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Newsroom
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- GreenScapes Update
- GreenScapes Welcomes New Partners and Allies!
- GreenScapes and National Wildlife Federation at the United States Botanic Garden
- Prepare for Fall with the GreenScapes Seasonal Planner
- GreenScapes Web Buttons Available
- Old Materials find New Life in the Garden: Spotlight on GreenScapes Partner Waterford Tilling
- Grant Opportunity: EPA Solicits Greenhouse Gas Reduction Proposals
- Grant Opportunity: USDA Small Business Innovation Research Program
- Grant Opportunity: EPA's National Clean Diesel Campaign
- Survey indicates Sustainability Increasingly Important for Clients of Landscape Architects
- Consumer Reports Polls Americans on Lawn Care
- Greenscapes Massachusetts issues 2008 Greenscapes
Guide for Homeowners
- Upcoming Conferences of Interest
- Share Your Success Story!
- Share Your Comments with GreenScapes
- Periodical Articles
GreenScapes Update
GreenScapes Welcomes New Partners and Allies!
GreenScapes welcomes the following new Partners and Allies. Congratulations for stepping up to the forefront of environmental protection and sustainability!
- 9th Avenue Designs, LLC (Cleveland Heights, OH)
- ACT Global Sports (Austin, TX)
- Aqua Terra (Panama City, Panama)
- ASGI - Association of Synthetic Grass Installers (Grass Valley, CA)
- Converted Organics, Inc. (Boston, MA)
- Crowley's Concepts (Medford, MA)
- Designer of Greens (Ashland, MA)
- Divisions Maintenance Group, Inc. (Newport, KY)
- Easy-Turf, Inc. (Escondido, CA)
- Ecogardens, LLC (Chicago, IL)
- EcoYourLawn, LLC (Tarzana, CA)
- FieldTurf Tarkett (Montreal, Quebec)
- General Sports Venue, LLC (Raleigh, NC)
- GridTech (Newport, RI)
- Honolulu Botanical Gardens (Honolulu, HI)
- Hopewell Furnace NHS - National Park Service (Elverson, PA)
- ICT Organics, LLC (Columbia, MD)
- Las Flores Landscape, Inc. (Yorba Linda, CA)
- Lawn D'Art Yardscaping (Tacoma, WA)
- The Motz Group (Cincinnati, OH)
- No Ka Oi Landscape Services (Hanapepe, HI)
- Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden (Claremont, CA)
- San Francisco State University (San Francisco, CA)
- TPC Sawgrass (Ponte Vedra Beach, FL)
- Turf Soil and Roots, Inc. (Centreville, VA)
- WaterWise Vistas Landscape Design (North Richland Hills, TX)
- Wildflower Farm, Inc. (Coldwater, Ontario)
GreenScapes and National Wildlife Federation Exhibit at the United States Botanic Garden: One Planet – Ours! Sustainability for the 22nd Century
EPA's GreenScapes joined with the National Wildlife Federation in the United
States Botanic Garden's (USBG) summer exhibition, One Planet - Ours!
Sustainability for the 22nd Century.
Each year from Memorial Day through Columbus Day, the USBG presents temporary,
themed exhibits around the Conservatory and in its outdoor gardens. This
year, the USBG exhibition focuses on sustainability, how it applies to gardens
and the landscape, and how each of us and our communities can live for tomorrow,
as well as today.
The EPA GreenScapes exhibit demonstrates to homeowners and gardeners the
many simple and easy ways to GreenScape their yards. Many of the components
focus on the four R's-reduce, reuse, recycle, rebuy-and the five
easy steps to a greener, healthier yard. The exhibit involves the National
Wildlife Federation's adjacent display to highlight native plants and structures
and garden features welcoming to birds, butterflies, and other backyard
wildlife. Use the map below to locate the GreenScapes exhibit.
