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Roads and highways, golf courses and ski resorts, commercial buildings
and industrial sites—the widespread use of economically and environmentally
costly landscaping is everywhere. By simply changing these landscapes
to "GreenScapes," you can save money and prevent pollution.
The US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) GreenScapes program
provides cost-efficient and environmentally friendly solutions for large-scale
landscaping. Designed to help preserve natural resources and prevent
waste and pollution, GreenScapes encourages companies, government agencies,
and other entities to make more holistic decisions regarding waste generation
and disposal and the associated impacts on land, water, air, and energy
use. By focusing on the "4 Rs"— reduce,
reuse,
recycle,
and rebuy
— you can help improve both your bottom line and the environment.
The GreenScapes Alliance is a partnership program that aims to combine
government and industry into a powerful, unified influence over the reduction,
reuse, and recycling of waste materials in large land use applications.
These land use activities include four million miles of roadside landscaping,
Brownfields land revitalization, and the beautification and maintenance
of office complexes, golf courses, and parks. More than 100,000 businesses
are involved in these land use activities, and are potential participants
in the Alliance.
The new Alliance is another unique component of the Agency's Resource
Conservation Challenge, which is a major EPA initiative that identifies
and uses innovative, flexible, and protective ways to conserve natural
resources and energy. The GreenScapes Alliance reinforces these goals
by emphasizing a holistic multimedia view of environmental impacts and
stewardship. In addition, the Alliance:
- Provides information about the cost savings that can be achieved
from reducing material use and waste, resource conservation, and on
the performance and durability of environmentally preferable products
such as recycled-content and biobased products.
- Educates land managers that environmentally beneficial landscaping
efforts yield water and energy savings, conserves landfill space,
and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
- Publicizes case studies, success stories, and technical assistance
to help alleviate concerns regarding alternative practices and products.
- Promotes market expansion and growth of recycled-content and biobased
products.
- Awards organizations that achieve environmental excellence in reduction,
reuse, recycling, and rebuying for waste prevention and pollution
prevention.
GreenScapes participants fall into two categories.
- Partners: businesses and agencies that will achieve actual
pollution prevention results; and
- Allies: supportive industry associations that will advertise
and promote GreenScapes philosophies to their membership and others.
Prospective participants include landscape contractors; golf facilities;
the highway and street construction industry; parks and recreation operations;
schools; hospitals; state, city, and local governments; industry associations;
. . . just to name a few.
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