By Alison WentzellBGgreennews_logo1

Savenia Labs Gets Ready to Premier WaterSavvy Database

Savenia Labs announced today that they have put together a database that compares the price of water across the United States.  What they have found is that water prices are drastically different across the country.  For example, in Atlanta, GA the average family will pay $2,600 per year for water; whereas in Wilmington, DE families will pay approximately $260 per year.

The wide variation in pricing is due to diverse pricing strategies around the country, and they’re not exactly what you’d expect.  Water companies figure water bills based on either a fixed price or a price based off of a household’s water usage, but there are also administrative fees, sewer rates, block rates, and pricing tiers.  Savenia Labs has found that a majority of what we pay on our water bills isn’t actually for water, but rather sewer and administrative fees.  Most surprisingly, though, is that the pricing logic regions use for water doesn’t always make sense.  They found that water was relatively cheap in the Southwest, despite the arid environment, but in regions that are plentiful with water, it is expensive.  The difference being sewer costs.

Savenia Labs hopes that WaterSavvy-DB will inform residents across the nation about the price of water and will help them to purchase the most water and price efficient appliances for their region.  Catherine Norman of Johns Hopkins University praises the WaterSavvy-DB by saying, “Savenia WaterSavvy-DB empowers buyers to make smart choices that support conservation in their communities and helps raise awareness of local water costs.”  Savenia Labs plans to utilize the database to illuminate the hidden costs and environmental impacts of common appliances.

For more information and a sample of the WaterSavvy-DB, check out their blog.

Startup Maryland

The new organization, Startup Maryland has reached enormous success since its launch from the Startup America Partnership.  Their main concentrations are connection, celebration, coaching, and capital.  With all of these four initiatives they hope to help startup businesses ground themselves in today’s economy.  In addition, Startup MD strives to strengthen Maryland’s economy while fostering an economic climate in which companies can leverage the state’s Unfair Advantage.  Unfair Advantage refers to the fact that Maryland provides resources to entrepreneurs that have fueled startup innovations for decades, which no other state has been able to match.

Earlier this year Startup Maryland received even more validation to their success when they were invited to the White House to highlight how their efforts developed over the past year.  Since their inception they have become one of the top 5 startups per capita, and have worked with over 500 startup businesses.  Their successes boost Maryland’s local economy by providing easily accessible resources for startup businesses that might otherwise not succeed.

For more about Startup Maryland, check out their website.

Events

  • Pitch Across Maryland, September 18, 10 am – 1 pm, Bethesda Green, 4825 Cordell Ave, Bethesda, MD

Join Bethesda Green as we host the second annual Pitch Across Maryland Bus Tour.  This event is open to all entrepreneurs seeking the opportunity to make pitches, and connect with potential investors.  For more information email Robert Snyder at robertgsnyder@msn.com and register at www.startupmaryland.org/get-on-the-bus-registration.

  • Food and Water Watch’s Perdue Fair Share Campaign Kick-Off Meeting, September 18, 7-9 pm, Heffner Center, 42 Oswego Ave, Takoma Park, MD 20912

Come out and show support for the Poultry Fair Share Act, which would end Big Chicken’s free ride on pollution in the Bay and make them pay to clean it up.  This first meeting will provide further information about the campaign and what you can do to help.

  • Montgomery County Food Council General Council Meeting, September 18, 7-9 pm, Bethesda Green, 4825 Cordell Ave, Bethesda, MD

Learn 10 Easy Steps to Greening a Restaurant, which can help any business where food is packaged and consumed!

  • PARK(ing) Day, September 20, 10am-2pm, 7900 Norfolk Ave, Bethesda, MD,

PARK(ing) Day is an annual worldwide event where artists convert metered parking sports to temporary parks to raise awareness about the need for more urban open space and to spark conversations about how public space is created and allocated.  To learn more visit www.parkingday.org.

  • DC Green Festival, September 21-22, 10a-5pm, Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

Come out to the showcase green event of the year, and say hello to Bethesda Green!

  • Norwood Park Day, September 21, 1-4 pm, Norwood Park, 4700 Norwood Drive, Chevy Chase, MD

Volunteer from 1 to 3 to help clean up Norwood Park and stay for the Little Falls Ramblers concert.  Make sure to bring clippers, loppers and gloves!  Free Food will be provided!

Alison Wentzell is a senior at American University and an intern with Bethesda Green.  Her interests in sustainability focus on the community, environmental politics, and cultural aspects of the environmental movement.