One Planet – Ours! will runs through October 13. Please visit One-Planet-Ours
for more information about the exhibit, including a virtual tour. For more
information about gardening for wildlife, please visit the National
Wildlife Federation 
.
Prepare for Fall with the GreenScapes Seasonal Planner
GreenScapes has developed a Seasonal Planner (PDF) (2 pp, 1MB) to help you garden sustainably throughout all the seasons. Fall is just around the corner and The GreenScapes Seasonal Planner reminds you of how your gardening practices should change from Summer to Fall, so that you don't have to keep track of it all yourself. Learn how to save energy, water, and time maintaining your lawn, as the weather cools and the leaves start to fall. We encourage you to share it with friends and colleagues
GreenScapes Web Buttons Available
GreenScapes Alliance Members can use the GreenScapes Web button to link
to our Web site. The button comes in several sizes and different color borders
from which you can pick to match to your Web site. Contact GreenScapes@icfi.com
to obtain the files and instructions.
GreenScapes would love to link our Web site to
yours. We can link to your site only if you have either a GreenScapes information
Web page or an environmental information Web page. If we have a link to
your site, please let us know if the link needs to be updated by emailing
us at GreenScapes@icfi.com and
we'll take care of it right away. To view the current list, please visit
the GreenScapes members page.
Old Materials find New Life in the Garden: GreenScapes Partner Waterford Tilling creates GardenScape 2008 Best of Show Exhibit in Rochester, NY
Waterford Tilling knows that discarded materials can find new life in the garden. This GreenScapes Partner designed and constructed a 600-square-foot Best of Show garden exhibit with 100 percent reused, recycled, and natural materials. Appropriately named, Recycle, ReThink, ReGarden demonstrates how easy and affordable it is to make sustainable landscape decisions that decrease your environmental impact while creating an exciting, innovative, and nurturing garden aesthetic. In fact, Waterford Tilling calculates that choosing used and natural materials over new products saved the company more than $4,000 on the exhibit. Here are some highlights:
Wood pallets, which allow for easier transport and storage, consume almost 50 percent of all hardwood logged in the U.S., according to the Resource Conservation Alliance. While many companies responsibly reuse the pallets, they must be replaced eventually. Waterford Tilling deconstructed discarded pallets and reassembled the pieces to create a wood trellis. The company also constructed the garden's walkway out of reclaimed bluestone, with recycled granite curb pieces sourced locally from Rochester's city streets. Gabions, metal cages filled with rocks and excavated materials, provide stability to coastlines, hillsides, and roadsides.
Gabions can also serve gardens as the core structure for green walls.
Waterford Tilling dramatically cut costs by filling gabions on site with
locally-sourced discarded stones. The company then grew plants vertically
out of this substrate to create green walls. Similar to green roofs, green
walls extend a wall's material lifespan, absorb sound, and control temperature,
reducing costs for insulation, repair and replacement, and heating and cooling.
Recycle, ReThink, ReGarden received the Best of Show award at GardenScape
2008 , the Rochester Flower Show which attracts more than 25,000
people each year with its creative gardening exhibits. For photographs of
Waterford Tilling's exhibit, please visit their photo
gallery .
Grant Opportunity: EPA Solicits Greenhouse Gas Reduction Grant Proposals
EPA is offering a new grant designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency, clean energy, and corporate greenhouse gas management. The application deadline is August 6, 2008. The outcomes for projects supported by this grant might be environmental, behavioral, health-related or programmatic in nature, but must be quantitative. The total estimated funding for this competitive opportunity is approximately $6 million. EPA anticipates awarding one to ten grants, ranging in annual value from $40,000 to $90,000. Proposals will be accepted from States, local governments, Indian Tribes, international organizations, universities and colleges, hospitals, laboratories, and other public or private non-profit organizations. For more information, please visit the Office of Air and Radiation's Grants and Funding page.
