by Andrew Micheler

Not much is worse than a stuffy, over heated house in the summer time. You can’t sleep, you can’t move, you can’t think. Modern cities exist just as much because of air conditioning as they do because of the automobile. With A/C you can build the same house from coast to coast, from the Mexican border to a Canadian crossing—all you have to do is press a button and, presto, no more heat! It is easy and the equipment is relatively cheap, at least until the electric bill arrives.

A/C takes a lot of power. When I mean a lot, I mean that your utility is desperate to make enough energy with all those A/C units humming all afternoon. Your utility is paying dollars per kilowatt hour even though you are paying maybe a dime. They are cranking out a lot of carbon to boot. (Wind energy is at its lowest in the summer so “buying” wind power is not the solution.)

This is called the long tail pipe, when what you do at your home affects what goes into the air hundreds of miles away. With this in mind, not to mention the endless drone of an A/C and the monthly bill, let‘s look at other ways to keep cool.

• First off, don’t build or buy a “stupid” house. In this case, a “stupid” house is one with BIG windows facing east and west (read Dude, tune your windows). Even with air conditioning you won’t keep cool, and indoor shades are like locking the doors when the burglar is already inside.
• Keeping lights, computers and other heat producing products off can help keep your home cooler.
• Ceiling fans are an obvious choice, just remember that they cool not by pushing hot air up but creating a breeze across your skin.
• Next is investigating overhangs for the outside of your windows. This can get more involved but can make a big difference on the southern side.
• Skylights are a big culprit so shading them also helps.
• Think about shade plants for the east and west sides and a big tree or two on the south side, just don’t block all that sunshine in the winter time.

If you still need a button to press, here are a few options:

• Evaporative coolers are very cost effective in low humidity areas. Coolerado is a new generation of evaporative coolers that uses a heat exchanger. (Night cooling works in low humidity areas too.)
• A well sealed whole house fan gets rid of the built up hot air from the day and replaces it with cool evening air.
• Take a peek into your attic and see if the insulation is at least 12 inches thick and uniform.
• Air infiltration in the summer can take its toll too so hire an energy rater to test your house for air leaks.
• If you are in a muggy climate and need air conditioning, look for a high SEER (seasonal energy efficiency rating) and, just as importantly, do not over size the unit for the space. The AC will never get enough air across its coil to remove the humidity.
• Have an older unit checked for its refrigerant charge and condition. Your local utility may even do this for free.

Really cool, eco friendly stuff is out there (pun intended) like green roofs, ground source heat pumps, reflective barriers, low SRI (solar reflective index) roofing, and thermal mass implementation.

Last, but not least, relax and cool down with your favorite beer knowing that your long tail pipe just got a lot smaller.

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About the Author: Andrew Michler, LEED AP has lived “off-the-grid” in Colorado since 1995. He started Baosol Sustainable Building Consulting in 2007 to cultivate the low entropy revolution. He is also the co-founder of the BeLocal Northern Colorado Green Builder’s Guild.

by Robyn Griggs Lawrence

When you throw it away, there is no away.

We’ve heard that phrase about our garbage, in one iteration or another, for decades. I am aware that the stuff I can’t reuse or recycle ends up in a landfill, but I have to admit, I’ve been (kind of blissfully) ignorant about where my garbage goes. That’s about to change.

Getting rid of your trash at the nearest receptacle doesn’t make it go away.
Photo By wvs/Courtesy Flickr.

MIT researchers just announced Trash Track, a project that will make it difficult to ignore just how much trash we create daily.

With the help of volunteers in New York and Seattle, Trash Track will electronically “tag” pieces of garbage with special wireless location markers. These markers, or “trash tags,” will follow the waste from volunteers’ homes to their final destinations. Throughout the journey, the tags will send location information about each trash piece to a central server, which will analyze the data in real time. By September, you’ll be able to view the trash’s journey through New York and Seattle’s disposal systems online. Trash Track plans to expand into London soon.

Trash Track’s goal is to reveal the resources and energy it takes to dispose of trash, locate any inefficiencies in today’s recycling and waste disposal systems, and create awareness of trash’s negative effect on the environment.

