PROFESSIONALISM
Y Water Stewardship continued from p.23
advantage, profitability and brand,” she said. “It means incorporating environment, health, society and value into a company’s core business model with no trade-off in profits, price or quality.”
Ultimately, knowledge of water—how to use it and conserve it—is an education issue, and NALP is your source for information on irrigation certification through its seminars and webinars.
Many irrigation and water management professionals choose to increase their marketability by going above and beyond the basic required licenses, and they become cer- tified through NALP, which increases their technical and business knowledge and skill set.
NALP provides more than 40 new webinars a year, all of which are archived so you and your team can watch them live or on demand. They provide strategies for fi- nancial and HR management, sales and marketing, safety, horticulture knowledge and more, including tools for irri- gation professionals like “Water Management = Business Opportunities.”
What is your business doing to support conservation and water efficiency? And what are some tips for surviv- ing a drought and keeping your business afloat? In the hot summer, it’s hard to avoid overwatering, but saving water is especially important during this time. According to the U.S. Geological Society, about 40 percent of all freshwater is used for irrigation. The good news is USGS
reports that irrigation withdrawals were 9 percent less between 2005 and 2010 (a level not reported since before 1965), although total irrigated acres increased 2 percent. The use of more water-efficient irrigation systems contin- ued to increase with nearly 3 percent more irrigated acres using sprinkler systems in 2010 than in 2005. On a larger view, USGS also reports “significant declines occurred in the largest categories of use, including thermoelectric power, irrigation, public supply and industrial,” which seems to indicate that all of us are slowly learning new habits across the board, and they are having positive results. You know the following tips but they bear repeating: Plan, plan plan. Landscaping decisions begin well before the shovels come out. Are you planting during the right time of year—especially avoiding the hot summer sun? Does your client understand the need to mulch and choose appropriate plants? Are you using products like polymeric sands that help retain water in the soil? Not just for leveling paver blocks, polymerics can hold several times their weight in water slowly releasing moisture into the soil. Are your irrigation systems smart? New tools allow the landscape professional and homeowner to micro-monitor water usage and adjust accordingly. If your area allows it, is a grey water system an option? If on a public water system, check to see if it offers rebates or other saving incentives. Some municipalities offer tax incen- tives as well. Time it right. Use those smart sensors to prevent your irrigation system from oper- ating immediately after (or during!) a rain shower. To reduce loss by evaporation, water in the early morning or in the evening. Update yourself. As a landscape professional, you and your team can help affect change toward a more sustain- able future by keeping current with certifications and watch- ing innovative industry trends. NALP provides the resources to keep you in business while making the best use of our water resources. 7
24 THE LANDSCAPE PROFESSIONAL > JULY/AUGUST 2017
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