Grant Opportunity: USDA Small Business Innovation Research Program
The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) gives competitively-awarded grants to qualified small businesses to support high quality, advanced concepts research related to important scientific problems and opportunities in agriculture that could lead to significant public benefit if successful.
The objectives of the SBIR Program are to stimulate technological innovations in the private sector; strengthen the role of small businesses in meeting Federal research and development needs; increase private sector commercialization of innovations derived from USDA-supported research and development efforts; and foster and encourage participation by women-owned and socially- and economically-disadvantaged small business firms in technological innovations.
SBIR Phase I grants range between $70,000 and $80,000 and are limited to the duration of 8 months. Applications are due September 4, 2008. Participation by university faculty or government scientists in SBIR projects is strongly encouraged. For more information, please visit USDA Funding Opportunities.
Grant Opportunity: EPA's National Clean Diesel Campaign
EPA is soliciting proposals for the development and commercialization of emerging technologies that reduce diesel emissions. EPA will provide funding assistance to selected eligible entities through a cooperative agreement. EPA anticipates awarding roughly 2-5 cooperative agreements ranging in value from approximately $200,000-$1,000,000. Proposals are due September 21.
EPA's National Clean Diesel Campaign (NCDC) and its seven collaboratives (EPA regional offices and public and private sector partners) will administer almost $50 million in grant funding available to establish clean diesel projects aimed at reducing emissions from the nation's existing fleet of diesel engines, as authorized by the Energy Policy Act of 2005. EPA will continue to roll out grant opportunities through the spring. Please visit NCDC's Grants and Funding page for more information.
Survey indicates Sustainability Increasingly Important for Clients of Landscape Architects
Sustainability is increasingly importance for the clients of landscape
architects, according to a
recent survey conducted by the American Society of Landscape Architects
.
Landscape architects said 73 percent their clients are very interested
in sustainable issues. The survey compares attitudes from the first quarter
of 2008 to the same period from the year before. Clients' most pertinent
concerns focused around water-related issues, such as stormwater management
and bioswales, with energy efficiency related to irrigation, lower maintenance,
native plants and fewer lawns second. Other important sustainability issues
included accreditation, habitat, green roofs and links to transportation,
trails and parks.
Consumer Reports Polls Americans on Lawn Care
A new Consumer Reports' poll indicates that 26 percent of Americans would
prefer less lawn and more flowers, rocks, or native landscaping. 23 percent
of Americans spend at least 5 hours doing yard work each week, and 25 percent
have disagreements with family members over how and when to mow their lawns.
In the Columbus
Dispatch's coverage of the survey
, the paper directed readers interested in more organic lawn
care to the GreenScapes Web site.
Greenscapes Massachusetts issues 2008 Greenscapes Guide for Homeowners
The Greenscapes Massachusetts program is a collaborative education and
outreach effort sponsored by an EPA GreenScapes Ally, the Massachusetts
Bay Estuary Association, and many other NGOs and groups. The Greenscapes
Massachusetts program seeks to educate citizens and professionals about
landscaping practices (particularly irrigation and chemical use) to lower
their environmental impact; create an informed and proactive citizenry that
acts as environmental stewards in their own backyards; and generate broad
support for the responsible public management of water resources (quality
and quantity).
Greenscapes Massachusetts recently issued its 2008 Greenscapes Guide, a
20-page resource for sustainable home gardening with information on GreenScapes
topics such as composting, low maintenance tips, and pesticide and fertilizer
alternatives. Although the guide was developed for Massachusetts residents,
most of the information is transferable to other states. To obtain an electronic
copy, please visit the Greenscapes
Massachusetts Web site .
Upcoming Conferences of Interest
21st Northwest
Biosolids Management Association Annual Conference: Pride & Prejudice
September 7-9
Skamania, Washington
The Northwest Biosolids Management Association presents its 21st Annual
Conference in partnership with BioCycle. The theme of this year's conference,
Biosolids Pride and Prejudice, highlights the pride taken in performing
this vital work (treating wastewater and recycling treated resources back
into the water and soil) and the prejudice the industry sometimes faces
with respect to public perception. The second day of the conference will
focus on going green with sessions on the use of biosolids for green fuels
and innovations in anaerobic digestion.
