Why Sustainable Landscapes?
At Green Drop, we have always believed that by maintaining healthy lawns and trees we are creating a healthy environment. Now we are ready to take our environmental commitment one step further. Our new tagline echos our new approach to caring for urban green space: Introducing Green Drop Sustainable Landscapes.
Stage 1: The Landscape Design
Landscape design can range from simply choosing a replacement tree in your front yard, to tackling a multi-million dollar commercial landscape project. Making environmentally friendly choices at this stage is important. Our experts can help you make the right decisions for your landscape. At the design stage we consider:
• Vegetation choices that represent native ecosystems and require minimum inputs (water, fertilizer) throughout their life cycle.
• Minimize the landscapes potable water requirements
• Water saving “smart” irrigation systems
• Stormwater management and onsite utilization
• Reduce the urban heat island effect
• Design the landscape with an IPM (Integrated Pest Management) maintenance plan in mind
Stage 2: Construction & Installation
When we build a new landscape, we are not just installing lawns and trees, we are creating outdoor spaces that can provide physiological benefits to humans, such as increased physical activity and reduced stress levels. With this in mind, Green Drop strives to be the leader in responsible and low environmental impact building practices:
• Soil protection. We minimize disturbance to existing soil, and preserve existing vegetation wherever possible
• Reuse of soil and materials. Our goal is a zero-net-waste site
• Managing runoff water during construction to prevent pollution
• Use recycled building materials whenever possible
• Managing our equipment fleet to minimize our carbon footprint
Stage 3: Care and Maintenance of your green space
In the mid 1980’s, Green Drop was one of the first lawn care companies in the world to utilize an IPM program- a unique “injection” system for lawns, spot applying weed control only as needed in turf. This innovation has reduced pesticide use, and contributed to a healthy ecosystem. Fast-forward over twenty five years, and nothing has changed. We are still innovators in finding new and better ways to maintain your lawn and trees so they are healthy, look great, and are friendly for the environment. Here are just some of the ways Green Drop maintains your green space in a sustainable manner:
• An industry leading IPM Program. We carefully manage pesticide use, applying only if and where necessary. A well maintained lawn often requires none at all. This is our goal
• Use water resources efficiently. Your Green Drop professional can help you make sure your landscape gets the right amount of water, without wasting any
• A fertility plan. Our programs ensures your lawn and trees get the right nutrients at the right time to survive and thrive in the tough Canadian climate
• Lower our carbon footprint. We use the most modern, fuel efficient equipment and vehicles we can for each job. We use state of the art software to minimize wasted driving trips. Our goal is to reduce our fleet fossil fuel use per unit by 33% by 2015
• Winter services. Our sustainable commitment doesn’t stop when the snow flies. We were one of the first companies to use a salt free anti ice product for parking lots and driveways. Even our Christmas lighting partner, Holiday Bright Lights™, created an entire product line of ultra low energy use LED lights to Green Drop specifications