The project was inspired by the Green NYC Initiative, whose goal is to create nearly zero waste in New York (through recycling) by 2030. Today only about 30 percent of the city’s waste is recycled.

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About the author: Robyn Griggs Lawrence is Editor-in-Chief of “Natural Home” magazine and authors the Natural Home Living blog.

Clean Air Lawn Care CEO, Kelly Giard, has been nominated to be Entrepreneur Magazine’s Emerging Entrepreneur of 2009! This is an incredible honor for all of Clean Air Lawn Care and a testament to the changing face of business – a commitment to being green, setting high ethical and environmental standards, and being an example to others.

Clean Air Lawn Care is a lawn maintenance business that uses clean electric and biodiesel powered equipment. The vehicles hauling this equipment have mounted solar panels which charge the electric equipment during the workday. The equipment is clean and quiet; the fertilizer is organic; the business is carbon neutral.

Clean Air Lawn Care is the pioneer of sustainable lawn care franchising. In the October 2008 print issue of Entrepreneur Magazine, Clean Air Lawn Care was identified as one of the top 5 green franchises in America. The January 2009 issue of Entrepreneur Magazine showcases the Franchise 500 and Clean Air Lawn Care again is listed as one of the major players in a green franchise movement. The sustainable company has been receiving other national attention as well. In May of this year, the company graced the cover of Turf Magazine, an indication that change is indeed coming to the lawn care industry. Noting the sustainable methods used by Clean Air Lawn Care, the magazine stated, “Clean Air may have a jump on competitors who are clinging to traditional techniques.”

Why Sustainable Lawn Care…

• 5-10% of the nation’s air pollution comes from gas powered lawn equipment.
• In one hour, one gas lawn mower can pollute as much as an SUV driven 23,600 miles.
• The company saves $10,000 a year on gas and spends less than $500 to charge the equipment through renewable energy.
• Electric lawn mowers cut noise emissions by 50%-75%.

Through the use of electric equipment powered by renewable energy, Clean Air Lawn Care removed 32,000 pounds of air pollution equaling over 1,000,000 vehicle miles in 2008. The positive impact of Clean Air Lawn Care’s business is parallel with growth. The company’s growth equals a larger reduction in national air pollution.

The online vote is taking place at http://www.entrepreneur.com/e2009/vote/emerging.php.
Watch the video and learn how Clean Air Lawn Care is starting a revolution in lawn care and changing the way America mows the lawn.

For further information, please contact Kelly Giard, CEO at (888) 969-3669.

by Elizabeth Borelli

Packing a No Waste Lunch is healthy eco-friendly and more economical than buying prepackaged food. The average disposable “brown bag” lunch creates between 4–8 ounces of garbage everyday. That can add up to as much as 100 pounds per year! Not only do prepackaged and processed foods contain excess packaging, they are also up to 25% more expensive. And with the alarming increase of childhood obesity and diabetes, it’s more important than ever to teach healthy eating habits, especially when bringing your own lunch can save you money too.

A No Waste Lunch differs from the conventional brown bag by eliminating disposable paper and packaging. Everything is packed in reusable containers, disposable paper is replaced with cloth, and disposable cutlery is replaced with reusables.

As landfills across North America reach capacity, more and more schools are working to educate students on the importance of the other 3Rs: reduce, reuse recycle. And many are beginning to adopt No Waste Lunch programs, since lunch refuse is one of the leading sources of trash generated by schools.

The reduction of waste translates to savings in cleanup costs and a reduction in CO2 emissions. In California, the California Waste Free School (WFS) program has helped local schools to succeed in diverting over 6928.4 tons of material from local landfills, saving participating school districts approximately $413,518 to date. (Download PDF)

The basic steps to waste reduction as outlined by WFS are simply translated:

• Reduce the amount of disposable waste you pack
• Pack Reusable products
• Recycle anything you have left over

As families begin back to school preparations, now is the perfect time to incorporate No Waste lunch ideas to make a positive difference for your health, the planet and your wallet.