American
Nursery and Landscape Association Kick the Dirt Tours & Talk
September 9-11
Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey
The 2008 Kick the Dirt Tour and Talks will explore the best practices that
bring growers success in the highly competitive East Coast market, from
field-grown trees to innovative container operations. Designed by growers
for growers, the tour allows participants to experience behind-the-scenes
learning, labor saving innovations, and equipment demonstrations. Join owners
and middle managers from production nurseries all across the U.S., as they
candidly share their biggest challenges and best new ideas.
American
Nursery and Landscape Association Landscape Distribution Tour
September 10-11
Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland
It has been said that distribution success is driven by being at the heart
of developing neighborhoods. What happens when room runs out and growth
begins moving farther away? Find out how top Mid-Atlantic companies deal
with heavy competition, encroaching residential development and the many
challenges a maturing market brings.
From the front lines to the back office, this tour will help you control inventory, identify new customers, and load and unload trucks faster and more efficiently.
National
Recycling Coalition's 27th Annual Congress & Expo: Innovation and our
Sustainable Future
September 21-24
Pittsburgh, PA
Innovation, this year's conference theme, is at the center of revitalizing
our shared future in a sustainable economy and environment. The National
Recycling Coalition works toward new and exciting approaches for recovering
and reusing the many diverse and valued materials that, just a short time
ago, were casually thrown away. Recycling remains an evolving American success
story, and with ingenuity and leadership, we continue to build our environmental
future. The conference will cover topics in innovation such as policy, management,
finance, technology, and education. There will be an educational program
as well as ample networking opportunities, workshops, and tours.
8th
Annual BioCycle Conference on Renewable Energy from Organics Recycling
October 6-8
Madison, WI
The BioCycle Conference on Renewable Energy from Organics Recycling includes technical sessions, field trips, and exhibits about methane, ethanol, biodiesel, compost, and bioproducts. Topic highlights include organics recycling and the path to energy independence, composting connections in a renewable energy framework, and anaerobic digestion systems for source-separated organics. BioCycle invites you to submit an abstract on related topics.
WaterSmart Innovations
Conference & Expo
October 8-10
Las Vegas, Nevada
The Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA), in partnership with the EPA's
WaterSense program and other leading national and international organizations
such as Audubon International, invites you to join a new wave in water efficiency.
As the largest conference of its kind in the world, the inaugural WaterSmart
Innovations Conference and Exposition will be the premiere venue for showcasing
new water-efficiency technology to industry and business from around the
globe; building and strengthening effective, interdisciplinary relationships
and establishing your company as an international leader in innovative water
efficiency technology and services.
National Recreation & Parks
Association Congress & Exposition
October 14-18
Baltimore, MD
Join thousands of park and recreation leaders, advocates, partners and suppliers
for networking events, exhibitors, sites, and more than 200 educational
sessions. Keynote speaker Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. will be attending as well
as over 500 exhibitors to provide first-hand experience with the latest
products available in the park and recreation field.
Wastecon 2008
October 19-23
Tampa, FL
For over 40 years, the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA)
has been the leading professional association in the solid waste field,
serving over 7,600 members and thousands more with conferences, certifications,
publications, and technical training courses, all dedicated to advancing
the practice of environmentally and economically sound management of municipal
solid waste. This year, SWANA hosts Wastecon, featuring speakers such as
Sandra Cointreau, SWM advisor to the World Bank; training and certification
in areas such as managing composting or construction and demolition programs;
workshops on topics such as the relationship between SWM and climate change;
tours of waste to energy and vehicle maintenance facilities; and special
events.
