Sustainability

. . . . getting with it !

Midwest Ecological Landscape AssociationFeb. 25, 2010

By Ron HallLandscape Management Magazine

Our goal today is to: …. define sustainability in relation

to the products and services we offer clients and communities.

…. determine how best to build sustainable practices into our businesses and our services.

Sustainability

Why this is vital It provides us and our

teams with a clear vision of the environmental, social and business reasons for what we do.

Sustainability

Our unique Green IndustryConstruction:Construction: We’re architects,

designers, constructors — We’re builders.

Manufacturing:Manufacturing: We’re maintainers with an assembly line, manufacturing approach to business.

AgricultureAgriculture: We’re plant growers, plant health experts with an agriculture mentality & plant/soil knowledge skills.

Sustainability

A positive business to be in We install it, grow it, maintain it, renovate it, replace it

Ongoing revenue stream

Great personal satisfaction

Great benefits to consumers, economy, the ENVIRONMENT

Sustainability

Our very unique industry• We use expensive vehicles and equipment and use lots of fuel to deliver services.

• We’re heavily dependent upon unskilled, low-wage labor.

• Our products and services are daily and directly affected by Mother Nature’s whims.

Sustainability

Sustainability’s driversEPA’s Watersense

State and EPA emission regs

CA Water Efficient Landscape Ordinances

Canadian pesticide bans

Pesticide use restrictions — CT, NJ

Fertilizer use restrictions — MN, MI, MD, FL

SSI: The biggest driver? Sustainable Sites Initiative = nation’s first rating system for sustainable landscapes

Voluntary national guidelines and performance benchmarks for sustainable land design, construction and maintenance practices.

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, the ANLA and the U.S. Botanic Garden

http://www.sustainablesites.org/

Sustainability is the capacity to

endureIn ecology sustainability describes how biological systems remain diverse and productive over time. For humans it is the potential for long-term maintenance of wellbeing, which in turn depends on the wellbeing of the natural world and the the responsible use of natural resources.

Definitions

Sustainability’s main points

Diversity of natural systems restored, maintained

Resources clean or cleaner at end use as beginning.

Enhanced local and regional self-reliance

Create and maintain community and culture of place

Balance between resources used, resources regenerated

“Leave the world (landscape?) better than you found it, take no more than you need, try not to harm the environment, make amends if you do,”�Paul Hawken, The Ecology of Commerce

“Sustainable development (landscaping?) comprises types of economic and social development that protect and enhance the natural environment and social equity,” author unknown

More definitions

Experiences color our

perceptions!

Sustainability

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (LZW) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Urbanization of the U.S.A. 80% of U.S. population lives in urban areas

majority are suburbanites

Core city residents make up about 30%

Combined they occupy 2% of U.S.

The 2nd huge ecological

From natural systems to corn, beans, wheat

From ag to big boxstores, fast food joints, housing developments

disruption

Our growing urban regions

Earthobservatory.nasa.gov

Exurbs….what are they? Communities beyond the suburbs

Cheap land, cheap fuel, lower taxes

Car culture, pedestrian unfriendly

U.S. population 438 million by 2050

People, Planet, Profits 3 great

opportunities! Green roofs, one of three great services that meets the 3 P’s

Intelligent water water management (runoff & irrigation)

Comprehensive Plant Health Care services; IPM just being one aspect

“A sustainable society (landscape?) is one which satisfies its needs without diminishing the prospects of future generations,”� Lester R. Brown, Founder and President, Worldwatch Institute

“A thing (landscape?) is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise,�” Aldo Leopold, A Land Ethic, from Sand County Almanac

Sustainability definitions

Sustainability the 4 R’s

www.epa.gov/greenscapes

Reduce — Minimize turf, keep natural areas, minimize soil & site disruptions

Reuse — Chip woody and pallets waste into mulch, reuse soils within the work site

Recycle — Triple rinse, recycle plastic containers, recycle used oil and tires; compost or send green waste to be composted

Rebuy — Amended soils with compost, benches of recycled plastic

Implementation: one step at a

time Kickoff meeting with key personnel

Owner/key managers must be committed.

Clear idea of what which initiatives you want to tackle.

Start with initiatives easiest to implement and return the best ROI.

Get quick wins to build enthusiasm!

Implementation: next steps Incorporate one new green component into your company at a time.

Find champions to lead, monitor and measure your company’s efforts.

Share what’s working and what’s not working with your team.

Celebrate wins with your team to keep enthusiasm high.

Implementation: one step at a time Employee wellness programs

Increase employee training

Saving fossil fuels in your fleet: GPS, no idling rule, reassessing vehicle needs

Recycling, office, yard, landscape waste

Energy-efficient lights, windows

Communicate and live it!

Sustainability

Green roofs Clean and retain rain water Reduce “urban heat island effect” Add beauty to our urban environments Help lower air temperature Improve air quality for everyone Lower heating and cooling costs Extend the life of roof materials

Chicago is U.S. leader . . . .

Green roofs More than 200 green roofs

More than 3 million sq. ft.

Total water managementLet’s look at water in the landscape in a larger, more comprehensive sense — be creative.

Total water management

Proper design

Proper installation

Proper maintenance

Smart irrigation systems

Total water management

Permeable pavers

Bioswales, rain gardens

Native areas

Greywater use

Cisterns, rain barrels

Capturing runoff and rainwater

PHC = Plant Health Care

Evolving behind IPM. Using holistic and ecologically sound principles to grow a wide range of plants and prevent problems.

A positive message

PHC = Plant Health Care

If the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail (a pesticide?)

Feeding, pruning, cultivating, mulching……finally IPM

Consider Your Options

PHC = Plant Health Care

Replacing plants prone to disease

Mulching, planting ground covers to reduce weeds

Spacing plants for better air circulation

Preventing the Problem

PHC = Plant Health Care Setting client expectations

Observing and scouting

Healthy, living soils

Adapted species, right climates

Proper cultural practices (Mowing, nutrition, irrigation.)

Finally. . . Pesticide use

We bring joy to our communitiesImagine a home without flowers and trees. A community without trees and grassy parks. A community without the change of the seasons and their many colors.

My contact information

Ron Hall

Editor at Large

Landscape Management

rhall@questex.com

Landscapemanagement.net

Landscapemanagement.blogspot.com