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Getting smart with water
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Irrigation companies serving the golf industry are doing more these days than just pitching irrigation heads and central control systems to superintendents. They’re also stepping to the forefront of advocacy efforts surrounding water availability and its efficient and responsible use.
“We believe it’s our responsibility to raise awareness of the importance of smart outdoor water use, provide products and services that use water in the most efficient manner possible and motivate others … to do their part to adopt smart-watering habits and avert a global water crisis,” says Dave Johnson, the corporate marketing director for Rain Bird, one of the companies that’s been most active in this arena.
In almost every case, these endeavors aren’t about those products and services. Instead, companies like Rain Bird, Toro and John Deere — to name but a few — have been using their leadership positions in the industry to drive dialogue about the responsible use of water.
At Rain Bird, they’ve wrapped their multifaceted efforts under a banner they call “The Intelligent Use of Water.” (Visit www.rainbird.com/iuow/index.htm for more details.) The company has organized and sponsored a total of five Intelligent Use of Water Summits across the country (and one in Europe) in recent years, bringing together experts in the field to discuss best practices and emerging trends surrounding water use.
They’re sponsoring The Intelligent Use of Water Film Competition, which recently wrapped up its search for short films focused on the topic of water conservation (for more information, visit www.iuowfilm.com), with winners scheduled to be announced at the end of this month.
Rain Bird also has produced audio podcasts featuring Michael Glassman of the Discovery Channel’s “Garden Police,” offering simple tips to help homeowners use water wisely, and is backing scholarship and award programs designed to honor individuals who demonstrate a commitment to the principles of water conservation.
But Rain Bird is not alone. The Toro Co. recently welcomed more than 200 participants to its second WaterSmart Symposium (visit www.torowatersmart.com for more details) at the headquarters of the company’s irrigation division in Riverside, Calif. Featuring keynote addresses from actor and environmental activist Ed Begley Jr. and Nancy Sutley, deputy mayor of Los Angeles, the event also included a presentation from Clark Throssell, Ph.D., GCSAA’s director of research, on preliminary results from the second stage of GCSAA’s Golf Course Environmental Profile Project, which was centered on water use and conservation.
“This is part of our ongoing effort to educate the industry about the importance of proper water management and the availability of water-efficient irrigation solutions,” explains Phil Burkhart, the vice president and general manager of Toro’s irrigation division.
John Deere is a relative newcomer to the irrigation industry, but they too are pitching in. Gregg Breningmeyer, the director of sales and marketing for John Deere Golf and Turf One Source, is serving a stint on The Environmental Institute for Golf’s Advisory Council following the company’s $100,000 donation to The Institute.
And internally, the equipment giant is proactively tackling the topic through a new “Water Precision” effort that targets water management issues facing John Deere customers and through a wider green initiative within the company that will include water management among its many charges.
They may just be getting started, but it’s clear that to irrigation companies within the golf industry, crucial water issues are getting much more than simple lip service.
This month features the Victor A. Gibeault Symposium on Turfgrass Water Conservation, an event held Sept. 6 at the University of California — Riverside. The symposium will address advances made in the science and technologies of turfgrass water use. For more information, contact Steve Cockerham, 951-827-5906 or stephen.cockerham@ucr.edu. The Irrigation Association Certification Board is finalizing a new certification — the Certified Water Conservation Manager — Landscape. These professionals, who evaluate, operate, manage and improve irrigation systems to achieve the highest level of water conservation, will be eligible to become certified through the new program. Candidates must possess three years of irrigation experience and be a certified landscape irrigation auditor or certified golf irrigation auditor in good standing to be eligible. An exam includes topics such as hydraulics, soil-plant-water relationships, plant water requirements and principles of electricity. The association also announces a water manager certification for agriculture that should be available in 2008. |
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