Professional Profile- John Smith
Green Plumbers May Be Golden Secret in Water Conservation
By Brock Sheridan
When terms such as “green industries”, “sustainability businesses” or “eco-friendly work environments” are tossed around, “plumbing” is quite likely not top of mind for the average person in that context. John Smith and his Rooter 2000 Plumbing in central and southern Arizona, believe just the opposite to be true – especially with the obvious relationship between water and plumbing.
Like most green individuals and companies and as President of the Arizona Green Plumbers, Smith recognizes that Earth’s natural resources must be protected and sustained not only for today, but for future generations. As water becomes an ever increasing valuable commodity, Smith says plumbing can best provide those families and businesses the efficiencies and savings that are becoming ever more important and in demand.
The key, says Smith, is knowing a simple green economics principal that states: energy saved results in money saved. And well qualified green plumber has among his knowledge and tools, plenty of solutions to provide clients with exactly those money saving results.
There are many ways of upgrading existing plumbing systems including the installation of high-efficiency faucets, shower heads, and toilets to name some of the obvious. A Green Plumber can also help clients conform to money saving programs such as the EPA’s WaterSense partnership, where products that carry the WaterSense label are generally 20 percent more water-efficient than similar products on the marketplace.
For the more remote – but perhaps no less significant savings, Arizona Green Plumbers provides a free consultation service to help clients discover all the ways their home can become more environmentally efficient.
As a board member of the Ronald McDonald House in Southern Arizona, Smith put money and energy where his mouth is. In partnership with Gerber in 2010, together they raised money to purchase energy efficient fixtures, (which he installed) before obtaining WaterSmart certification for the House from the City of Tucson. Smith said the effort has reduced water usage in the Ronald McDonald House by an estimated 20%. That utility savings alone will have a positive impact to the finances of the House, allowing them to spend those monies elsewhere in the charity.
For that and many of his other efforts in Green Plumbing, Smith was recognized as the Green Plumber of the Year 2010 by Green Plumbers USA, an organization with more than 6,000 members nation-wide.
The award is given based on extraordinary work for charity to the community, for commitment to employee training, for upholding the Green Plumber code of ethics and for implementing the Green Plumber brand within the profession.
Smith also hosts the weekly pod cast The Arizona Green Plumber where is topics have included everything form xeriscaping, green cleaning products, water saving measure and all else that is green plumbing. Smith also spends time at different green themed events in Southern Arizona, demonstrating rain barrels, efficiency toilets, and educating about other water savings devices and habits.
While water is relatively affordable today, it may not be long before it becomes a much more valuable commodity – especially in the arid climates in the southwestern and the warmer humid climates in the southern United States. Not surprisingly, water conservation has been a topic now garnering much more attention in recent years among conservations and conservatives alike.
What has not been so apparent, however, is perhaps among the most obvious ways to conserve water and improve usage efficiency – plumbing. But that is not acceptable to plumbers like John Smith and his Rooter 2000 crew and associate Green Plumbers nationwide. They are bringing that green message to families, businesses, charities and seminars as the information begins to drip through their communities.
And as every plumber knows, a drip today can turn into a wave tomorrow.
For more information on greening your plumbing:
855-843-8645
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