By Mark Johnson
mjohnson@charlotteobserver.com

RALEIGH Mecklenburg lawmakers and leaders of North Carolina’s Green Industry Council are pushing for a half-million dollar pilot project that would help bring smart sprinklers to the county and potentially save thousands of gallons of water.

The key to lowering the water flow is for businesses with wide swaths of grass and landscaping to water their lawns based on satellites and high-tech weather gear, not a timer.

If successful in Charlotte, the Green Industry Council hopes to take the project statewide.

Time Warner Cable recently installed such a system at its offices on Crescent Executive Drive and anticipates saving buckets of water and money, $25,000 over three years.

Charlotte’s utility chiefs have asked state officials to fund the program with $500,000 of federal stimulus money, but Sen. Dan Clodfelter, a Charlotte Democrat, fears politics may be interfering.

Charlotte already received two water grants through stimulus money, and state officials may feel like they need to spread the money around more, he said.

“We need to gear up and talk to (stimulus czar) Dempsey Benton,” Clodfelter told fellow Mecklenburg lawmakers at a breakfast Tuesday, encouraging them to telephone Benton, who oversees the federal economic recovery money flowing into the state.

The water management program would identify Mecklenburg’s top 100 water users. Those customers would be invited to workshops on managing their outdoor sprinkler systems through new technology. Instead of arbitrarily turning on the sprinklers for 20 or 30 minutes at a set time, companies could install technology that uses satellite and ground-based measurements of factors such as temperature, humidity and wind.

“It can pinpoint the weather down to a one (square) kilometer area,” said Mark Peters, a leader of the Green Industry Council, who runs Piedmont Carolina Landscaping in Greensboro.

The grass might need only four minutes of watering one day instead of 20 because of clouds and low wind.

“How many times have you driven down the street and (automatic) sprinklers are on and it’s pouring down rain?” said Susie Glass, director of corporate facilities for Time Warner.

She said the water technology is one of several environmental conservation steps the company is taking.

Companies likely would pay around $4,000 to install the system on a 2- to 3-acre site but would quickly recoup that money in water bill savings, Peters said.

Charlotte officials can examine water bills and quickly identify the largest users, said Buddy Murrow, manager of Shepherd’s Supply nursery in Huntersville and a Green Industry Council leader who joined Peters in presenting details of the water management program at the Tuesday breakfast.

“The city could have this project rolling in 30 to 60 days,” Murrow said.

Duke Gardens Smart Controller GIC Project

NC Irrigation Contractors Licensing Board press release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 15, 2008
Contact: Sheryl Bynum
Executive Director
(919) 372-1586

NC Green Industry Council to Distribute New ‘Water Wise Works!’ Brochure

WHAT: A new comprehensive brochure designed to help homeowners manage lawns and landscapes while maximizing water efficiency.

WHY: This brochure was produced and distributed as part of the NC Green Industry Council’s efforts to educate consumers about using water efficiently in new and established lawns and landscapes. As hot, dry weather approaches, it is important for everyone to manage water resources carefully.

WHERE: Copies will be available at garden centers, nurseries, county extension offices and through realtors and municipal water suppliers.

WHEN: Brochures should be available to consumers by the end of May.

WHO: Publication and distribution of this brochure was made possible by support from the NC Golden Leaf Foundation, the NC Green Industry Council, the NC Cooperative Extension Service, the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the NC Nursery and Landscape Association.

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Download a copy of this press release in Microsoft Word here:

Press Release 5/23/08

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2008

Editor’s Note: High res flower photos are available online. Click here.

Flowers and ornamentals brighten landscape
May proclaimed Floriculture Month by governor

RALEIGH – With longer, warmer days and ample rainfall, many homeowners are anxious to get outside to repair some of the damage done to their landscapes by last year’s drought. With a little planning, landscapes can be revived and filled with plants that are beautiful, drought tolerant and locally grown.

“More than 1,000 varieties of flowers and ornamentals are raised in the state,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “North Carolina ranks sixth nationally in floriculture production and we’re in the top 10 for production of many high-demand plants.”

