As an environmental and sustainability enthusiast and operator of multifamily assets, you probably have a good pulse on efforts you can make at your communities to increase efficiency and make them more “green.” However, have you paid much attention lately to your landscaping company? Are they truly your partner in running the most efficient and “green” properties possible?
I had not paid much attention to this area of operations lately, but then I met a representative from a company called CoCal Landscape, and they got me thinking, “Are we doing everything we can to ensure our landscaping suppliers are in line with our sustainability efforts?”
Specifically, CoCal Landscape really got my wheels turning when they told me about some of the many things they are doing to be more environmentally conscious:
- They have switched the majority of their lawnmowers from gasoline-powered motors to propane-powered motors in an effort to make the air cleaner for us all. I did not know this, but they told me that using a standard 21″ residential push mower for one hour causes the same pollution as driving your car from Denver to Albuquerque (6-7 hours)!
- They compost all lawn trimmings and then offer the resulting mulch to their customers for free to use for planting.
- They often offer their customers advice on how they can make their property landscaping more efficient (they may recommend converting areas of the property to xeriscape, for example, and can recommend “proven plant performers”).
- They offer auditing that allows their clients to maximize their water usage and understand how efficient their systems can be.
- They recommend and install “evapotranspiration (ET)” controllers that help communities monitor weather conditions to water according to actual need. They estimate using this type of technology will reduce water usage by 50%.
- They created a social responsibility initiative and have sponsored initiatives that promote community and nature, such as building a “healing garden.” Their goal when consulting for landscaping installations and upgrades is to “get people outside”!
For more information on what CoCal Landscape is doing to be more environmentally conscious, check out these links to articles showcasing their efforts:
https://comealiveoutside.com/2012/08/15/cocal-landscape-gives-back-to-the-community/
http://landscapemanagement.net/cocal-chooses-propane-fueled-mowers/
http://cocal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/CoCal_Healing_Power_Gardens.pdf
http://cocal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/120321_Gufstafson.pdf
This is great inspiration and a great reminder for us all to not overlook any area of our property operations when thinking of ways to be more efficient and “green.”