Bonneville dives into water

Katherine Hamilton on June 23, 2009 1 Comment

Bonneville Environmental Foundation is a long standing player in the Renewable Energy Certificate and voluntary carbon offset markets. Last Friday, at a conference in BEF's hometown of Portland, Oregon, the organization unveiled its entry into water. Their newest product--- the BEF Water Restoration Certificate (WRC).

According to the website, "each certificate enables you to take responsibility for your water consumption by returning back to the environment an amount of water equal to what you use." And how exactly is this organization aiming to reverse your faucet flow? In short, the program 'rents' water rights from holders in the U.S. West, who currently face a "use it or lose it" dilemma.

From the demand perspective, the process echoes the voluntary carbon markets. Much like with the good ol' carbon calculator, individuals first figure out their water usage 'footprint' (gulp) and then (tada!) learn how many Certificates need to be purchased. Giving the calculator a whirl, my personal water footprint was estimated at 20,947 gallons of water a year. The calculator suggested purchasing 25 WRCs for $20 --and promoted water conservation via items such as "toilet fill cycle diverter" and "sink aerator." I'm still debating purchasing my very own WRCs--but intrigued by the concept-- and inspired to swipe my credit card for 'beyond the brick' water conservation gear.

Curious to wade in deeper? Keep a lookout for Tracy Stanton's upcoming Ecosystem Marketplace article for a closer look into Bonneville's Water Restoration Certificates.