Going Green

"Going Green" means beneficial, environmentally friendly, and sustainable landscaping. We also work and live by "Going Green". We have our own mulcher that enables us to take old branches / boards from projects and make mulch versus filling up the dump. We also encourage the use of smart sprinkler timers and water usage according to weather patterns. Benefits include:

Saving Time & Money

Formal landscapes and lawns are heavily dependent upon mechanical equipment, labor, pesticides, fertilizers, and supplemental watering. The average 1-acre lawn costs $700 and requires 40 hours of labor each year to maintain — much more than a natural landscape.

Reduce Water Pollution

Natural landscapes reduce the quantity and improve the quality of stormwater runoff. This reduces erosion and runoff from excess application and improper use & disposal of pesticides and fertilizers as well as spills during refueling of power equipment.

Reduce Air Pollution

Emissions from landscaping equipment (mowers, blowers, trimmers, etc.) are often much greater than that of a car for each hour of operation. Small gasoline-powered engines are the most polluting and older equipment tends to be worse than newer models.

Reduce Consumption of Natural Resources

The world only has a limited supply of natural resources and consumption rates are increasing. Typical landscaping requires:

Energy to fuel landscaping equipment (gasoline and often coal and/or natural gas to generate electricity)

Water to irrigate plants (30% of water consumption in urban areas in the eastern US is for watering lawns)

Creating a KBI Flex-Pave Pathway at the Wilmar Fire Department

Soil lost through erosion after the removal of peat moss (used to improve soil) - peat moss often comes from wetlands

Improved Health and Safety

Reduce exposure to chemical pesticides — many gardeners over apply or improperly apply pesticides, putting themselves, their families, and pets at increased health risk. And, nearly half of all households have pesticides stored within reach of children. Reduce or eliminate accidents from power tools and equipment — About 230,000 people each year in the US are treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries related to lawn and garden equipment. Plus, our clean air and drinking water are impacted from pesticides and garden equipment emissions.

Improve Biodiversity

Landscaping with native species provides food and shelter for the insects, birds, and animals that evolved along with them. Our desire for new homes on larger lots results in significant clearance of natural areas. This fragments wildlife habitat. While less than 10% of all insects are harmful to plants, most pesticides are harmful or lethal to all insects. No species, not even humans, can survive alone on our planet — we are all connected and dependent upon an intricate web of life from single celled plants floating in our oceans to the largest trees and animals.

Eliminate Invasive Plants

Invasive plants can escape and take over natural areas which have been cleared and mismanaged. Landscaping with non-native plants can choke out the wide variety of native plants on which our wildlife depends.

Save Energy and Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Plants can significantly reduce a building's energy needs since it's cooler in the shade of trees and warmer behind plants that block the winter winds. Plant deciduous trees (those that lose their leaves in winter) on the south and west sides of a building where the sun's rays are most direct and intense. These trees will provide shade during summer but permit the winter sun to provide warmth. Where there isn't room for trees, shrubs and vines can provide similar benefits.

Simulation models devised by the Department of Energy predict that the proper placement of as few as three shade trees will save an average household $100-$250 in energy costs each year. And a Pennsylvania study found that air conditioning needs could be reduced by up to 75 percent by shading a house with trees! Trees also add to your property value and are good for the environment because they store carbon and produce oxygen. That's smart landscaping!