20th Annual International Conference on Soil, Sediments, and Water: Expediting
and Economizing Cleanups
October 20-23
Amherst, MA
This year, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst will host the world's
preeminent conference on soil, sediments, and water, attracting 700-800
attendees from state and federal agencies; military; industries including
railroad, petroleum, transportation, and utilities; the environmental engineering
and consulting community; and academia. Expediting and Economizing Cleanups,
this conference's theme, will be supported by the development of a strong
and diverse technical program in concert with a variety of educational opportunities
available to attendees, including exhibitions with live equipment demonstrations,
platform sessions with case studies, and focused workshops. The conference
promises to be an exciting opportunity for all those concerned with the
challenge of developing creative, cost-effective assessments and solutions
that can withstand the demands of regulatory requirements.
2008 Professional Grounds Management Society (PGMS) Grounds Management School
and the Green Industry and Equipment (GIE) EXPO
October 22-25
Louisville, KY
The PGMS School of Grounds Management
will provide attendees with a multidisciplinary education schedule
for the grounds management profession as well as networking programs and
invaluable insider looks at local grounds operations. This year's focus
is sustainability. Highlights include behind-the-scenes tours and sessions
on managing green roofs and the Sustainable Sites Initiative.
GIE will display equipment in a 20-acre outdoor demonstration area adjacent
to the indoor booths so that 150 of the 650 exhibitors can demonstrate how
to use their equipment. Equipment will include outdoor power equipment,
lawn and garden products, outdoor leisure items, light construction and
landscape equipment.
Urban
Land Institute Fall Meeting and Urban Land Expo: Shift Your Thinking!
October 27-30
Miami Beach, FL
Urban Land Institute's 2008 Fall Meeting and Urban Land Expo is the world's
leading conference and exposition for more than 7,500 real estate developers,
investors, and land use professionals. The Fall Meeting is designed to help
you hone your strategic skills, meet the demands of staying on top of your
markets, and remain profitable in today's challenging and changing economic
climate. Speakers include Christiane Amanpour, Vicente Fox, and Paul Volcker.
2008 International
Low Impact Development Conference
November 16-19
Seattle, WA
The 2008 International Low Impact Development (LID) Conference will highlight
new and continuing work including research, developments, and community
adoption of LID throughout the United States and other countries. Topics
of focus include promoting LID as an alternative to traditional stormwater
management; addressing impediments for LID implementation; reviewing procedures
and construction standards related to LID technologies; and improving collective
understanding of how amended soil and vegetation help manage stormwater,
intercept precipitation, expand urban green space, and improve urban livability.
2008
Groundwater Foundation Annual Conference: Going Green for Groundwater (PDF)
(2 pp, 38K, about
PDF)
November 18-20
Desert Hot Springs, CA
The 24th Groundwater Foundation Annual Conference will focus on groundwater
as an important aspect of green programs. Sessions include discussion on
whether the green movement can improve groundwater data trends, and whether
groundwater can catch on as a component of green movements. Additionally,
EPA is scheduled to present on WaterSense, a voluntary program to promote
water efficiency. For more information please visit http://www.groundwater.org/pe/docs_conference/08conf_agenda.pdf.
U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Greenbuild International Conference
and Expo
November 19-21
Boston, MA
Join more than 25,000 green building professionals, thought leaders, and
innovators as Greenbuild 2008 explores "Revolutionary Green: Innovations
for Global Sustainability" with educational sessions, speakers, events
and tours, and a large exhibit hall featuring the latest building products
and systems. Archbishop Desmond Tutu will serve as keynote speaker.
Share Your Success Story!
Would you like to be featured in the next GreenScapes Update? Do you have
a GreenScapes success story you would like to share? We'd like to hear about
it!
We want to help publicize and advocate your efforts by profiling your achievements.
The best ideas, more often than not, come from practical, hands-on experiences.
We'd like to assemble a variety of success stories that demonstrate environmental
and/or economic benefits achieved and that can be replicated by other members.
