Roads and highways, golf courses and ski resorts, commercial buildings and industrial sites--the widespread use of economically and environmentally costly landscaping is everywhere. By simply changing these landscapes to "GreenScapes," you can save money and prevent pollution.

The US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) GreenScapes program provides cost-efficient and environmentally friendly solutions for large-scale landscaping. Designed to help preserve natural resources and prevent waste and pollution, GreenScapes encourages companies, government agencies, and other entities to make more holistic decisions regarding waste generation and disposal and the associated impacts on land, water, air, and energy use. By focusing on the "4 Rs"-- reduce, reuse, recycle, and rebuy -- you can help improve both your bottom line and the environment.

The goal of GreenScapes is to encourage companies and organizations to make more environmentally conscious landscaping decisions and to reduce, reuse, recycle and rebuy.

Examples of successful GreenScapes partner projects include:

-Tropical Designs of Florida, Inc.

Founded in 1988, Tropical Designs of Florida, Inc. specializes in designing, developing, and maintaining tropical horticulture exhibits for theme parks and zoos. In 1992, the company rebuilt one of Florida's most venerable tropical parks, Parrot Jungle & Gardens, which had been destroyed by Hurricane Andrew. The GreenScapes philosophy is evident in every aspect of the park's design, from its integrated pest management (IPM) system to its water-use minimization activities.

-ERTH Products, LLC

Headquartered in Preston, Georgia, ERTH (Environmental Resource and Technology for Humanity) Products, LLC specializes in manufacturing specialty soils from recovered wastewater biosolids. Combined with other organic waste products, the biosolids are converted into a 100 percent natural organic fertilizer. ERTH provides its environmentally friendly soil mixes for projects such as "green roofs" (rooftop gardens), bioretention cells, and rain gardens.