landscaping
While grass and trees can seem like the most natural part of a campus, landscaping can usually be designed in a more environmentally friendly way. For instance, lawn equipment produces, on average, 10 to 30 times more air pollution per liter of gas than a car.
Lawn care also accounts for 10% of the common water pollution and 3% of the toxic water pollution in the U.S.
Idea starters
- Pesticides:
- Inventory the chemicals used to control pests and unwanted animals on campus. Suggest safer alternatives, including Integrated Pest Management (IPM), to the buildings and grounds department.
- Water:
- Ask landscapers to consider drip irrigation, which saves water, or to water lawns and plants at night, when evaporation is least likely.
- No-mow:
- Identify areas in less-traveled parts of campus or on steep slopes where a no-mow policy could be adopted. This would reduce fuel consumption and air pollution while saving staff time.
- Pavement removal:
- Find paved areas that are not being used and convince the administration to green them with native habitat or a lawn. Think about the positive effects on groundwater and pollution, as well as on the image of the campus to prospective students.
In practice
The University of California at Santa Cruz has adopted Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to deal with pest control on campus; this strategy relies on alternative pest control methods and products. IPM’s restrictions on pesticide use are more stringent than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s requirements or most state regulations.
Resources
- Water: Use it Wisely
- http://www.wateruseitwisely.com/waterguide/index.shtml
- Water Well Being
- http://www.mass.gov/agr/waterwellbeing