Greenspace — Walkin’ The Talk

(The Bozone, June 2009) The May 20 Green Drinks event was hosted by Greenspace Landscaping and held (mostly) outdoors on the patio. After guests enjoyed wine, beer, hors d’hoevres and live music by Little Jane and the Pistol Whips, co-owner Micheline Halpin gave attendees a rundown on measures the company has taken to put the ‘Green’ into Greenspace. Micheline and her husband started the business in 1994 and worked out of their home for ten years before moving to the office, shop and nursery (designed by Joe Schwem of Lyric Architecture and built by Rob Smith of Elliot Construction) located at 34039 Frontage Road. Greenspace now has 29 employees, 21 vehicles and 6 bobcats. “Over the years, we realized we had become a pretty resource consumptive business,” states Micheline. “We started to analyze how we operate and looked at the waste we produce, from office paper to fossil fuels, to poly pipe used for irrigation, to steel used in landscaping and everything in between.

Greenspace joined the Yellowstone Business Partnership and committed to the two-year program ‘Uncommon Sense,’ which helped them implement ‘serious’ changes to make the business sustainable, including the following:

Crews work four ten- hour days to reduce gas consumption;

There is now a separate recycling yard for all waste recycling;

Leaf and grass debris is composted;

Soil is recycled and combined with compost to create a rich topsoil (last year the company recycled 200 yards of soil in three months);

Everything possible from the office, shop and jobsites (including after-work beer cans!) is recycled;

Greenspace also created an employee community service program, paying full-time employees 24 hours a year to volunteer at an organization of their choice. Landscape design and installation practices have also been sustainably upgraded: Greenspace is encouraging clients to consider smaller bluegrass turf areas and use native grasses and plants, which cuts down on water usage and maintenance. The company uses permeable pavers and natural stone to reduce runoff and allow rainwater to become groundwater, and rain barrels to capture natural rainfall for use during dry periods. They promote and design water-efficient irrigation systems that include rain sensors, drip, and other new / modern irrigation technology. They plant edible landscapes, encourage composting, plant for wildlife habitat and create living fences. They try to discourage the overuse of river rock, which heats up the planting beds and dries out the soil and plants. Use of mulch cools soil temperature and prevents weeds.

Greenspace also specializes in designing unique reclaimed materials into landscapes. Old farm equipment is used for water features, mining boxes are used as planters, and hand cut slabs of granite make great steps and benches. “We take into account how our business practices will impact our customers and our employees, wildlife habitat, environment, health and the value and equity of a property,” says Micheline. “We feel like we can make a positive impact – educating customers and streamlining internal waste reduction processes. Over time we are adding to our commitment to sustainability, and look forward to sharing our energy, values and knowledge.”