For the past 14 years, WMG’s Green Living Co-op program has been advancing Tucson’s water harvesting movement, with Co-op members helping to install rain tanks, greywater systems, rain gardens, and more at each others’ homes. In 2021 alone, we had over 250 volunteers join us for Co-op workshops, and we are pleased to offer hands-on learning opportunities through workshops that are scheduled out until this December.
Since the Co-op started, we have helped lead the charge to reduce the water consumption of Tucson’s landscapes, meet irrigation needs with renewable, local water supplies, and create shady yards and streets that showcase native ecosystems and cool down neighborhoods. These hydro-local efforts have been contagious, and we’ve been thrilled that so many households are interested in these services. At the same time, water harvesting practices have spread throughout the area and become part of the philosophy of many landscape contractors. WMG has been humbled to play a role in training many of our local water harvesting contractors and educators through our seven-day Water Harvesting Certification Course.
However, as the popularity of water harvesting and hydro-local practices grows across Tucson, we know there is work to do to make sure our programs are more accessible to our diverse community, including limited income community members and People of Color. Even with the project discount available to Co-op members, some water harvesting technologies remain unaffordable for many in our community, and the amount of sweat equity required to achieve those discounts has also been a barrier to participation. We are currently reflecting, assessing, and developing new programming to make sure our residential level programs build an inviting, equitable, and diverse movement for hydro-local living. We plan to spend time adapting our program services to be more accessible to neighborhoods and families that are suffering the effects of extreme heat, flooding, and lack of green space, and who don’t have the resources to bring green, sustainable, native food-producing landscapes to their yard.
We will continue to provide ample free classes and activities for everyone in our community to learn about water harvesting, native and edible gardens, and other aspects of hydro-local living, and to continue to take action to restore Tucson’s heritage of creeks and rivers. Our team will continue providing consultations to offer guidance and provide water harvesting designs—great to get you heading in the right direction for a DIY project. We can also provide a list of experienced contractors that offer skilled water harvesting services that you can work with to get your home utilizing local water resources. We will also continue to provide our Do-It-Yourself conservation kits, so you can implement your own greywater, rain garden, and composting toilet kits at home.
To everyone that has volunteered with the Co-op program, we thank you for your commitment to improving Tucson’s relationship with water, restoring our groundwater aquifer, and supporting your neighbors.
Sincerely,
WMG and the Green Living Co-op Team
