August 20th, 2020, Oakland, California – A new guidebook from the Pacific Institute, Sustainable Landscapes in California: A Guidebook for Commercial and Industrial Site Managers, provides simple steps to help businesses consider, select, and install sustainable landscaping.
Sustainable landscaping is in balance with the local climate and ecology, and actively contributes to community and watershed health by providing economic, social, and environmental benefits. For example, rain gardens and bioswales help slow rainwater so that it can sink into the soil, providing habitat for wildlife, sequestering carbon, improving air quality and soil health, boosting property values and community livability, and increasing resilience to climate change. In addition to the broad-reaching water security and climate resilience benefits that sustainable landscapes can create, businesses can benefit from investments in sustainable landscapes in many ways, including:
- Cost savings: Sustainable landscape practices can help save businesses money. This could include lower water bills, lower landscape maintenance costs, and even lower energy bills.
- Meeting corporate sustainability goals: A growing number of businesses have adopted sustainability goals such as reducing water use, waste, and greenhouse gas emissions. Investing in sustainable landscapes can help companies achieve these goals.
- Advancing green reputation: Converting to a sustainable landscape is a highly visible way for businesses to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability to customers and the local community, as well as to investors and peer companies. Unlike investments in water and energy efficiency inside a building, sustainable landscapes are something that people can see and interact with.
- Practicing social responsibility: Businesses are increasingly recognizing the water-related risks facing their business operations and their communities. Investing in a sustainable landscape is a way for businesses to make positive contributions by addressing water risks and improving community livability.
Because business and industrial properties are typically large and disproportionately landscaped with turf and pavement, sustainable landscaping offers tremendous potential for water savings in the business sector.
Learn more and download the guidebook here.