Easy Tips for a No Waste Lunch

• Replace your disposable lunch bag with a reusable lunch tote. When half of the stuff we throw away each day comes from food waste and packaging, you’ll make a difference for your health and your wallet by switching to reusables.
• Bring your drink in a BPA-free reusable bottle. It not only reduces waste, it promotes good health since you’re assured no toxins will leach into your drink. With an average savings of $200 per year over disposable water bottle costs, reusable bottles are a safe and sensible solution.
• Eliminate disposable foils, plastics and bags by replacing them with reusable containers and sandwich wraps. Available in a variety of materials, reusable containers come in a variety of shapes and sizes to fit most any size lunch tote. Buying food in bulk is a great way to reduce packaging in general, and often saves money too.
• Choose reusable cutlery as an alternative to disposable plastic, or bring your stainless steel cutlery from home. Reusable cutlery is available in a variety of sustainable materials. Stainless steel travels well when wrapped in a cloth napkin, just rewrap after use for easy cleanup at home.
• Cloth Napkins are a money-saving, tree-free alternative to paper. You can green your kitchen and save an average of $40 per year by eliminating disposable plastics from your shopping list.
• Insulated Thermos-type food and beverage containers keep foods and beverages at the right temperature, so the soup you made over the weekend will stay warm enough for lunch. You may also be surprised at the number of leftover meals that will suddenly become lunch options with the right travel containers.

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About the author: Elizabeth Borelli is the owner of Nubius Organics, which offers hip and high-quality products & solutions for eco-conscious living.

by Scott Milinder

Multinational banks like Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and Citibank have earned hefty profits this year and are handing out record bonuses, thanks in part to federal bailouts. At the same time, in 16 states the unemployment rate has surpassed 10 percent, and it’s over 15 percent in Michigan.  So the federal stimulus has not yet lifted millions of Americans out of their economic plight.

Many say we need a new stimulus package.  How about another kind of stimulus package? One that’s more sustainable than a necessarily temporary federal stimulus and that we all can participate in; one that helps us focus on making socially-conscious choices; one that helps us to make greener choices and live sustainable lives.

This stimulus package is “The 10% Shift” everywhere in communities across the country.

“Local First” alliances in many parts of the country have promoted “The 10 % Shift,” including a regional campaign in New England.  Their premise, born out by recent studies, is that a significant shift in your buying habits to locally owned businesses creates significantly more circulation of money, more economic activity and more jobs in the local economy.

A 2008 study focusing on Grand Rapids and Kent County in Western Michigan showed that a 10% shift of spending from corporate chains to independently owned local businesses would give a major stimulus to the area’s economy and jobs.  The shift would add 1600 jobs, $53-million in payroll, and $137-million of additional local economic output. The best part is that no more total dollars need to be spent to achieve this stimulus.

So if your community has an independent business alliance with a “10 % Shift” campaign, participate!  If the business alliance doesn’t have such a campaign, suggest it!  If your community doesn’t have an alliance, start one!

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About the Author: Scott Milinder is the founder of Sustainetics Institute, LLC, a company in Tampa, FL that helps organizations improve their bottom line performance by becoming more green and sustainable. Scott may be reached at scott.milinder@sustainetics.com or (727) 421-2818.

By Katrina Pfannkuch

In the heat of summer people focus on staying cool by the pool, and care less about the concrete surrounding it. However, statistics on the environmental ramifications of cement development may encourage them to take notice.

Every ton of cement manufactured for use in concrete emits a ton of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere, and worldwide, cement production accounts for about 5 percent of all CO2 emissions related to human activity, according to Discovery News. Its the cement development process in and of itself that emits the greenhouse gas — specifically when limestone and clarys are crushed and heated to high temperatures.

Developers have consistently been looking for more green alternatives for creating cement, and have even tried using waste products such as slag from steel mills, coal fly ash and silica fume. So what is the latest alternative? Rice husks. Rice husks form small cases around edible kernels of rice and are rich in silicon dioxide (SiO2), an essential ingredient in concrete. Scientists have worked with rice husks as a building material for decades, but previous attempts to burn it produced ash too rich with carbon and made it a poor choice as a cement substitute.

