We Need Water

Welcome back to Season 2 of We Need Water! To kickoff our season we are speaking with Jessi Bloom about how to rip out your lawn. What are the benefits of doing this? Why would you do such a thing? And tips and tricks for how to plan your turf removal. We cover some of Jessi’s favorite tools, plants, and techniques for creating an outdoor space that requires less work and less water. Jessi was born and raised in the PNW and has a strong background of horticulture and environmental sciences. Her early experience ranged in project management, from organizing restoration projects with community volunteers, to high-end residential and commercial landscape design/build. In early 2000, she decided to start an ethical business in the green industry to fill a niche for organic and ecological landscaping.  Seattle Times named her a “rockstar in the ecological gardening movement“, with her leadership combined with artistic design talents she led N.W. Bloom to numerous environmental awards, traveling nationwide as a speaker and is the best-selling author:  Free-Range Chicken Gardens (2012)  Practical Permaculture Design(2015)which is now in 6 languages; and Creating Sanctuary: Sacred Garden Spaces, Plant Based Medicine and Daily Practices to Achieve Happiness and Well-Being (2017) and its companion workbook Everyday Sanctuary(2019)  Jessi’s work has gotten press and been featured in many national and local media outlets from the NY Times, Better Homes & Gardens, Sunset Magazine, DISNEY, Martha Stewart Living, Mother Earth News, UTNE Reader, Fine Gardening Magazine and PBS’s Growing a Greener World TV. Jessi is passionately committed to volunteering in the community and sits on several advisory boards within the green industry and educational/environmental organizations; hoping to empower people, also raising industry standards, and helped develop the EcoPro program for WA State. Currently she was appointed as an Agriculture Commissioner for King County, as well a member of the WA DNR Urban and Community Forestry Committee.  She has 3  kids and spends time with them around their little farm, with a handful of animals and gardens to look after.  When she is not working, she enjoys the outdoors: snowboarding, hiking, her horses, running, yoga, biking, rollerskating and stays strong with Olympic weightlifting.Learn more about Cascade Water Alliance’s We Need Water ProgramFollow us on Instagram and Facebook @weneedh20Watch the episode on Youtube

What does the lawn of the future look like? They will need to adapt to the changing climate and the hotter and drier summers in the PNW. That means less grass, which in turn means less watering, fertilizer, weeding and WORK! Your home landscape could require far less maintenance and look more beautiful if you removed some of your grass. Welcome to this episode: Lawns of the Future, with gardener extraordinaire and speaker, Marianne Binetti. We discuss the reasons to remove some of your turf, how to transform your lawn, and the benefits you will see. Plus some of Marianne’s favorite plants, and her tried and true method to starting transforming your lawn into something new!In this episode, we discuss:What is the problem with grass? (1:00)Letting your lawn go golden (2:00)Biological deserts (3:30)Good alternatives for lawn (4:45)What are some of the issues with your lawn? (6:50)How water and fertilizer needs change when you remove grass? (8:30 )How do you get started with transforming your lawn? (10:13)Why you shouldn’t use a sod remover (12:45)Recap: Steps to take to transform lawn (19:37)Replacing your lawn can cost nothing! (20:25)Other resources (21:35)Marianne Binetti is a northwest horticultural expert: Marianne has a degree in horticulture from Washington State University and writes a syndicated gardening column that runs in over a dozen newspapers each week including the The Tacoma News Tribune (Sundays) and The Daily Olympian (Saturdays). She has also written or co-written 10 gardening books including "Easy Answers for Great Gardens" and her latest book "Edible Gardening for Washington and Oregon" She lectures and gives seminars on a variety of topics, has appeared on HGTV and hosts radio and TV programs. Marianne leads garden tours around the world with her husband Joe. Learn more about Cascade Water Alliance’s We Need Water ProgramFollow us on Instagram and Facebook @weneedh20Watch the episode on Youtube

