North Coast Journal CALIFORNIA LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION
Installation Sweepstakes Winner
Creative Environments Sponsored by
Management Sweepstakes Winner
Gardeners’ Guild Sponsored by
Landscapes Unlimited Wholesale Nursery
2011 achievement award issue CLCA North Coast Chapter
www.clcanorthcoastchapter.org
JULY 2011
PRESORTED STANDARD MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #105 PETALUMA, CA
CLCA North Coast Chapter P.O. Box 1621 Sebastopol, CA 95473
RESPECT THE EARTH…
RECYCLE
JULY 2011 In this Awards Issue PAGES 1 - 9.……Sweepstakes & First Place Award Winners PAGES 11 - 16….Recognition Award Winners PAGE 17….........Greening Sonoma County’s Footprint PAGE 18…………Sweet Lane Nursery Plants @ the Awards PAGE 20…………GOLF – Summer Scramble & LEAF Fundraiser PAGE 23……….…Landscapes Unlimited Wholesale Nursery “This Publication is Printed on Recycled Paper” North Coast Chapter of the California Landscape Contractors Association
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2011 Judges Award
Cagwin & Dorward Sponsored by
Delta Bluegrass
First Place Sustainable Installation
Franciscan Landscape Sponsored by
Sweet Lane Nursery
First Place Sustainable Maintenance
Pacific Landscapes Sponsored by
Visit www.clcanorthcoastchapter.org to see all the gardens in this issue in full
Page 3 North Coast Chapter Board Members
Immediate – Past President Charlie Thompson Cagwin & Dorward (415) 892-7710 Charlie.Thompson@cagwin.com President Charlie Thompson Cagwin & Dorward (415) 892-7710 Charlie.Thompson@cagwin.com Secretary Lyndsey Kornmaier Coast Landscape Mgmt. (707) 332-8999 lyndsey@coastlm.com Treasurer Lisa Stratton Cagwin & Dorward (415) 798-1753 lisa.stratton@cagwin.com Web Guru & Golf Guy Michael O’Connell O’Connell Landscape (707) 462-9729 ocl@oclandscape.com
Associate Member Chair Kevin Kohl Ewing Irrigation (415) 457-9530 kkohl@ewing1.com Membership Co-Chairs Jeff Hausman Gardenworks, Inc. (707) 974-5799 jeff@gardenworksinc.com CLT State Committee Liaison Dave Iribarne City of Petaluma (707) 778-4591 diribarne@ci.petaluma.ca.us Programs Chair Ben Kopshever Sonoma Mountain Landscape (707) 695-2429 sonoma_mountain3@msn.com Legislative Chair Kjell Kallman Grab n’ Grow (707) 333-7694 kjell@soilandrocks.com
Education Chair Salvador Ledezma Jr. Gardenworks, Inc (707) 974-5800 slj@gardenworks-inc.com Chapter General Board Members Jeff Jones John Deere Landscapes (925) 595-6115 jjones@johndeerelandscapes.com Luis Lua Cagwin & Dorward (415) 720-6624 lelua99@yahoo.com Will Jenkel Lampson Tractor (707) 206-2294 wjenkel@lampsontractor.com Owen Mitchell Mitchell Landscapes (415) 717-6214 mitchland@att.net Tyler Doherty Cal West Rentals (707) 694-9108 tyler@calwestrentals.com
Awards Chair Brigid Flagerman Bertotti Landscaping (415) 720-0065 brigidf@bertotti.com
North Coast CLCA Executive Director & Journal Editor
Connie Salinas P.O. Box 1621 Sebastopol, CA 95473 Phone 707-829-5487 Fax 707-829-5487 heyconniesalinas@hotmail.com
CLCA 2010 State Officers PRESIDENT Robert Wade, CLP,CLIA Wade Landscape Phone: (949) 494-2130 WLI2006@gmail.com PRESIDENT-ELECT Eric Watanabe Majestic Pools & Landscape (818) 831-1390 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Sharon McGuire Phone: (800) 448-2522, ext. 13 FAX: (916) 446-7692 sharonmcguire@clca.org
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First Place Small Residential Installation
Franciscan Landscape Sponsored by
First Place Medium Residential Installation
Autumn Skies Landscapes Sponsored by
First Place Large Residential Installation
Garden of Ease Sponsored by
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First Place Custom Residential Installation
Landesign Sponsored by
First Place Small Commercial Installation
North Bay Landscape Sponsored by
First Place Small Design Build
Avid Green Landscaping Sponsored by
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First Place Renovation
Franciscan Landscape Sponsored by
Urban Farmer Store
First Place Large Residential Maintenance
Landesign Sponsored by
First Place Small Commercial Maintenance
Cagwin & Dorward Sponsored by
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The North Coast Chapter’s 2011 partners We would like to thank and acknowledge the following for signing on with our new Sponsorship Program thus far!!! DIAMOND PARTNERS Hunter/FX Luminaire Wyatt Irrigation Horizon PLATINUM PARTNERS John Deere Landscapes Ewing Irrigation GOLD PARTNERS LCIS CONTRACTOR PARTNERS Cagwin & Dorward (2) Gardenworks Inc.
