Reply To: To What Extent Should Ethics and Environemtnal Issues Drive Landscape Architects in their Projects

[Bob Luther]

Yes I would save my clients money and be environmentally sensative when possible, but I also reallize that desinging a landscape for a Best Buy or a Costco puts food on the table for the people I work with, if a sensative issue was on site then I would love to spring into action and find a way to save the fuzzy bunnys of the world but if there is no opportunity then there is no opportunity. When possible, I love to use subsuface drip irrigation and ET compensating Irrigation controllers, and reclamed water, I try to use inert mulches and gravels as much as possible, I plant as many water saving plants as possible and try to design in a way that minimizes maintenance and other energy uses. I do this as my personal action, I do not force it upon my client and I do not openly brag about it. Sometimes I do these things because I am required to by a governing agency, and sometimes I don’t add the enviromentally sensative systems because a project gets value engineered… but that is the real world of landscape architecture, I cannot ignor the city requirements in said parking lot, I cannot leave trees out of the plan because they use too much water, the city or county has shade requirements, they also have planning ordanaces that dictate the appearance of their community upon which I must design my landscape. I must conform to the requirements of the community, I know that this statement will be requoted and used against me… be a leader and not a follower, etc. I live in a real world with real problems and not all of these problems are environmental.