Rajan Vempati of ChK Group, Inc. in Plano, Texas, and a team of researchers discovered a way to make nearly carbon-free rice husk ash. Husks are heated to 800 degrees centigrade (1,472 degrees Fahrenheit) in a furnace to drive off the carbon, which leaves behind fine particles of nearly pure silica. “The process emits some CO2, but it’s carbon neutral. Any that we emit goes back annually into the rice paddies,” Vempati said.

Adding the rice husk ash also makes concrete stronger and more resistant to corrosion, as the concrete is highly dense and less porous. The team speculates adding the rice husk ash could enhance performance of concrete and reduce cracks. They suggest replacing 20 percent of the cement typically mixed into concrete with cement mixed with rice husk ash for use in the construction of skyscrapers, bridges and structures built on or near water to make them stronger and greener.

Researchers are currently working on a pilot operation to test and refine this new method. If it works, ChK will begin construction on an full-sized furnace to produce up to 15,000 tons of rice husk ash annually.
By utilizing all of the rice husks produced in the United States, ChK Group could produce 2.1 million tons of ash each year. The potential for the use of rice husk ash in concrete is even greater overseas, especially in developing countries such as China and India, where rice and concrete consumption are much higher.

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About the author: Katrina Pfannkuch is a writer, Reiki Master and entrepreneur who lives to write and create. She started Buzzword Communications to pursue her passion for excellence in communication and satisfy her entrepreneurial spirit.

By Betsy Franz

When I was growing up, there were two distinct types of people: the cool people and the nerds. The cool people were the football players, the cheerleaders, and anyone in a rock band. The nerds were the ones who got good grades, wore black rimmed glasses and were much more likely to have a microscope or a telescope at home than they were to have a date on Friday night.

Generally speaking, the birdwatchers and the backyard botanists fell into the nerd category. Cool kids didn’t even know what a chrysalis was much less have one in a jar in their bedroom.

But times have changed. Protecting the planet and all of its creepy crawly inhabitants is not only sociably responsible AND socially acceptable but it is also suddenly cool.

Sure, there are many different shades of ‘green’, and environmental responsibility takes many forms. Every day citizens and celebrities alike are proud to proclaim their passion for solar energy and hybrid automobiles. But how many of them are ready to come out of the closet when it comes to the more nerdish pastimes such as bird watching and butterfly gardening? How many of them are ready to admit that they not only hug trees, but they also fondle flowers and even caress critters from time to time?

Certainly we can imagine animal activist celebs such as Mary Tyler Moore and Ellen DeGeneres getting eye-to-eye with the bunnies and squirrels in their yard. And Martha Stewart must surely appreciate the serenade of songbirds in her flower filled gardens.

But what about other well-known environmental celebrities? Do nature lover Darryl Hannah and inner-city gardener Bette Midler welcome the wonders of wildlife to their backyard landscapes? Has Leonardo DiCaprio, Kevin Bacon or Ed Begley Jr. ever marveled at the metamorphous of a butterfly? Do Arnold Schwarzenegger and Pierce Brosnan hang nectar feeders to attract hovering hummingbirds? Has Ted Danson, Willie Nelson or Robert Kennedy, Jr. ever pulled out a magnifying glass to help identify an unknown insect?

If they haven’t, then perhaps they should. It’s a wonderful cause to want to save the planet but it isn’t a planet of asphalt and steel and carbon spewing monolithic factories that we are trying to save. It’s the miniscule miracles. The sights that, in the past, only the nerds have taken the time to notice. And it is there, perhaps, when one gets eye-to-eye with the birds and the butterflies and the creatures that visit our gardens and wander through our yards, that we realize what it is we are working so hard to protect.

So whether you are a star studded celebrity, a prima ballerina or a single parent , it’s time to admit your nerdiness to the world. Go ahead and get excited about the tadpoles in your garden pond and the butterflies eating your herb garden! Grab the magnifying glass and a good nature guide and share the great outdoors with the ones you love.

