No Take Backs & Low Flow Shower Tests

A lawsuit now underway in New York City could change how local governments deal with electronics waste- things like old cell phones and computers. Samara Freemark reports.



Electronics waste contains all sorts of hazardous chemicals, but safely recycling it is expensive.

So 19 states have passed ‘take back’ laws that require manufacturers to take back old electronics and pay to recycle them.

Now manufacturers are challenging these laws. Two industry groups have sued New York City. They want the city’s take back law overturned.

Kate Sinding is a lawyer with the Natural Resources Defense Council, which has joined the suit on the side of New York. She says a decision in the case could have consequences beyond electronics take backs.


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There are a lot of deeper questions that are raised by the lawsuit, including issues of corporate responsibility. If somebody’s going to produce something that has toxic components, what is their ongoing responsibility to deal with that, even when it’s sold into the mkt?

A decision in the case is expected next year.





This is The Environment Report.

People who like to take showers, do not like to compromise. So, even if it means saving hot water, many people would rather indulge themselves. Lester Graham and Greenovation TV’s Matt Grocoff took a look at the new generation of high-efficiency shower heads to see how they performed.
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Showers use a lot more water than you might think. At two-and-a-half gallons a minute, a ten minute shower means 25-gallons of heated water.
Matt Grocoff has been testing some new shower heads in his home in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He says if you’re not thinking about saving water now, chances are you will be.
“By 2013, the EPA estimates that there’s going to be 36 states that will face catastrophic water shortages.”

Matt says… you might have tried a low-flow shower head before… and gave up on it.

Matt: “With old school low-flow shower heads, it was a huge sacrifice. They didn’t work. They just constricted the flow. With these new high-tech shower heads that have been completely re-designed, they’re so much better you’re going to sacrifice zero comfort.”
Lester: We’re going to test your theory, ‘cause we brought our resident skeptic. Jessi Ziegler’s our Production Coordinator at The Environment Report. And, what do you like about showers?
Jessi: I am a self-proclaimed shower snob. Long. Hot. High-pressure.
Matt: I guarantee you, you’re going to consider these showers a luxurious shower.
Lester: Let’s check it out.
(WALKING)

The first shower head Matt shows us is a Bricor.

Matt: The one we have here uses only one gallon-per-minute.
Lester: Roll up your sleeve. Let’s get in there.
Jessi: I don’t know. The pressure is not as high as I would like. I mean, I want it to feel like a fire hydrant just got opened up and this is a little bit drippy for me.
Matt: Alright, so you’re going to need a little bit more than this one?
Jessi: I need more oomph.
Matt: Let’s first go try the one down in the basement.
(STAIRS)
The second model is a Hansgrohe – Croma which uses one-point-six gallons-per-minute.
Matt: Now that one’s going to have a whole lot more flow, but feel just as good as a two-point-five.
Jessi: Okay. We’ll see about this. (pause, sound of shower) Eh, it’s okay. It’s alright.
Matt: You are tough.
Jessi: I am tough. I mean I grew up with high school locker room showers. I’m used to like 1950s – SHOOSH – five-million gallons-a-minute.
Matt: Is it a good drenching shower, this one?
Jessi: It does have a wide surface area. That’s nice.

We head up to the second floor—where Matt has one more chance to impress Jessi with this new generation of high efficiency shower heads.
Matt: This is our Bricor Elite 1.5 gallon-a-minute shower head.
Jessi: Okay. (sound of shower) That feels better. You’re right, you did save the best for last. The oomph is there.
Matt: Alright! So with that oomph, would you say that’s as good as the shower head you have at home?
Jessi: It’s up there.
Matt: What if I told you if you replace your shower head, this shower head will save you one-hundred dollars a year on your utility bill.
Jessi: It would really save me a hundred dollars a year?
Matt: For the average sized home, changing one single shower head will save you over eleven-thousand gallons of water. But it’s not just saving water, it’s saving you hot water. And so it’s saving you electricity or gas to heat that.

But, Matt says there’s a problem. You can’t get these new generation shower heads just anywhere.
Matt: I’m not going to lie to you. These shower heads, right now, are cutting edge. They’re not that easy to find. The good news is soon you’re going to be able to see these in your Home Depots and everywhere else. Right now, you can go online and buy these. And you can go to Greenovation.TV and find some places where you may be able to purchase these yourself.
Lester: Cost?
Matt: Cost-- anywhere between $30 to a $100 for the highest-end Bricor.
Lester: So, are you persuaded, Jessi?
Jessi: A hundred dollars a year, that’s quite a bit of money.
Lester: That’s Jessi Ziegler and Matt Grocoff with Greenovation-dot-TV. Thanks very much, Matt.
Matt: Thank you, Lester. And here’s to happy showering!
Lester: For The Environment Report. I’m Lester Graham.