This document discusses landscape sustainability. It defines sustainability as meeting present needs without compromising future generations' ability to meet their own needs. It explores how landscape design, maintenance and materials impact sustainability. Specific topics covered include selecting low-input plants, minimizing turf areas, using permeable hardscapes, composting and building healthy soil to reduce maintenance needs. The goal is to reduce costs, inputs like water and chemicals, and waste while benefiting the environment.

1. Common Sense
Sustainability:
A Discussion on
Reducing Inputs and Costs
while Saving the Earth
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4. Sustainability
“Sustainability…meets the needs of the present generation
without compromising the ability of future generations
to meet their own needs”
United Nations. 1987. Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development, General
Assembly Resolution 42/187, 11 December 1987.
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5. “…meet[ing] the needs of
the present generation…”
 Landscaping Needs:
 Aesthetics
 Comfort
 Emotional
 Social
 Financial
 Food
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6. Impact
 How does my landscape affect the world?
 Butterfly effect
 Ex: Back to the Future
 Ex: Weather
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7. Impacts
 Sensitive dependence on initial conditions
 EX: How does misuse/overuse of chemicals affect our future?
 Landscape is a mini-ecosystem that affects the
surrounding environments (landscapes) and thus the
surrounding ecosystems (world)
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8. Parts of the Landscape
 Plant materials
 Hardscapes
 Maintenance
 Other inputs/outputs
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9. Plant Materials
 Right Plant in the Right Place
 How does plant selection and placement affect
sustainability?
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10. Sustainable?
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11. Plant Materials
 Considerations:
 Cost of initial plant
 Pesticides required
 Cost of replacement
 Waste materials
 Energy for removal, replacement
 Fertility needs
 Water needs
 Benefits of plant
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15. Plant Materials
 Saving ideas:
 Minimal water, fertilizers, pesticides, pruning, etc.
 Savings in energy costs, i.e. cooling, wind break…
 Location to reduce mowing and other difficulties
 Long term vs. short term
 Mulch area
 Soil depth, improvement
 Use low pest plants
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17. Turf
 Considerations:
 Purpose of turf
 Acceptable appearance
 Grades/slopes
 Other possibilities
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18. Turf
 Inputs to consider:
 Time required for mowing, edging, fertilizing, etc.
 Fuel required for maintenance
 Pesticides, fertilizers
 Waste (clippings)
 Medical bills…
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19. Expectations?
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23. Turf
 Saving ideas:
 Minimal area to “meet the needs”
 Grasscycle
 Reduce slopes
 Refine irrigation practices
 Actually measure fertilizer amount/applications
 Adjust expectations
 Mechanical weed control
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24. Hardscapes
 Path, deck, retaining wall, patio, etc:
 Cost of materials
 Longevity
 Appearance
 Porous vs. run-off concerns
 Heat
 Usability
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25. Hardscapes
 Inputs:
 Cost of materials
 Input to obtain, transport, etc.
 Durability
 Replacement costs
 Maintenance costs
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27. Hardscapes
 Saving ideas:
 Permanence
 Low input materials
 Softer materials
 Reusable
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28. Maintenance
 Design to reduce maintenance inputs:
 Edging
 Mulches
 Improve soils
 Think simple
 Right tool
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32. Other Ideas
 Build a healthy soil
 Use organic mulch
 Compost
 Irrigate efficiently
 Prune selectively
 Diagnose problems correctly
 Diversity
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35. Questions?
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