And if you still aren’t sure whether you want to admit that you are a nerd or not, here are a few questions to help you decide:

You may be a nature nerd if:

• Your monthly bill for birdseed is greater than your TV cable bill.
• You feel bad for the bugs that splatter on your windshield.
• You have ever stopped traffic and played crossing guard for turtles, squirrels, ducks or other critters who are trying to cross the road.
• You have a birding Life List.
• You don’t mind when caterpillars eat all of your plants and are even happy to buy them more.
• You have funerals for the critters that die in your yard.
• Your neighbors have ever reported you for having an overgrown yard because you have let your landscape “go native”.
• You have ever reported your neighbors for cutting down trees that are protected.
• You have visited at least one of the stops on the Great American Birding trail.
• You know the difference between a lepidopterist and an ornithologist AND you know how to spell them both.
• You have suddenly become the “eccentric” neighbor who wants everyone to keep their cat out of your yard.
• The binoculars you keep by your back window are for bird watching, not people watching.
• You have given first names to all of the various critters that come to your property and you recognize them by name.
• You are one of the 70,000+ people who has had your yard certified as a National Wildlife Federation Backyard Wildlife Habitat.
• You’d rather capture a bug or spider and take it outside than squish it.

And the number one way to tell whether you may be a Nature Nerd…..

• You not only know what a chrysalis is but you have one in a jar in your bedroom.

According to the 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associate Recreation, there are over 71 million bird and wildlife watchers in the United States. Rumors among various birding groups on the internet hint that Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton, Carrie Fisher and Paul McCartney may be among the many celebrities that dabble in this nerdish pastime.

For more information about how to become a nerd for birds and other backyard wildlife, visit these sites:

National Audubon Society – http://www.audubon.org/ – - For over 100 years, Audubon has been working to protect birds, other wildlife, and their habitats.

National Wildlife Federation – http://www.nwf.org/ – Founded in 1936, It’s purpose has always been to bring together individuals, organizations and agencies interested in the restoration and conservation of wildlife resources.

Cornell Lab of Ornithology – http://www.birds.cornell.edu/LabPrograms/citSci/index.html – The Lab is a nonprofit membership institution whose mission is to interpret and conserve the earth’s biological diversity through research, education, and citizen science focused on birds. They believe that bird enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels can and do make a difference.

And if you are already a proud nature nerd, please leave a comment below to proclaim your nerdiness to the world!!

. . .

Betsy Franz is a freelance writer whose primary focus is educating and encouraging others to take a closer look at the wonders of nature around them so that they will gain a new appreciation for wildlife and learn how to Take Care of Their Share of the planet. Visit her at: www.naturesdetails.net

By Beth Doane

The illegal trafficking of drugs, arms, children, and woman have often been the focus of tragic and revealing documentaries and news articles around the world, but ironically the cruel truths of animal trafficking have yet to share the same spotlight.

More than 38 million wild animals are captured annually in Brazil alone and the illegal trafficking of wildlife globally generates more than 25 billion in sales every year.

While some wildlife trade is legal and regulated, more than one-third of this trade is done illegally, without any concern of serious reprimand from authorities.

The jungles of Central and South America provide the majority of wildlife that is shipped overseas with the two main countries of import being the United States and Europe. In Spain for example, the demand for exotic species is so strong that collectors will pay anywhere from 500 to one million dollars for a large Amazonian macaw, which are classified as a highly endangered species.

Other severely endangered snakes, tropical birds, butterflies and even monkeys are examples of the in-demand animals being sold as pets and for use in the production of clothing, furniture, and other goods globally.

The journey from one side of the ocean to the other is often cruel and terrifying for the animals. In order to disguise the illegal ‘merchandise’, traffickers will commonly inflict abuse to the animals to ensure a quiet trip. Toucans and other birds will have their beaks taped shut and their eyes drugged or perforated so that they will not sing in reaction to the light. These drugged parrots and monkeys may be stuffed into suitcases or stockings, or crammed into hidden compartments of luggage.

Because of these conditions, more than 90% of these animals die in transit to their final destination.

