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Hands-on Learning vs Classroom Only
2010-02-11 15:11:46 UTC
We are putting together an urban watershed restoration program with neighborhood-based projects. The central assumption is that a series of hands-on learning opportunities following a general classroom talk will improve the adoption of the behaviors and implementation of the BMPS in residential properties. Our experience with a pilot program indicates that hands-on learning fosters the positive behaviors in the participants and gives them confidence to show others how to do the same (thus, the idea of bringing the project into a neighborhood setting). But, for large agency funding we need to reference some research indicating that hands-on learning is a legitimate teaching technique.
Pamela Berstler
Managing Member
G3, Green Gardens Group
United States -
Re: How Much Water Does Xeriscaping Conserve?
2009-12-07 12:30:03 UTC
The City of Santa Monica, CA has done an excellent job looking at the benefits of sustainable landscape design, including "xeriscaping." One of their demonstration gardens called Garden/Garden tracks a sustainable garden of approx. 1900 sq. ft. against the "legacy" turf-centric garden of the same size. Water use, maintenance hours and costs, runoff reduction, and other inputs are monitored and published on their website. I recommend you take a look at the incredible difference the sustainable garden makes at their website: http://www.smgov.net/Departments/OSE/Categories/Landscape/Demonstration_Gardens.aspx
or on the sustainable sites initiative: http://www.sustainablesites.org/cases/show.php?id=1
Our own personal experience designing and maintaining sustainable landscapes for the past 10 years is that the water reduction alone can be as much as 70% from the turf-centric or climate-inappropriate garden, and that we can eliminate dry-weather urban runoff, while reducing storm weather runoff by as much as 60%.
Best of luck.
pamela berstler
Managing Member
G3, Green Gardens Group
United States
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