Landscape and Irrigation is read by decision makers throughout the landscape and irrigation markets — including contractors, landscape architects, professional grounds managers, and irrigation and water mgmt companies and reaches the entire spetrum.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/26892
Viewpoint Spring is Coming! with repeated blasts of snow, ice and other fun precipitous mixes — and that is on top of the piles of snow from the February blizzard that still have not completely melted off. So it’s difficult — even when looking at the calendar — to think that the end of winter is near. Obviously, not all of you are in cold-weather climates, and you might be enjoying decidedly pleasant weather. But we all know that spring is not just sunshine and tulips. No matter where you do business, you are undoubtedly ramping up for the busy sea- son, and there are plenty of challenges in store. Just as the economy is showing signs of rebounding, it has taken another hit with I the trouble in northern Africa. At the forefront is the impact on gas prices. We’re already looking at close to $4 per gallon in most areas, and experts are predicting that we could be paying close to $5 per gallon in some areas by the end of summer. This will inevitably have a ripple effect throughout our economy, and in our industry — especially when fueling a fleet of vehicles and outdoor power equipment. While many companies will try to contain the costs and not pass it along to customers, it remains to be seen what will occur long term if fuel prices continue to skyrocket — and it is something we all need to be prepared for this spring. When you do fill up at the gas station, there could be even more challenges. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had recently granted a waiver to allow fuel that contains up to 15-percent ethanol — known as E15 — for model year 2001 and newer automobiles. However, the U.S. House voted overwhelmingly to bar the EPA from moving ahead with the waiver. But, at press time, ethanol lobbyists were urging the Senate to reject the House vote. If E15 makes it to the gas pump, it poses a serious challenge to those in our industry. According to the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute, the use of E15 or higher ethanol-blended fuels in any engine product, with the exception of a “flex-fuel” auto- mobile, could cause performance issues, damage engines, and ultimately void the man- ufacturer’s warranty. Beyond fuel issues, there are plenty of other considerations this spring: fertilizer and pesticide bans in some areas, governmental regulations, the impact of this winter’s weather on the upcoming season, and much more. But don’t get me wrong — not everything in the forecast is negative. Advancements in equipment technology, fertilizers and pesticides, application methods, Smart irrigation, hardscape materials and more are helping to lower costs and reduce the labor involved. Ongoing research, as well as improved education and training opportunities further en- hance the services you can offer to your customers. After all, spring is a time of growth. Proper planning — and staying abreast of the latest news, technology, educational op- portunities and industry support — can help you do just that. LI know my headline is not exactly breaking news. Spring is coming, and that famous Groundhog told us all that it will be early this year. But, like Phil Connors, I’m going to hedge my bets and guess that spring will begin on March 20. That said, as I write this, those of us in northern climates are still dealing John Kmitta IRRIGAT ON M2MEDIA360 1030 W. Higgins Road, Suite 230, Park Ridge, IL 60068 Phone: (847) 720-5600 • Fax: (847) 720-5601 Web site: http://www.landscapeirrigation.com Executive Vice President Charles Forman Editorial Staff Editor John Kmitta (847) 720-5613; fax (847) 720-5601; jkmitta@m2media360.com Products Editor Steve Noe (630) 499-1017; fax (630) 499-1026; snoe@m2media360.com Editorial Direction Richard Brandes Production Team Art Director Production Manager Brian Snook Karen Kalinyak Direct Mail List Sales Cheryl Naughton, (678) 292-6054; e-mail cnaughton@m2media360.com Reprint Service Cheryl Naughton, (678) 292-6054; e-mail cnaughton@m2media360.com M2MEDIA360 President/CEO Vice President, Finance and Operations Vice President, Circulation and Collateral Services Production Director Marion Minor Gerald Winkel Joanne Juda-Prainito Mary Jo Tomei Circulation For subscription inquiries and customer service questions, please call (847) 763-9565, or fax (847) 763-9569 business hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. CST Landscape and Irrigation is published monthly except May/June, July/Aug and Nov/Dec. Publisher’s Notice: We assume no responsibility for the validity of advertising claims in connection with items appearing in Landscape and Irrigation. Reader Service Numbers are given to facilitate further inquiry. Commercial product names are used for the convenience of the reader. Mention of a commercial product does not imply endorse- ment by Landscape and Irrigation or M2MEDIA360, or preference over similar products not mentioned. 1030 W. Higgins Road, Suite 230, Park Ridge, IL 60068 Phone: (847) 720-5600 • Fax: (847) 720-5601 Account Representatives: Bruce Loria 626 Wilshire Blvd., Ste 500,Los Angeles, CA 90017 Ph: 213-596-7226 • bloria@m2media360.com Joy Gariepy 16267 W. 14 Mile Rd., Ste 202, Beverly Hills, MI 48025 Ph: 248-530-0300, ext. 1401 • jgariepy@m2media360.com Classified Sales / Marketplace: Glenn Datz Phone: 213-596-7220 Fax: 213-624-0997 gdatz@m2media360.com 6 Landscape and Irrigation March 2011 www.landscapeirrigation.com