Use nature to your advantage
Smart landscaping sends a message:
The outside of your business is the first thing your customers see. A combination of smart landscaping and plant selection can give your business a visual impact and can send out a message about your company's environmental responsibility. Depending on the size of your premises, you may want to consider a range of options to reduce your reliance on metered water for irrigation. By careful landscape design, selecting the right plants and harvesting rainwater, you can use nature to your advantage to create an attractive environment that requires minimal irrigation and labor.
Water features like fountains can use a lot of water. If you have these on your grounds, make sure they are designed to re-circulate water. You should regularly check them for leaks. Consider installing automatic timers to turn them off when no one is around, as well as wind and rain shut-offs for stormy weather. For additional savings, limit use of cooling misters to times when patios are in heavy use (dining hours).
Other outdoor water use, for tasks like building and surface cleaning, can also be reduced by making changes or improvements to equipment and by changing employee practices.
A first start is to implement a schedule of regular inspections. Leaks outdoors are often less obvious than indoors, so a simple walk through your site can help you pinpoint potential problems.
Where can I find out more?
- When quick tips are not enough, learn how to save water and reduce overhead by visiting Your Business.