The North Coast Chapter would like to thank all the above companies who have become “Sponsor Partners” in this, our first year offering the program.
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First Place Medium Commercial Maintenance
Pacific Landscapes Sponsored by
First Place Large Commercial Maintenance
Marizco Landscape Sponsored by
First Place Unlimited Commercial Maintenance
Pacific Landscapes Sponsored by
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Recognition Award Small Residential Installation
Creative Environments Sponsored by
Recognition Award Medium Residential Installation
O’Connell Landscape Sponsored by
Recognition Award Large Residential Installation
Creative Environments Sponsored by
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Recognition Award Small Commercial Installation
Landesign Sponsored by
Recognition Award Small Design Build
Lou Penning Landscape Sponsored by
Recognition Award Renovation
Autumn Skies Landscapes Sponsored by
Urban Farmer Store
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(707) 792-5008 ed@sweetlanenursery.com
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Recognition Award Small Commercial Maintnenance
Marizco Landscape Sponsored by
Recognition Award Medium Commercial Maintenance
Marizco Landscape Sponsored by
Recognition Award Large Commercial Maintenance
North Bay Landscape Sponsored by
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Recognition Award Sustainable Maintenance
Cagwin & Dorward Sponsored by
Thank you to the following who helped make the 2011 awards happen!!! Awards Committee Brigid Flagerman – Cagwin & Dorward Connie Salinas – North Coast Chapter ED Russ Clarke – Park Ave Turf Chuck Ludlow – TORO Jeff Jones – John Deere Landscapes Chris McNairy – Hunter Dave Iribarne – City of Petaluma Lisa Stratton – Cagwin & Dorward
The Awards Banquet Sponsors Hors d’oeuvres – Landscapes Unlimited Nursery Wine – Wheeler Zamaroni Plants (decorative) - Sweet Lane Nursery
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Greening Sonoma County's Footprint By Karina Ioffee – Petaluma Patch Community Choice Aggregation would give county options where it buys power from and create more incentives for alternative energy companies When it comes to renewable energy innovation, Sonoma County is at the forefront of the nation. But despite enthusiasm over alternative energy projects, frequently touted by local leaders, the county is decades away from developing enough alternative energy to meet the demand. Currently, Sonoma County generates only 3 percent of the needed energy from alternative sources, most of it solar, according to Cordel Stillman, capital projects manager at the Sonoma County Water Agency. But many are trying to change that through a program that allows counties to develop their own sources of clean energy—such as solar, wind, geothermal and biomass—instead of purchasing it from PG&E. In March, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors approved $175,000 just to study Community Choice Aggregation, which they say is an important step in increasing the use of renewables locally. If Sonoma County implements the program, it would be only the second in California to do so, following on the heels of Marin County, which approved a CCA in 2010. The county has plenty of reasons for studying the initiative. First, there is the potential for cost savings when local companies generate their own power, instead of paying to transmit it from out of state. Another is upping the percentage of alternative energy consumers get, which now hovers at just 15 percent. The California Renewables Portfolio Standard, passed into law in 2002, for example, requires counties to derive 33 percent of their energy from alternative sources by 2020. Another push is the reality that fossil fuels are running out and that local governments will have no choice but to turn to alternative sources as energy prices continue to climb, according to Stillman. And then, there is the vast potential for new job creation, as new solar, wind and geothermal energy companies scramble to hire engineers, sales staff and technicians to design, sell and install the new technology. “When you invest in producing power locally, the benefits are local and because of that, it generates wealth and economic activity, jobs in the community,” said Al Weinrub, a sustainable energy writer and advocate who recently authored a white paper on the topic, speaking on Political Analysis, a weekly radio show that airs on the Progressive Radio Network. “It really is a solution to the economic stalemate in many of our cities.” As Sonoma County studies the issue, it will be looking closely at Marin Energy Authority, which oversees Marin Clean Energy, a nonprofit that supplies energy to 8,000 out of 70,000 eligible customers throughout Marin County. The program gives consumers two plans to choose from: the first, called Light Green, offers customers 25 percent alternative energy. The other, Deep Green, supplies customers with 100 percent alternative energy, all of it generated in California, Oregon or Washington, at about $5 more a month than current PG&E rates, according to spokeswoman Jamie Tuckey. None of the energy is currently provided in Marin County. “The truth is we are providing much greener electricity than is available through PG&E and anywhere else locally,” Tuckey said. “It’s a really easy way to go green and do something for the environment and because PG&E still send you the monthly bill and manages the transmission lines, it’s not something you notice. The change you see as a customer is minimal.” Some have criticized Marin’s CCA because instead of getting energy from PG&E, it partners with Shell Energy North America, essentially swapping one faraway corporation for another, while still using PG&E’s transmission lines. But Tuckey says that contracting with Shell, from which it receives alternative energy, and using PG&E’s existing grid is just a first step as the agency works to develop local sources of alternative energy. “We view them as a stepping stone, a way to get us off the ground and start serving our customers and generate revenue,” Tuckey said. “Shell was able to give us the highest percentage of renewables at the best rate, and do it without us having a lot of financing upfront, since we are a brand new government agency.”