Have you recently completed a landscaping project with environmental benefits
in mind (e.g., used compost instead of fertilizer, incorporated recycled
plastic products)? Have you received an award or honor for your GreenScaping
work?
To be considered, email a write up to us along with any supporting documentation
(e.g., photographs, turf regrowth rates and results). The initial description
might only be a short paragraph or you may submit a more complete write
up if you have one.
If your success story is selected, we will contact you directly. You can
review existing success stories online. Please
send your stories to GreenScapes@icfi.com.
Share Your Comments with GreenScapes
We want to hear what you think! Tell us about your experiences using tools and resources provided by GreenScapes, the GreenScapes Update, and the Web site. Share your thoughts on what other resources you would find helpful. Email us at GreenScapes@icfi.com with your feedback, comments, or questions.
Send mail to:
US EPA GreenScapes Program
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (MC 5306P)
Washington, DC 20460
Periodical Articles
Provides examples of how, with proper planning, outdoor landscapes featuring indigenous plants save time and money. Anne Vazquez in Today's Facility Manager, January 2006
Composting
Helps Battle Erosion on Roadway Projects
Addresses incorporation of compost for controlling erosion into highway project designs. Features an interview with Jean Schwab, GreenScapes program manager. Gwenyth Laird Pernie in Construction Equipment Guide News, August 2005
Special
Report: 'Green' Landscapes - Going Deeper into 'Green'
Planting landscapes for environmental benefits is the beginning, but, according to this article, the next step is paying greater attention to equipment and processes. Includes a spotlight on GreenScapes. Cathy Walker in Maintenance Solutions, April 2005
Special
Report: 'Green' Landscapes -"Greening the Grounds"
Provides ways to encourage eco-friendly environments by reducing chemical use (e.g., herbicides, fertilizers, pesticides) and improving water awareness and conservation. Editorial Staff in Maintenance Solutions, April 2005
Matching
Up Waste Materials with Large-Scale
Depicts EPA's program encouraging holistic landscaping decisions, stressing reuse for economical, environmentally-friendly solutions. Jean Schwab, Program Manager for the GreenScapes Program, US EPA in BioCycle, May 2004.
Greening our Landscapes
(PDF) (12 pp, 811K)
Announces EPA's launch of the “GreenScapes” initiative to promote environmentally beneficial landscaping practices for large land-use activities such as shopping and retail centers, recreational facilities (e.g., golf courses, ski resorts, amusement parks, public gardens), roads and highways, abandoned industrial sites (i.e., Brownfields), large university campuses, and military installations. Closing the Circle News, Office of the Federal Environmental Executive, Spring 2004, p. 5.
EPA Program Sows Seeds for Greener
Landscaping (PDF) (1 pg, 47K)
Announces the launch of the GreenScapes Alliance. The Green Business Letter, January 2004, reprinted with permission.
New
GreenScapes Program Promotes Environmentally Beneficial Landscaping (PDF)
(1 pg, 193K)
Describes EPA's GreenScapes program, designed to broaden and enhance reduction, reuse and recycling of waste materials generated as part of large-scale landscaping operations. B-RAP News (Business Recycling Assistance Program), South Carolina (SC) Department of Health and Environmental Control’s Center for Waste Minimization and Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling, the SC Department of Commerce’s Recycling Market Development Advisory Council and the University of South Carolina’s Industrial Ecology Program, January 1, 2004.
Roadside Landscaping Turns to Compost (PDF) (8 pp, 483K)
Describes EPA's promotion of the use of compost in roadside landscaping. Reusable News, US EPA, Fall 2001, p. 6.
Compost:
Better, Faster, Cheaper Cleanups
Describes compost technology/bioremediation as an inexpensive and effective method to remediate many contaminated surface waters, soils, air, streams and reservoirs. Jean Schwab, US EPA, in Waste Age, April 1, 2000.