Gov. Mike Easley recently recognized May as Floriculture Month, based on the industry’s economic impact of more than $202 million.

There are many resources available to provide homeowners information about how to select appropriate plants, such as the Water-Wise Works! tips available at TarHeelGardening.com. Retail nurseries and garden centers are also stocking more drought tolerant plants and are prepared to help homeowners select plants to suit their needs.

Gardeners can find North Carolina-grown plants at retail nurseries and garden centers and at the state-run farmers markets in Asheville, Charlotte, Colfax, Lumberton and Raleigh. Many smaller farmers markets also have plant vendors on-site during the spring season.

Additional information on the North Carolina floriculture industry is available at the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Web site, www.ncagr.com, or the N.C. Commercial Flower Growers Association Web site, www.nccfga.org.

-30-3

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 29, 2008

Contacts:
Doug Berlin, President
(336) 665-0291
Sheryl Bynum, GIC Exec. Director
(919) 372-1586

Raleigh, NC - - - The leadership of the North Carolina Green Industry Council today announced its endorsement of David Rouzer for NC Senate.

“We are very excited as an organization to be able to endorse David Rouzer in his bid for a seat in the North Carolina Senate,” said Doug Berlin, President of the NC Green Industry Council.

“During his years of experience in Washington while working with Senators Jesse Helms and Elizabeth Dole, David proved himself as an effective public servant dedicated to the issues impacting North Carolina. That experience, coupled with his extensive background in agricultural issues, will make him an excellent NC Senator,” Berlin added.

Composed of representatives from the irrigation, landscaping, nursery, turf grass and other related businesses, North Carolina’s green industry contributes more than $8.6 billion annually to the state’s economy and employs more than 151,000 people according to a recent economic impact study done by NC State University and the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 2008

CONTACT: Ross Williams, assistant director
NCDA&CS Marketing Division
(919) 733-7887, ext. 237

NCDA&CS, nursery/landscape industry team up to promote water-wise gardening, landscaping

Grant from Golden LEAF helps fund public information campaign

RALEIGH – The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the state’s nursery and landscape industry have launched a campaign to educate the public about how they can successfully grow plants in the home landscape even during periods of drought and water restrictions, Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler announced today.

The Water-Wise Works! media campaign is a partnership between the department, the N.C. Green Industry Council and N.C. State University’s Department of Horticultural Science. The campaign emphasizes ways that will help homeowners maintain an attractive landscape with less water.

“Drought and water restrictions across North Carolina have severely reduced demand for nursery and greenhouse plants and related services,” Troxler said. “Many of these businesses report that sales have declined as much as 40 percent, and employee layoffs have approached 30 percent. This campaign will help people understand that even during a drought, you can still enjoy beautiful North Carolina-grown plants if you practice water-wise gardening.

“These tips make sense even as we return to more normal rainfall patterns,” he said. “They focus on making the best use of the resources we have and not being wasteful. They’re good principles to live by.”

The statewide campaign is using public service advertisements on radio and television to tout the importance of water-wise landscaping and gardening. They feature NCSU horticulture expert Bryce Lane, host of UNC-TV’s “In the Garden.” The ads refer consumers to the Web site www.TarHeelGardening.com for tips and other information. The site was developed by the N.C. Nursery and Landscape Association and NCDA&CS.

The campaign is supported by a $215,475 grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation and funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

TV spots are slated to run across the state from now through May. Radio ads have been running since late March. Ads also will be running in Our State magazine.

“Golden LEAF is pleased to support this project as the green industry is such an important sector of the agricultural economy in North Carolina,” said Valeria Lee, president of Golden LEAF. “In addition, the whole state benefits as we adopt these practices for wise water use.”

A report released last year estimated that the green industry contributes $8.6 billion to North Carolina’s economy and employs more than 151,000 people. The industry comprises growers of greenhouse/nursery stock, Christmas trees and flowers, sod producers, and related businesses such as landscape and irrigation contractors, lawn care professionals, arborists and retail lawn and garden centers.

