Flush with success after saving 2.9 billion gallons of water last year, the 2011 American Standard Responsible Bathroom Tour kicks off in April with visits to more than 100 plumbing wholesale locations in the United States through November.
Open to the public, the walk-through mobile plumbing showroom is expected to attract plumbers, specifiers and other construction professionals, along with environmentalists, researchers, housing authorities, utility personnel and consumers. Visitors will learn about water conservation strategies and view product demonstrations. The tour also has partnered with local water municipalities to promote local rebates available for water efficient faucets, toilets and showerheads.
The 2010 Responsible Bathroom Tour exceeded its goal of contributing two billion gallons of annual water savings by nearly 45 percent, measured by sales of product generated through the tour. This year’s tour will build upon these savings by convincing attendees to adopt new water-conserving behaviors and replace old leaky fixtures with top-rated WaterSense-certified toilets, faucets and showerheads.
Water savings progress throughout 2011 will be tracked on the Responsible Bathroom Tour website,TheResponsibleBathroomTour.com, which also lists the tour schedule.American Standardalso offers the fun and interactiveResponsibleBathroom.comwebsite, which educates the public about simple steps that can be taken to decrease the amount of water used daily. In total, American Standard expects to save a total of 18 billion gallons of water this year, through its forecasted installations of home and commercial water-saving plumbing products, and visitors’ pledged water savings efforts via these websites.
The Responsible Bathroom Tour and website are two of several initiatives by American Standard Brands to raise awareness of practical water conservation solutions. Other efforts include a two-year, $1 million commitment to support the Nature Conservancy, a leading global conservation organization; sponsorship of the Green Building Program, a unique K-12 curriculum that teaches students about sustainability and the environment, through a partnership with the Green Education Foundation; and participation in the New Jersey Water Savers “Water Champions” pilot program, with American Standard donating more than $100,000 worth of high-efficiency plumbing products to schools and other public buildings throughout New Jersey.