House Passes Water Projects Bill

On Thursday, March 12, the House of Representatives passed, by a vote of 317-101, H.R. 1262, the Water Quality Investment Act. The measure would authorize $19.4 billion over five years in wastewater treatment grants and loans and other water quality projects. In particular, the bill authorizes $13.8 billion for an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fund that provides grants to states for infrastructure dealing with sewage, water runoff, watershed restoration, and other water infrastructure projects. Read more...

10 Great Eco-Jobs

These are not your parents’ eco-careers. It wasn’t so long ago that your typical environmentalist was a whale-saving, alfalfa-sprout–eating lefty with bumper stickers slapped on the back of her VW bus. But times have changed: As environmentalism has evolved from a grassroots movement into a lifestyle, ecorelated jobs have become more fashionable, better paying, and more mainstream. From global conglomerates to small-town shops and businesses, today’s green workforce has created more eco-professionals than ever before. To showcase this sea change, Plenty interviewed men and women who are applying their green interests to a diverse array of fields. From helping high-end audio manufacturers abandon cancer-causing lead, to turning a once-gritty Midwestern city into a green jewel, to playing the renewable-energy stock market, these professionals show that caring about the environment isn’t just a way of life—it’s a great way to make a living. Read more...

Purdue University's First Sustainable Green Roof

Purdue University’s first sustainable green roof will be installed on the Schleman Hall of Student Services, thanks to support from the State Farm Insurance Co. youth advisory board.

Gary Elliott, State Farm administrative services manager, presented a check for more than $68,000 to representatives of Boiler Green Initiative, a student organization that focuses on evaluating and enhancing the sustainability of Purdue and surrounding communities. Initiative President Ryan P. Cambridge, a senior from Indianapolis majoring in landscape architecture, and Vice President Am้lie Davis, a graduate student in forestry and natural resources, accepted the check on Feb. 23rd in Schleman Hall, Room B38.

Green roofs range from mossy vegetation to full-scale gardens, meadows or trees that grow on specialized structures atop buildings. Cambridge, who founded the initiative in 2006, wrote the grant and designed Schleman Hall’s green roof layout. He and other members hope to install the roof system by May. “By installing and monitoring Purdue’s first green roof, we will set a precedent for increased environmental responsibility on campus and provide a way for others to get hands-on experience with practices that lead toward a more sustainable future,” Cambridge said. “We believe one of the biggest barriers to environmental change is lack of understanding by the general public. By creating a system that can be experienced firsthand, we can help eliminate that barrier.”
Kim Wilson, landscape architecture professor and initiative adviser, said both Purdue and the environment would benefit from the new roof. “Besides being aesthetically pleasing, there are many advantages to installing green roofs,” said Wilson. “They reduce storm water runoff and heat island effects. They also improve energy efficiency and substantially extend the life of the roof by protecting it from weather-related effects.”

Elliott said Purdue’s green roof projects are a good match for his company. “State Farm recognizes that being a good neighbor means being a green neighbor,” Elliott said. “These forward-thinking community projects are just what we’re looking for because the benefits of this investment can last a lifetime.”

Cambridge said the Boiler Green Initiative’s long-term goal is to install green roofs atop all new campus buildings and retrofit buildings with flat, newly resurfaced roofs. “Because the installation of a green roof system can more than double the cost of a regular rooftop, we’re continually seeking grant support from environmentally friendly corporations such as State Farm, who want to help Purdue reduce its carbon footprint,” Cambridge said.

Future plans call for green roofs on the Discovery Park research facility Mann Hall, the Purdue Armory and a portion of the horticulture building.

Peter Lindsay Schaudt speaks at INASLA Green Expo Luncheon

The Indiana Chapter of ASLA was pleased to present on January 13, its annual luncheon at the 2009 Indiana Green Expo of the Indiana Nursery and Landscape Association. For twelve years the chapter has hosted a landscape architect of note from outside Indiana who has been invited to share their professional inspirations, philosophies, goals, challenges, successes, and anything else they would like to speak about. The luncheon has featured a host of most distinguished and accomplished landscape architects.

Joining that roster was this year’s speaker, Peter Lindsay Schaudt, FASLA. His Chicago based firm, Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects is nationally recognized for its design of public, institutional and commercial spaces and for creating exceptional private residential gardens. In early 2008, Peter partnered with fellow prominent Chicago landscape architect Douglas Hoerr, FASLA, to create the firm. Mr. Hoerr had earlier appeared as a luncheon speaker in 2001.
Peter spoke of his early influences growing up in Chicago amidst it architectural and landscape heritage and of his architectural training at the University of Illinois – Chicago, followed by landscape architectural education at Harvard. He reviewed the three rewarding years spent as an associate with internationally known landscape architect Daniel Kiley, an experience which has greatly influenced his work since.

Several of his most significant projects were showcased, including:

• The Campus of the Illinois Institute of Technology
• Revitalization of Nathan Square in Toronto
• Landscape of the renovated Soldier Field on Chicago’s lakefront
• The newly completed Indianapolis Central Public Library

Each, he described, had its own inherent and unique site, budget, creative or client challenges. All were designed and built with impressive results.

The audience of 40 consisted of a mix of landscape architects and green industry suppliers and consultants who were rewarded with an informative and inspiring presentation and wonderful illustration of the great work being done in the profession.

The chapter looks forward to hosting the event again next year and in-turn providing the means for its members to also take advantage to the Trade Show and continuing education opportunities presented by the Green Expo.

Ball State University Career Fair Scheduled

Where: Ball State University
When: Friday, February 20, 2009 11am- 4pm

For those interested, a 6' table, electricity, breakout rooms and wireless access will be provided. The suggested participation cost is a donation of $100. Make checks payable to Ball State University Foundation with "Landscape Architecture" in the message line.
Contact Marilyn Davis if you will be able to attend.

Purdue Landscape Architecture Career Fair Scheduled

Where: Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
When: February 9-10, 2009

The Career Fair schedule and registration links are available at:http://agriculture.purdue.edu/oap/LACareerFair.asp or go directly Register online now.

On Monday night join us for an evening with distinguished guest Peter Walker, FASLA. This event is open to all INASLA membership! Reserve your place for dinner when you register online or call Jane if you are interested in the dinner and lecture only. The dinner costs $30 but there is no cost for the lecture only.

The 5th Annual Conservation Day at the Indiana State House

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Sponsored by the Indiana Conservation Alliance*

Indiana’s 2009 State Legislative Session is just around the corner. This year will be a budget-making session and we need your help to focus our legislators’ attention on conservation!

The Alliance has chosen 3 top priorities for this year:
$4 million for land protection through the Indiana Heritage Trust
$1 million for soil and water projects though Clean Water Indiana
Passage of a Renewable Electricity Standard which increases Indiana’s use of wind, solar and other types of renewable energy to 20% by 2020

Conservation Day is an incredible opportunity to show our elected officials that Hoosiers care about protecting our precious natural resources and preserving our environment. Not only is there a chance to engage legislators in matters that mean the most to us, but we'll also have the chance to learn more about conservation organizations throughout the state. Remember, the more people that attend Conservation Day, the bigger the impact. Carpool with co-workers, friends and family or take a brisk walk to the statehouse, and help make a difference!

Register at: nature.org/indiana

* The Indiana Conservation Alliance is a statewide network of over 30 nonprofit organizations providing a unified voice for the protection and wise use of natural resources to enhance our quality of life.