-bal 2,3,4-

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 21, 2008

Contacts:
Doug Berlin, President
336-665-0291
Sheryl Bynum, GIC Executive Director
(919) 372-1586

Raleigh, NC - - - The leadership of the North Carolina Green Industry Council today announced its endorsement of six-term Senator Walter Dalton for Lieutenant Governor.

“We’re extremely pleased as an organization to be able to endorse Senator Dalton in his bid for the Lt. Governor’s office,” said Doug Berlin, President of the NC Green Industry Council.

“Senator Dalton has done an outstanding job during his six terms in office and no other candidate brings his level of experience and leadership to the office of Lt. Governor.”

Composed of representatives from the irrigation, landscaping, nursery and other ancillary businesses, North Carolina’s green industry contributes more than $8.6 billion annually to the state’s economy and employs more than 151,000 people according to a recent economic impact study done by NC State University and the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

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For Immediate Release:

***Horticulture Experts Discuss /Water-Wise/ Landscaping
MEDIA BRIEFING
*

*Media contact: Dave Caldwell, 919-513-3127 or dave_caldwell@ncsu.edu (for Tuesday event only), after Tuesday, contact Dr. Barbara Fair, 919-513-2804 or barbara_fair@ncsu.edu

WHAT: Dr. Fair to Discuss /Water-Wise/ Landscaping
WHEN: Tuesday, March 18, 2008, 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
WHERE: Live satellite feed, webcast and phone bridge
*
North Carolina Cooperative Extension Landscape Specialist Dr. Barbara Fair will hold a media briefing. Joining her are Bryce Lane, North Carolina State University Professor and host of UNC-TV’s gardening show /In the Garden/ /with Bryce Lane/, Dr. Charles Peacock, Professor, Crop Science, N.C. State University, and Mr. Doug Berlin, Green Industry Council President.

Reporters will be briefed on the current drought’s effect on landscaping and efforts to educate the public concerning responsible water usage.

Fair, Lane, Berlin and Peacock will take the media’s questions regarding the maintenance and installation of healthy landscapes capable of surviving not only the drought but other challenges associated with urban growth.

There will be no on-screen graphics, so television stations can receive a clean feed of the briefing.

Reporters can ask questions via phone or email. The actual briefing will be kept to a minimum, so that reporters have lots of time to get their questions answered.

It is suggested that reporters/editors check the satellite and webcast feeds at least 15 minutes early to ensure that they have no technical difficulties.

*/***A clean B-Roll Video feed will occur during the test window and at the end of the briefing and as time permits***
/*
*
TECHNICAL INFORMATION FOR ACCESSING THE BRIEFING
*
*_Webcast:
_*Go to: www. * ncgreenindustrycouncil* .org . and click on the “Water-Wise Works!” link.

*_Satellite Information:
_Test*: 9:15 - 9:30 a.m.
*Program:* 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

*C Band
GALAXY 26 (C)
*Location: 93 Degrees West
Downlink: 3940 Horizontal
Audio: 6.2 / 6.8
Bandwidth: 36 MHz

*Technical assistance:* Microspace Communications: (919) 850-4565
_Reference:_ NCSU– Green Council

*_Phone Bridge information:
(This is to listen to the broadcast, if you don’t have web or satellite capacity. You cannot ask questions on this line; it is output only)
_*Participant Instructions:

1. Dial the Reservationless Conferencing access number: 1 866 427 0083

2. Dial the Reservationless Conferencing room number: *8528560*
*
*** (Note: the star key must be pressed before and after your room number) ***
*
3. Wait to be added to the conference

*_INFORMATION FOR ASKING QUESTIONS:
_*Email questions on /_Tuesday before 8:00 a.m.:
_/barbara_fair@ncsu.edu

_Email questions during the briefing:
_OPEN@ncmail.net

_Phone questions during the briefing:
_Toll Free Call-in Number: 1-888-228-6736 / 1-888-228–OPEN

_Fax questions the day of and during the briefing:
_919-715–3569
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Download a copy of the Press Release.

The NC Green Industry Council is mobilizing its forces to save the industry.

Press Release - 01/30/2008