Though cruel and tragic, animal trafficking seems worlds away to most Americans. Well, think again.
In my home state of Ohio, the sale of exotic animals takes place quite often.  A short drive down the interstate highway and one can easily find an auction where they can bid on and purchase a unique pet. Monkeys, macaws, and even baby tigers contained in small cat carriers, are just some of the exotic wildlife that your everyday Ohioan can take home for keeps.

For the most part, these sales are legal. Private owners supply animals to the sellers.  The animals come with a veterinary certificate and are looked at by government inspectors.  However, once the exotic animal is sold, the new owner has sole control.  There is no regulation of exotic pet ownership here in the Buckeye state, and in most states for that matter.

In many cases, this leads to devastating results, as the new owners often lack the knowledge and resources to properly care for the wild animal. A number of cases have been reported of serious injuries as the result of an escaped exotic pet, such as a python or tiger.

Whether it’s happening an ocean away, or just down the highway, the inhumane sale of wildlife needs to end.  Not only is it cruel and abusive, but it creates devastating long-term effects on some of our world’s more delicate and critically endangered eco-systems.

There are many ways to help animals that have been trafficked and abused-the best of which is to simply become educated and educate others on the horrific truth of the industry so that people globally can realize what they are truly supporting when they purchase a wild animal.  Also, charities like Merazonia, which is located in the Ecuadorian jungle town of Mera, are powerful organizations that rescue and rehabilitate trafficked Amazonian wildlife before they leave their homeland. Help rescue or adopt a trafficked animal.

They also have volunteer programs where you can work with the animals daily throughout their stages of recovery. I truly believe that through education and action, there can always be change.

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About the author: Beth Doane is a fashion designer and consultant focusing on eco-conscious product development and marketing. She founded and designed the internationally acclaimed Rain Tee collection and Andira International.

By Betsy Franz

During the construction slowdown, many builders have taken the initiative to learn the principles of Green Building. New home buyers ready to venture back into the housing market now have the opportunity to choose a home that is better for the environment, better for their health and, because of energy and water savings, better for their wallet.

What many people don’t realize is that green building programs encompass many changes that are also friendlier to the home-site and, therefore, to the surrounding eco-system and to local wildlife.

Most green building programs operate on point systems. To some extent, builders and homeowners can work together to choose which items they would like to incorporate into their home to earn points towards certification. Many of the options involve changes to a landscape that result in a very wildlife friendly habitat. In fact, some programs specifically give points for creating or preserving wildlife habitat. Other programs give points for items such as Waterwise landscaping, native plant choices, Integrated Pest Management and limited turf areas – all factors that help contribute to a landscape that is beneficial to local wildlife. How much wildlife benefit a program provides varies greatly from program to program.

Although development has long been seen as a leading cause of wildlife habitat destruction, green building programs have the opportunity to help turn that around.

But an important thing for all CURRENT property owners to remember is that they, too, have the ability to create a wildlife-friendly landscape by making simple changes to their landscape.

For more information about how green building programs provide a benefit to local wildlife, contact Betsy Franz.

For information about how to create your own wildlife friendly landscape, visit the Take Care of Your Share website.

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Betsy Franz is a freelance writer whose primary focus is educating and encouraging others to take a closer look at the wonders of nature around them so that they will gain a new appreciation for wildlife and learn how to Take Care of Their Share of the planet. Visit her at: www.naturesdetails.net

By Scott Milinder

The “Cap and Trade” climate bill that is making its way through congress has again sharpened public debate about what we need to do to fix global climate change.   Does the bill go far enough?  Will it cost too much?  Will it create or cost jobs?   One thing is certain:  ”Cap and Trade,” if passed in the Senate, will transform incentives in the economy and create radically new business opportunities.  That’s why entrepreneurs like T. Boone Pickens are supporting the climate bill, even if they quarrel with some aspects.

Indeed, the solution to many eco-challenges may be found when aggressive government policy changes market incentives and drive entrepreneurship with market forces.  With this perspective, let’s look at an eco-tragedy unfolding now on the West coast of Florida – algae blooms and red tide.

