit.  They have a philosophy about flow rates.  According to the website, “A showerhead with a flow rate between 1.75 GPM – 1.5 GPM can deliver an optimum blend of savings and comfort when designed into a properly engineered showerhead. A good quality 1.75 GPM – 1.5 GPM showerhead lowers your shower-based water and energy consumption by 30% – 40%, doesn’t require increased shower times and leaves you feeling clean, happy, refreshed and warm.”

And I’m sure by now, you’ve noticed the funny looking cord and medallion?  “We wanted a way to save time, water and energy without having to make sacrifices or behavior changes.  You see, we figured that many people were probably a lot like us in their morning routine – really busy running around to get out of the door on time. So to save a little time we typically turn on the shower and sneak away to do something else while waiting for the water to warm-up.  We brush our teeth, use the toilet, make our beds, we even hug our kids … When we get back to the shower it’s warm and ready … but how much hot water just accidentally ran down the drain?  Even a little adds up to be a lot.  Losing only 1 minute of hot water per shower can mean an additional $75 in utility bills and 2,7000 gallons of water wasted per year – and that’s for a family of three.  ShowerStart technology changes that equation because it watches the shower’s temperature and “triggers a trickle” as soon as the shower is warm enough to jump in.  This prevents your hot water from inadvertently running down the drain before you can hop in the shower. Not only have you eliminated the water and energy waste, but the sound of the trickle tells you that your shower’s ready.  The hot water for your shower is now warm and waiting instead of warm and wasted. “

Or perhaps you’re completely enamored of your showerhead and you’re unwilling to part with it?  That’s okay too!  For you, Evolve offers the Ladybug adaptor.  It turns any showerhead into a water saving, green showerhead!  The bottom line is: you can still step into a warm, comforting shower while still feeling great about your decision to conserve water.  And in case you haven’t noticed, we’re in a severe draught here in Southern California.  We need to conserve in every way possible.

Now you may be wondering why I’m writing this article.  Not only am I trying to inspire you to conserve a little water, and showing you how you can do so without sacrificing the few, small pleasurable moments of alone time we each get (hopefully) every morning.  But Evolve has generously offered us one Roadrunner showerhead set to give away to a lucky reader!  Simply fill in your name and email in our form (there’s a surprise after you click submit!).  And, for fun, in honor of Earth Day, be sure to leave a tip or trick for going green.  :)

www.evolveshowerheads.com

Disclaimer: Contest winner must be a US resident.  Entries accepted until midnight on 5/10.  Readers can gain extra entries by following OCAC on Twitter and tweeting @ocac or blogging about this contest.  Just leave a separate entry.

This contest is now closed.

As one would guess, learning more about opportunities in Orange County related to environmental protection, wildlife preservation, and habitat restoration require getting to know the individuals who are aware of what’s going on, when, and via which organization.  Becoming one of those individuals is another post entirely.  There are quite a few organizations in OC which focus on all of the above with a team of volunteers of all ages and backgrounds, biologists, botanists, and folks who know what they are doing due to years of experience and a passion for the natural world.  All individuals involved were and still are volunteers in some capacity.  There simply is no way to make the natural world in Orange County function and thrive without volunteering time.  Period.

To put your time and energy to good use, working with a team of individuals, each with a role and purpose, is much more effective and interesting than working alone.  In fact, you can’t work alone without a permit or membership process in most situations due to legal arrangements, land protections, and permit/certificate requirements.  Preservation and restoration requires skill to perform and enhance in all situations.  Training and education are the most important aspect of a successful operation in which the most positive results can be seen as a result of group work.   Most random volunteers, including me, do not start out with the knowledge and experience that’s necessary to take on some of the serious ecological problems Orange County is facing alone.  This is why working through and with an organization is the only safe and truly effective way to create change.

If you are interested in getting involved, check out volunteermatch.org which can unite volunteers with specific organizations that are creating change in a number of areas.  The types of volunteer work accessible through this site are many, not just ecological causes.  This is just one example of a major site which connects people to organizations.  Another way to make connections is to join a group via Yahoo Groups, such as Orange County Birding, which is a group that emails up to date information to all members pertaining to native and threatened/endangered bird species and various volunteer opportunities as well as seminars which may be informational or educational for those wishing to get involved.

Of course networking amongst friends and clubs at schools is always a great way to meet people who may know of things going on in your area.  Universities often have chapters and clubs which are dedicated to restoration and often individuals who know a great deal about the specific challenges that many ecosystems in Orange County are facing.  If you are a potential volunteer, schools are a great way to gain access to organizations as well as individuals who are training to become active members of organizations within environmental fields.

