Irrigation & Green Industry - Eco-Green Sustainable Landscapes

Recycling Our Most Precious Resource -

Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 PDT

"Buy land,” the old saw—attributed to both Will Rogers and Mark Twain—goes. “They’re not making any more of it.” Whichever of the storied American humorists said it, he had a point. It took 100 years to get from a world population of one billion to 2.5 billion (in the year 1950).

It took 50 years to go from that number to six billion at the end of the 20th century. Now, we’re at seven billion and counting . . . all on the same terra firma. It’s not just land that they’re not making any more of, either. It’s also water.

Green Water Recapture Systems -

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:00:00 PDT

Today’s irrigation customer is more environmentally savvy than the customer of 20 or 30 years ago. The burgeoning emphasis in our industry on sustainability has stuffed a whole mess of new concerns into the mind of the consumer. Can we include a green roof? What do you think about permeable pavers? Can we design green spaces to soak up excess stormwater?

Hardscapes Can Be Green, Too -

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:00:00 PDT

When we think “eco-green,” we think about low-volume irrigation, native plants, stormwater recycling, rain barrels, and the like. We think about projects that blend with the environment and make the most of natural resources while having the smallest possible environmental footprint.

Creating an Award-Winning Sustainable Landscape -

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:00:00 PST

Van Westervelt, who has been in the landscape business for years, finally decided that it was time to take a busman’s holiday and make the yard as beautiful as the lakeshore...and do it with a focus on sustainability, minimum care, and harmony with the natural environment.

Recycling is Eco-Friendly -

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 00:00:00 PST

WHEN THE PIONEERS WERE HEADING across the plains, nothing ever went to waste. Women knitted wool scraps into mittens and dolls’ clothing, and boiled ashes and animal fat into soap. Anything on the trail that could be burned was used for heating. Back then, recycling and repurposing was a necessity.

Edible Landscapes -

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 00:00:00 PDT

“When they’re shipped out, the tomatoes are not as fresh, so they’re not really bred for their taste,” says Jeff Robbins, a landscape contractor and cofounder of Revolution Landscape in San Diego, California. “But with heirlooms, each one tastes different.

Sustainable Landscapes . . . Naturally -

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 00:00:00 PDT

As professionals who earn our living working with the soil, we, at times, don’t take full advantage of Mother Nature.

A Postage-Sized Paradise . . . the Eco-Green Way -

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 00:00:00 PDT

SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA, USED to be a sleepy beach town. To house its seasonal visitors, small homes and bungalows were built on very small pieces of property. However, it was only 12 miles from downtown Los Angeles.

Make Every Day Earth Day -

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 00:00:00 PDT

Marking its 41st anniversary, Earth Day 2011 will be celebrated on Friday, April 22, with festivals and special events all centered on the importance of protecting the environment.

Green Walls: Living Art for a Healthy Environment -

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 00:00:00 PST

Green walls are not a new concept-ivy has been crawling up the sides of walls and buildings for centuries. But today, green wall installations are explicitly being requested and who can argue with that?

Can Cities Rise to the Challenge? -

Sat, 18 Dec 2010 00:00:00 PST

The answer to that question is a conditional yes. It depends, and it requires careful and coordinated planning on the part of property owners and city governments. It also requires the will of not just a few, but a majority of urban people.

A Landscape Company Goes Green -

Mon, 18 Oct 2010 00:00:00 PDT

About 10 years ago, David DuBois, president and CEO of Mission Landscape Companies, Inc., Irvine, California, saw the handwriting on the wall.

Office Park Facelift Goes Green -

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 00:00:00 PDT

THERE IS LITTLE DOUBT THAT IN the past, landscape design and maintenance have been more about appearance than anything else.

Become a Waterwise Landscape Expert -

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 00:00:00 PDT

When Diane Downey first moved to California from her home in England, she was thrilled by the many ways in which she could indulge her passion for gardening. “I was amazed by all the beautiful plants I could grow,” says Downey. “I was like a kid in a candy store.”

LEEDing the Way Into the Future -

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 00:00:00 PDT

Environmental awareness may feel like a new concept, but the green seeds were actually planted more than forty years ago. Responding to what he perceived to be widespread environmental degradation, the then Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson ...

Eco-Friendly Landscape Services Expand -

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 00:00:00 PDT

Carrollton, Texas-resident Rick Hauser was a typical, hard-working IT professional, director of a software support group for 23 years, until he was let go in December 2008.

Water Wise . . . Sustainable Landscapes -

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 00:00:00 PDT

The ‘Green Movement’ is not a fad, it’s here to stay! As we are challenged by climate change...

Rainwater Reuse for Water Sustainability -

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:00:00 PST

If you drive any type of gas-powered vehicle, you are very much aware that the cost to fill up your tank has skyrocketed.

LEDs Conserve Energy -

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:00:00 PST

DRIVEN BY A GROWING INTEREST in smart eco-friendly solutions, as well as rapidly-rising electrical costs, the entire lighting industry has turned its attention to high-efficiency products.

Alternative Fuels -

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:00:00 PST

The nation spent the first half of the year complaining about expensive oil. It’s now enjoying the cheapest gas in four years, at levels a third of those last July. But what will happen next? Energy analysts say the reprieve will be short, and predict a price hike once the global economy recovers.