Earth Friendly Thinking: Part II

In part two of our “green thinking” series, we unearth (pun intended) our conscientious efforts to preserve the property at our studio, and save energy.

In 2005, we built a lush outdoor portrait garden that we hoped would be as efficient as it was lovely. In the process, we learned a few things about conservation landscaping that could be helpful to you in your next landscaping project at home:

• To make room for shooting spaces and as an alternative to discarding or composting, we sought suitable places elsewhere in the yard in which to transplant shrubbery.
• We constructed a sturdy architectural feature from raw, antique wood left on the property.
• We found a small pile of bricks under the house, and repurposed them into a patio.
• We’ve set accent lighting around the garden to a schedule, using low-voltage electrical; ensuring the minimum amount of energy consumption in evening hours.
• All irrigation is achieved with efficient slow-drip delivery, coupled with a programmable valve timing system.

We also thought our efforts could expand to the simple ways that we use our facilities. During summer months, we encourage more extensive use of the outdoor studio to conserve power drawn from indoor studio lighting.

In the next edition of our earth-friendly thinking series, we’ll touch on more examples of how our thinking includes our process. Stay tuned…