Do you know about PFAS? Have you ever wondered it it’s in your water? PFAS are a group of over 12,000 forever chemicals that are found in everyday products like nonstick pans, food packaging, rain gear, and even organic kale! It’s also being found in drinking water, and has negative impacts on human health and our environment. The US Geological Survey recently released a report about PFAS in the US water supply where they tested drinking water in over 700 homes across the US – and we are sharing the highlights in this episode. Research Hydrologist, Kelly Smalling of the US Geological Survey discusses what PFAS is, the risks, safety levels, the hotspots for PFAS in the US, regulatory actions, and treatment technologies.Link to USGS PFAS MapIn this episode, we discuss:What is PFAS (2:00)Where does PFAS come from? (3:05)Is PFAS safe? (5:23) How is the EPA responding to regulating PFAS now? (7:10)What are the effects of PFAS? (9:40)What is the maximum contamination level in drinking water for PFAS? (10:27) Have industries changed the chemicals they are using and producing? (11:52)What is the treatment technology to remove PFAS from drinking water? (13:00)Why did the US Geological Survey create a report on PFAS? (13:55) How many homes did you visit and test?What results did you find in the water samples from US homes?Where was PFAS detected? What are the next steps for research? (21:59)What should people take away from PFAS? (24:06)Where can people find the USGS report on PFAS? (26:03)What do you most enjoy about your job? (26:57)Learn more about Cascade Water Alliance’s We Need Water ProgramFollow us on Instagram and Facebook @weneedh20Watch the episode on Youtube

Have you ever thought about how much water it takes to flush a toilet? Or run your dishwasher? The EPA’s WaterSense program helps consumers choose more water-efficient products with their WaterSense label for faucets, appliances, irrigation, and more.In this episode we sit down with Veronica Blette, Chief of the WaterSense Branch, to talk about how they have helped US homeowners save more than $171 billion dollars in water and energy bills and trillions of gallons of water. Save water, save money, save the planet! In this episode, we discuss:What is the WaterSense Program?How are products reviewed and rated?What are the efficiency standards and performance?Why choose a WaterSense product?What has the impact been?What are the other programs of WaterSense?What does the future hold?Look for the WaterSense label and learn more at: www.epa.gov/watersense or on FacebookVeronica Blette manages the WaterSense program in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Water. She loves working on water efficiency with WaterSense, was the 2016 recipient of the Alliance for Water Efficiency Water Star award, and is the current chair of the Water Conservation Division for the American Water Works Association. At EPA, she has also served as special assistant to the director of the national drinking water program and led the agency’s drinking water infrastructure financing program. Before joining EPA in 1997, she worked in the academic research and environmental consulting fields on projects investigating the effects of acid rain on soils and water quality. She has a B.A. in Geology from Smith College and a M.S. in Geology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Learn more about Cascade Water Alliance’s We Need Water ProgramFollow us on Instagram and Facebook @weneedh20Watch the episode on Youtube

Are you wondering how to adapt your garden to climate change? As our summers become hotter and dryer, learn how to adapt your garden and make it more resilient. In this episode we  speak with best-selling author and business owner, Jessi Bloom of NW Bloom Ecological Services about practical tips, innovative techniques and expert insights to cultivate resilient gardens that thrive. Episode Topics:What is a resilient landscapeHow do we adapt our garden to climate changeWhat is permacultureTrends in landscape maintenanceTips for how to create a resilient gardenSoil healthWater collection and water harvesting Best application for drip applicationAbout Jessi Bloom:Jessi Bloom  was born and raised in the PNW and has a strong background of horticulture and environmental sciences. Her work has gotten press and been featured in many national and local media outlets from the NY Times, Better Homes & Gardens, Sunset Magazine, DISNEY, Martha Stewart Living. She is a speaker and the best-selling author of:  Free-Range Chicken Gardens (2012)  Practical Permaculture Design(2015) which is now in 6 languages; Creating Sanctuary: Sacred Garden Spaces, Plant Based Medicine and Daily Practices to Achieve Happiness and Well-Being  (2017) Everyday Sanctuary (2019)  Learn more about Cascade Water Alliance’s We Need Water ProgramFollow us on Instagram and Facebook @weneedh20Watch the episode on Youtube