Page 18 Tuckey said the program is using revenues generated from rates, which she describes as “competitive with PG&E” to negotiate new contracts for local solar projects. It’s also using revenues to provide energy efficiency rebates, install electric charging stations and give back to the community in a variety of ways. “We are already on our way to weaning ourselves off Shell and our goal is to have energy projects in California, and ultimately Marin or close to Marin as possible.” There is a lot of interest among entrepreneurs when it comes to renewables, but until policies are in place, investors are hesitant to plunk down the big bucks needed to get alternative energy projects off the ground, say people familiar with the issue. To encourage investment, counties need to create incentives through something called feed-in-tariffs, which essentially guarantee payments to companies for a set amount of time, typically 15-20 years, said Ann Hancock, executive director of Climate Protection Campaign, a Sonoma County nonprofit that has been working on the issue of local energy generation for a decade. “There is a lot of latent interest that is waiting for a channel to come fruition,” Hancock said. “What you want to do is spur investment so that investors feel they will get return on it.” Countries like Germany and Spain, which have 30 and 20 percent rates of renewable energy respectively, have successfully used feed-in-tariffs to encourage an investment in alternative energy. “You have to prove that you have a rate base, customers who will buy the power, and then investors will loan you money,” Stillman said. “Or you can bond for money to build those projects, and it’s not cheap. But when you consider there is half a billion dollars is going out of the county every year for energy generation costs, you can leverage that against these projects and start building local projects.” Another option is instead of forming its own CCA, Sonoma County could partner with Marin Clean Energy, which would save money and allow it to provide a higher percentage of alternative energy sooner and to more customers. The CCA study is expected to be completed by October and Stillman stresses that if approved, the program won't be an overnight remedy to reducing our carbon footprint. Still he, Hancock and others believe in the region's vast potential for renewable energy generation, from the geysers along the border with Lake County to hundreds of thousands of roofs which solar panels can be attached to, and garbage that can processed into biomass. Thank you sweet lane wholesale nursery!! These are some of the amazing plant material groupings from Sweet Lane Nursery that completely transformed the banquet room at the Flamingo into a truly special environment for our 2011 Awards Ceremony. Special thanks to Jim D. @ Sweet Lane who chose all the plants and designed the displays….he is a truly gifted stager! Also a big thank you to Toby Kane and Ed Grossi for aiding in the loading, unloading and reloading of all these plants for the night. We so appreciate your willingness to help us again this year and for all your hard work to make it all happen!!!
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HAVE A GREAT 4TH OF JULY
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Russ Clarke Sales Representative
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Photo by Steve Hewett
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LANDSCAPES UNLIMITED NURSERY 4330 Bodega Avenue, Petaluma, CA 94952 Phone: (707) 778-0136 Fax: (707) 778-0633
One Liners
Ninety-nine percent of lawyers give the rest a bad name.
Borrow money from a pessimist – they don’t expect it back.
Time is what keeps things from happening all at once.
Few women admit their age; few men act it.
We have enough youth. How ‘bout a fountain of “Smart.”
Always remember that you are unique, just like everyone else.
A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.
As long as there are tests, there will always be prayer in school.
To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism. To steal from many is research.
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.
How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?
Some people are like Slinkies ... not really good for anything, but you can't help smiling when you see one tumble down the stairs.
Did you know that dolphins are so smart that within a few weeks of captivity, they can train people to stand on the very edge of the pool and throw them fish?
A bank is a place that will lend you money, if you can prove that you don't need it.
Whenever I fill out an application, in the part that says "If an emergency, notify:" I put "DOCTOR". What's my mother going to do?
The shinbone is a device for finding furniture in a dark room.
Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?
Behind every successful man is his woman. Behind the fall of a successful man is usually another woman.
LANDSCAPES UNLIMITED is a wholesale nursery located 3 miles west of downtown Petaluma, California. We offer over 800 varieties of landscaping plants in 1through 15-gallon sizes. If we don’t have what you need, we will special order it for you. Landscapes Unlimited has been in business since 1981 and has a reputation of supplying beautiful and healthy plants. Our staff has an average of almost 20 years experience in the industry and is very knowledgeable about our plants and the climates they tolerate. COME VISIT US OR LET US SEND YOU A TRUCK LOAD OF PLANTS. YOU’LL LIKE WHAT YOU SEE