An unprecedented algae bloom is now stretching 14 miles across areas of Tampa Bay.   Scientists say it’s the largest bloom event ever seen in the area.

The bloom has not wreaked its full havoc yet, but if it continues much longer, it could create a massive fish kill, close down shell fishing, shut down beaches, and drive tourists away.

The cause?   Local scientists seem to agree on two immediate factors to make this event so bad.  First, at the beginning of June we had a week of extreme rain (after a long period of draught), causing a substantial increase in sewer and fertilizer runoff.  Next, the rain was followed by a week of extreme heat for June.  These two extremes may not have caused the bloom on their own but, together, they made it the most extensive in history.

The blooms’ full potential for damage has not yet reached their peak. In coming weeks Tampa Bay could suffer major fish kills, beach closures, and a collapsed fishing industry.  The last time the Tampa Bay area had a major bloom – a large “red tide” in 2005 – all those dangers became a miserable reality. The damage to the area’s economy was up to $240-million, as estimated by the regional tourist bureau.

Florida has been hit especially hard in the recession this year, so a repeat of 2005 or worse would hurt more significantly this time.

Fortunately, the state’s marine scientists have studied the link between bloom events and pollution from the excessive fertilizer use.  Florida has already taken steps like requiring commercial landscapers to follow manufacturer’s guidelines for the use of fertilizers.  Unfortunately, it’s tough to monitor and enforce these laws – so such policies have had limited success.  Also, banning these chemical fertilizers would be considered too extreme, hard to enforce, and enjoy little public support — as would excise taxes that target these products.

So instead of attacking the problem head on, a better approach may be to exploit the connection between heavy fertilizer use and an increased use of water.

In Florida we love green lawns and golf courses, many festooned with exotic tropical species.  The typical suburban yard with St. Augustine grass and lush landscaping with non-native tropical plants all requires copious quantities of water and fertilizer to “keep it green.”   Chemicals and heavy water use are like co-dependent addicts.

On the other hand, this co-dependence can be broken with a sustainable and attractive alternative:  using “eco-friendly” landscaping with native and drought tolerant plants, along with xeriscaping methods.   In Florida, landscapes that use this approach are called “Florida-friendly.”

Using “Florida-friendly” landscaping methods, water and fertilizer use can be substantially reduced, thus avoiding runoff.  If these methods were broadly adopted by commercial properties, golf courses, and home owners, the runoff problem would be greatly reduced.

The benefits? The broad conversion to these sustainable landscaping methods would be a boon to the agriculture, nursery and landscaping industries (sorry makers of chemical fertilizers.)  The resulting reduction in blooms would save tens, maybe hundreds of millions in tourism and fishing industry dollars.
“Florida-friendly” lawns are becoming more common, but not on a massive scale. So how do we persuade people to do the right thing and save millions in economic damage, while still promoting the beauty of our landscapes?

One idea is to make users of water pay a lot more for water as use goes up.   Let’s keep the rates low for modest usage, so everyone can have access to the water they need for personal use.  But if you want to use an additional quantity to maintain your water-guzzling yard, then you pay big time.  That will be a huge disincentive for heavy water use.

Yes, the owners who have to re-design their properties with Florida friendly landscapes may not like the idea, but at least they have an incentive to give the “Florida-friendly” approach strong consideration.  If owners decide to adopt “Florida-friendly” yards and reduce their water usage to much lower levels, they will eventually pay for the Florida friendly landscape and start saving money. For those who will not reduce heavy water use, we can use the extra fees to find other ways to prevent algae blooms. Meanwhile, entrepreneurs in sustainable landscaping and related businesses get a big boost.

This simple but aggressive change in public policy on water use would improve the environment,  reduce the direct and indirect costs from algae blooms,  encourage entrepreneurship, and eventually reduce costs for many home and business owners.

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Scott Milinder is the founder of Sustainetics Institute, LLC, a company in Tampa, FL that helps organizations improve their bottom line performance by becoming more green and sustainable. Scott may be reached at scott.milinder@sustainetics.com or (727) 421-2818.