Sacramento residents win 11th annual Wyland Foundation conservation pledge challenge

Sacramento (June 9, 2022) Sacramento residents earned the top spot in a national contest for water conservation, the Wyland Foundation announced last week.

The Wyland Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to promoting, protecting, and preserving the world’s oceans, waterways, and marine life, organizes the conservation challenge each year in April. Throughout the month, mayors across the United States challenge their communities to save water, protect watersheds and reduce their carbon footprint.

Residents were encouraged to make their pledge to save water at the Wyland Foundation website. Final numbers were released at the beginning of June with Sacramento holding the top spot.

Sacramentans logged in and made 9,556 pledges which included pledges to:

• save 38,161,826 gallons of water

• reduce single-use plastic water bottles by 94,804

• eliminate 2,416 pounds of hazardous waste from entering watersheds

• reduce 1,051,953 pounds of waste in landfills

• reduce their carbon footprint by 152,482,634 pounds of carbon dioxide

• save 2,605,519 kilowatt hours of electricity

Mayors from 40 states participated and the top five are considered the winners. Winning cities are the cities with the highest percentage of residents making pledges during the campaign. Other high scoring cities include Palm Coast, Fla.; Houston; Laguna Beach, CA and Miramar, Fla. In total, more than 300,000 pledges were made nationally.

Residents from winning cities will be entered into a drawing for prizes including $3,000 towards their annual home utility bill, home irrigation equipment, and a home improvement shopping spree. The Wyland Foundation and Toyota work with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to present the challenge. The campaign also provides tools for residents to conduct tree plantings, clean ups and storm drain stenciling

Residents were also asked to nominate a deserving charity to receive a 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid vehicle. The winning charity will be announced in the near future.