THE GREENING OF KEY WEST – RAINWATER HARVESTING

April 19th, 2018 – This informative Presentation is the first in a 3-part series of free events, “The Greening of Key West, Cisterns and Rain Collection”. It is being sponsored by and held at the Courtyard by Marriott | Key West Waterfront, across from K-Mart.  This “How To” presentation will take place on Sunday, April, 29th from 11:45 am until 3:30 pm. It is designed to assist homeowners, contractors and BPAS Permit Holders in building working rain collection systems from 1,000 to 2,500 gallons. Rain Harvesting is long term and inexpensive.

Whether contractor or homeowner, after this environmentally important seminar you will know hardware and components and their costs. You will know how to safely build, collect and store rainwater for household and landscape use for your own project. It will be helpful to bring all information from your own wish-list project, a calculator plus something to write on.

The organizer, Ric Lightner is a Florida and U.S. Southeast Regional Representative for the American Rainwater Collection Systems Association. ARCSA’s goal is to promote sustainable rainwater harvesting practices to help solve potable, nonpotable, stormwater and energy challenges throughout the world.

As a Certifying Agent for the Florida Green Building Coalition and USGBC LEED AP BD+C. He has certified only platinum level residential units, winning highest FGBC platinum award in 2016 in the State of Florida and second highest in 2017. All 94 units were built at 1.5% above normal construction costs.

This presentation includes Alison Higgins, Key West Sustainability Director who will discuss how to fulfill the requirements of Key West’s green Building Permit Allocation System (BPAS) 1,000 gallon rainwater collection for new and restored buildings.

Julie Cheon of the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority will give step by step instructions for restoring cisterns and abandoned septic tanks for irrigation including a bonus $500.00 rebate credit.

Alison Kerr of the Monroe County Health Department will describe how to successfully make application for permit and how to keep your cisterns healthy.

Michelle Robinson, Biologist for Monroe County Planning and Environmental Resources and Mark Songer of the environmental watchdog group, Last Stand, will anchor the lecturers. Their topics will be the impact of sea level rise on the Everglades restoration, its indicator species and now how that restoration will impact water quality in Florida Bay and the Keys.

One-half day parts two and three will feature “Energy’ and Keys ‘Disaster Mitigation” in the summer and fall.

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