The reality is this: if you want to get involved, you have got to reach out and make an effort to learn about what is going on.  Sure, things may pop up before your eyes without much effort on your part, but by and large you will have to put your name and face out there to get the information that you need (how did you find this post?).  Don’t most things in life work this way?  Remember, volunteers are more valuable than most assets to organizations of various kinds, and volunteering is one of the most in-demand sectors of Orange County’s communities.  All communities in fact become greater, stronger, and even more connected when people recognize a cause and are willing to get their hands dirty for a few (or more) hours a month.

A few organizations to check up on:

• Sea & Sage Audubon Society
• Nature Conservancy
• Orange County Wild
• CREEC Network
• Back to Natives Restoration
• OCSCB

Keep in mind that every organization is unique and offers its own unique benefits to the community.  Members vary and there are many more organizations in Orange County.  This is simply a list based on my knowledge of Orange County environmental restoration projects and my interests.  There are many more out there and researching the internet, speaking with individuals who are members of organizations or clubs, and getting involved are obviously easy ways to locate more in your area.  Now that you are inspired, do some clicking, emailing, calling, or talking to find an organization or cause in your areas that you feel passionate about so you can show your love.

Have you ever loved someone who was ill? Perhaps just a head cold or the flu?  Perhaps a serious injury or illness which required more patience and devotion on your part?  If so, think back on that experience and what it demanded of you as well as your commitment to that person.  If not, consider how you would care for someone you loved if they were ill and imagine what the situation would require of you.

There are very few things in life more gratifying than loving someone and watching them recover from some challenge, health related or otherwise.  We exist for the sake of one another, which is something dear old Marcus Aurelius once said, and it’s a dictum I oft remind myself of lest I forget what I am here to do and how I can be of greater service to the world around me.

Now for a moment consider that the loved one who is ill is not in fact human, no, not even your beloved golden retriever Spanky or your favorite pet hamster Twinkle.  No, dear readers, the ill one is, shock of all shocks (!)…the world around you!  The land you walk on, the trees surviving and not thriving all around you (and I don’t mean The Irvine Co. roadside onslaught of “perfectly manicured” trees), the areas of decimated forests and habitat which are home to many unique and interesting native species (mostly native…), and waterways including estuaries and wetlands in your very own OC backyard.

Yes, folks that’s right, the world that you call home, the lovely natural areas of Orange County (there actually were trees here, I promise!) are in danger.  They are in fact gravely ill, and guess who’s playing Doc?  You!  Now, now, I understand you have no medical degree.  You have no “skills”, no familiarity with the necessary tools, no understanding of the real issues behind the devastation and disease which plagues the natural world in this county, but guess what?  You do have one thing.  Inside your body, there’s something beating there and it’s called a heart (thank you Depeche).  Regardless of your familiarity with the issues, you have a heart, a brain, two hands, two feet, and you also have (again, brace yourself) spare time!

Now before you throw your arms in the air in utter disbelief and objection, consider this: nobody’s asking you to perform open heart surgery here.  All this sick loved one needs is a bit of your time, just a bit, combined with the other bits of spare time of the millions of other OC residents which adds up to quite a lot of time.  The least each resident could do, after borrowing off the labor pains of this sick loved one in parking lots, freeways, toll roads, houses, shopping malls (squared) and numerous other establishments that require razing copious amounts of trees, is offer a few spare moments, loving hands, even the most capable of hands.

We all come equipped with what it takes to make changes.  We DO have time.  We DO have the ability to devote a few hours of our time each month to assisting this sick loved one.  We DO have to make a decision however and prove to ourselves that our devotion to this loved one, this great earth that we call home, this little bit of land which we raise our families on, make love on, enjoy the fruits of our labors on, take in all benefits and resources upon, is worth our time and our energy.

Consider this: what kind of man/woman would you be to shun the giver of such numerous and bountiful gifts including your food, your clothing, your home, your car, your every material obsession (the very screen you are reading now was made possible through the use of at least a few minerals, metals, plants, and resources)?  Think about it.

Now let’s face it.  We live in a world full of distraction and we never feel like we have the time or the necessary connections to make changes happen.  The truth is, you have the time and you now have the necessary connections to show Orange County natural wildlands some much needed love.  Why? Because I am here to hook you up, to show you the way, and in doing so, I hope to inspire the softest and most malleable parts of your being into growing more in love with the world around you.  Orange County is full of beauty, innovation, and a unique and lovely natural world manages to prevail despite a continually rising human population.  Yet it is by your hands, being a member of this large population, that the hours you put in, multiplied by every person you share this with, will amount to a greater world for this great part of California, for years to come.

Holly Lewis enjoys incorporating ecological and psychological concerns with everyday living, and spreads this joy through shining light on current events in Orange County and opportunities to live consciously within the natural world around us.  As a native Californian, she has a deep appreciation for the beauty and diversity within California and devotes some of her time and energy to maintaining the natural beauty around her, wherever she may go.  Conscious living, self-awareness, and the continual betterment of the self comprise the fuel which sustains her aspiration to encourage the formation of leaders that act and create for the sake of positive and exciting change.