• In support of 2011 World Water Day, Rain Bird awards over $50,000 to local and global water conservation programs receiving the most online votes
AZUSA, CA, Mar. 22, 2011 -- Rain Bird announced today the winners of its 2010-2011 Intelligent Use of Water Awards program, as determined by online voting over a four month period by visitors to the competition website, www.IUOWAwards.com. Over 275,000 total votes were cast for 85 different water conservation projects that will support sustainability and green spaces When voting officially closed on March 15th, and following a verification of votes, 10 winners claimed over $50,000 in funds: four $1,500 winners, three $5,000 winners, and three $10,000 winners were named today in celebration of 2011 World Water Day.
Participants of the Intelligent Use of Water Awards program were asked to enter their project on www.IUOWAwards.com in order to vie for enough support from the public to be awarded the grant. The social media driven program was designed to support environmentally sustainable projects that promote green spaces with the efficient use of water. Voters were invited to anonymously cast votes on their favorite projects on a daily basis until voting closed on March 15th, 2011.
The 2010-2011 Intelligent Use of Water Awards winners are as follows:
$1,500 Winners
Forestry Nursery, Nkambe, Cameroon, Africa
Water Harvesting Facility, University of Montevallo, Alabama
Green Spaces Pollution Prevention, Fallbrook Public Utility District, Fallbrook, California
Composting Toilets, Easton, Pennsylvania
$5,000 Winners
Community Garden and Open Classroom, EARTHS Elementary School, Thousand Oaks, California
Rain Garden, Reiman Gardens, Ames, Iowa
Rain Garden, Friends of Lower Muskingum River, Marletta, Ohio
$10,000 Winners
Water Education at Nebraska State Fair, Grand Island Groundwater Gaurdians, Grand Island, Nebraska
Sanitation and Reusable Water to Ugandan Schools, Drop in the Bucket, Uganda, Africa
Irrigation System, Amazing Heart Farm, Orrtanna, Pennyslvania
More information about the winners can be found at www.IUOWAwards.com.
"The Intelligent Use of Water Awards program really broadened the reach of how Rain Bird can effectively impact those who are improving their local communities with water conservation and the preservation of green spaces," said Dave Johnson, Rain Bird's director of corporate marketing. "It is exciting to know that projects close to home and also water conservation efforts across the globe can benefit and maintain the important work they do for their local communities."
Now in its fourth year, the annual Intelligent Use of Water Awards program recognizes individuals and organizations whose innovation, leadership, ingenuity and dedication to the management and protection of Earth's most precious natural resource through improved landscape water-efficiency raises the standard for outdoor water conservation. Since 2007, both individuals and organizations have been honored for their completed projects, the 2010-11 Intelligent Use of Water Awards program aimed at encouraging and funding future water conservation projects, worldwide.
In developing the program, Rain Bird assembled a team of partners that share a common goal of helping individuals and organizations make an impact in their community through the Intelligent Use of Water. Partnering in support of the Intelligent Use of Water Awards program were The Alliance for Water Efficiency, The American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA), The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) and the Environmental Institute for Golf (EIG), Golfdom magazine, Growing A Greener World, Landscape Management magazine, The National Gardening Association, Pebble Beach Resorts, Project WET, Smart Approved WaterMark, The Gardener Guy, and The Groundwater Foundation.
For more information on the Intelligent Use of Water Awards, please visit www.iuowawards.com. Become a fan of Rain Bird on Facebook at facebook.com/RainBirdCorp, and follow Rain Bird on Twitter, @RainBirdCorp.
About Rain Bird Corporation
Based in Azusa, Calif., Rain Bird Corporation is the leading manufacturer and provider of irrigation products and services. Since its beginnings in 1933, Rain Bird has offered the industry's broadest range of irrigation products for farms, golf courses, sports arenas, commercial developments and homes in more than 130 countries around the world. Rain Bird has been awarded more than 130 patents, including the first in 1935 for the impact sprinkler. Rain Bird and The Intelligent Use of Water is about using water wisely. Its commitment extends beyond products to education, training and services for the industry and the community. Rain Bird maintains state-of-the-art manufacturing assembly facilities in the United States, France, Sweden and Mexico http://www.rainbird.com.
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