Climate change is impacting the PNW right now. In Washington, our summers are getting hotter and drier. Did you know we’ve already lost 15-30% of our snowpack over the last 80 years with even more expected in the next 80 years? Our reservoirs aren’t big enough to withstand large periods of droughts, like in other states like California.What do we need to be doing from a climate change perspective? Enter the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group, which is helping to build climate resilience in the Pacific Northwest. We talked with Research Scientist, Guillaume Mauger to discuss the state of Washington right now and what you can do to help with climate change and adaptation. Episode Topics:What is the UW Climate Impacts GroupDifference between climate mitigation vs adaptationThe two important ways to look at climate changeThe impacts on snowpack and reservoirsWill summers get hotter and drier?Climate Impacts Group research and work in the PNWWorking with tribesThree steps people can take to promote climate adaptation Learn more about Cascade Water Alliance’s We Need Water ProgramFollow us on Instagram and Facebook @weneedh20Watch the episode on Youtube

Who cares about toilets? Billions of people do because they have no where to go. This is a huge impact on our water systems. Enter the World Toilet Organization who's taking action with projects across the globe to address the lack of toilets. We'll talk about why their work matters and get knee deep in the details with Dr. Jack Sim, the world's number one, #2 man.Dr. Jack Sim is a successful businessman who created more than a dozen businesses in Singapore. At the age of 40, he decided to devote his remaining years to helping disadvantaged communities develop sanitation to combat a host of problems caused by the lack of available toilets.Learn more about Cascade Water Alliance’s We Need Water ProgramFollow us on Instagram and Facebook @weneedh20Watch the episode on Youtube

Traditional landscape management involves heavy inputs of water, chemicals, and fossil fuel-powered machinery. The environmental impacts are significant. Sustainable landscaping offers an alternative, but what is it? At its core, sustainable landscaping seeks to work with natural processes to achieve a landscape that is aesthetically pleasing, functional, with lower maintenance. This podcast will explore the techniques involved in sustainable landscaping and the benefits to you and your local environment. Ladd Smith co-founded In Harmony Sustainable Landscapes in 1994 out of his lifelong passion for protecting the environment. In Harmony Sustainable Landscapes is a provider of organic based landscape services in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties in Washington. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Ornamental Horticulture from the University of Nevada, Reno.Learn more about Cascade Water Alliance’s We Need Water ProgramFollow us on Instagram and Facebook @weneedh20Watch the episode on Youtube

What is “organic farming”? How does it differ from traditional farming? How does it affect our water resources? Why does it matter? This podcast will explore these questions and help listeners understand how they can participate in and support organic farming in their communities. Anita Waghani is trained in Permaculture Design, Soil and Water Stewardship, and she’s a Master Gardner. Anita has a Master’s degree in Computer Science from the Illinois Institute of Technology and a Bachelor’s degree in Business from Mumbai, India. She loves using the harvest from her garden to cook, preserve, make herbal teas and medicine. She is constantly learning and experimenting with using local, seasonal ingredients to make her family recipes. She is an avid yoga practioner. Chris Hoffer is the Director of Community Education at Tilth Alliance, where he began working in 2014. He supports a variety of community-based programs, including classes for adults; senior wellness and nutrition education; environmental stewardship; community gardens; and partnerships with community-based organizations. He has a particular passion for composting, drip irrigation, edible landscapes and native plants. Outside of work, Chris enjoys cooking, creating an edible home landscape, restoring Seattle’s urban forest and backpacking throughout the Northwest. Learn more about Cascade Water Alliance’s We Need Water ProgramFollow us on Instagram and Facebook @weneedh20Watch the episode on Youtube

Is the water in Washington REALLY safe to drink? Is tap water healthy for us? Do you need a water filter in your home? Concerns about water quality are prevalent. The U.S. prides itself on clean, safe drinking water, yet, terrible water crises have occurred in Flint, Michigan and Jackson, Mississippi in recent years that seem to contradict the notion of American drinking water being safe. How do we know that our drinking water is safe and something like this won’t happen to us? Join us for our conversation with Environmental Geologist, Jessica Atlakson of the City of Redmond, Washington as she answers all our questions about water quality and safety. Jessica Atlakson is an Environmental Geologist at the City of Redmond, Washington with over 20 years of experience in water quality. She develops quality assurance programs and plans for Redmond’s groundwater, creates groundwater protection codes and assists with groundwater sampling and quality investigations.Let's Connect: Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @weneedH20 Please share, subscribe and review (it helps more than you know!). More info at CascadeWater.org Learn more about Cascade Water Alliance’s We Need Water ProgramFollow us on Instagram and Facebook @weneedh20Watch the episode on Youtube