Landscaping can make our home or university attractive and increase its value. It is also a way of investment. However, there are repercussions if landscaping is not properly done like its effects on the environment and the natural habitat.
Costs for landscaping will depend on the taste and financial capability of the university. Landscaping projects can be as simple as a home garden or as complex as a city park, with trees and plants lining up that can be as costly as those in a luxury hotel. There can be landscapes that need a lot of water or a place with a waterfall or fountain which can be very costly.
In a survey on landscape services conducted by the University of South Carolina in the state of Mississippi, the lowest cost for grounds maintenance was serviced by Ole Miss Landscape Services with an average cost of $1,089 spent per acre annually. All the rest run in millions. For NCSU, it was as high as $2,504,610.00 of annual grounds budget, or $2,645.00 per acre. This means in addition to the taste and selected style of the university administration, lower cost of landscaping can be provided by the service provider (“The University of Mississippi” par. 1).
How landscaping affect the wildlife and natural organisms around
Landscaping services must be careful not to spread contaminants that are harmful to the environment. It could be in the form of effluent that contains organic contaminants, for example carcinogens, toxins, or endocrine disruptors (Plumlee 1). Micronutrients in contaminated water used in landscaping or environmental enhancements can contaminate potable aquifers and can also have ecological effects. Studies have traced microconstituents as potentially present in wastewater and reclaimed wastewater; they are considered “emerging contaminants,” or contaminants for which the toxicological information is sparse and official water quality criteria (for drinking or wastewater) have not been established. Chemicals include N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and perfluorochemicals, chemicals for personal care products (like insect repellent DEET), pharmaceuticals, chemicals used in plastics, and others. These have caught the attention of numerous studies. NDMA is one of several N-nitrosamines classified as probable human carcinogens by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA1993). It is seen as notorious as a potential drinking water contaminant after its 1998 detection in California drinking water wells. It was also used as a disinfection by-product arising from the chlorination of drinking and wastewater (Plumlee 2).
Perfluorochemicals are another family of emerging contaminants found in wastewater and wastewater-impacted aquatic environments. They are used in various materials such as food packaging, paints, and lubricants, and have been found in surface water, groundwater, and rain (Plumlee 3).
Can the saved from landscaping towards something more useful or beneficial to the students and environment?
There is something that can be useful and beneficial for the students and the environment. Not all landscaping activities are detrimental to the environment. As said earlier, human factor has a lot to do with these activities. The organization or landscape provider has more to give in terms of benefits than contaminate the area around the university.
In addition to the aesthetic significance, landscaping can add value to the home or university. Like a home which needs a yard, the campus blooms when it is presented like a home; it can enhance the study environment. Thus, it is beneficial to the students. Many students value the study environment in a university setting. The aesthetic value afforded by landscaping can attract more students and increase enrolment. Thus, landscaping is also important in terms of increasing revenue for the university.
Landscape service providers have considered using highly treated municipal wastewater as an alternative water source for domestic and ecological applications. Researchers have focused on the performance of secondary and advanced water treatment schemes in reducing potential contaminants like NDMA. There have been some studies focusing on secondary treatment to remove or reduce NDMA to prevent contamination during landscaping activities. Some researchers have used reverse osmosis (RO) to remove salts, contaminants and other compounds (Reinhard et al., qtd. in Plumlee 10). The research found that the rejection of NDMA by RO was relatively low, which means it was quite effective. Other researchers successfully experimented on UV irradiation and found that it could remove NDMA; they used it for drinking water, wastewater and industrial effluents (Plumlee 10).
Conclusion
The environment can be protected by avoiding contaminants in the landscaping activity. Wastewater reuse can be avoided. The university should preserve the environment before considering cost-saving measure, such as spending only for wastewater instead of fresh water in the landscaping activity. Chemicals and other contaminants mentioned earlier should be avoided.
Works Cited
Plumlee, Megan. “Occurrence and Photochemical Fate of Emerging Contaminants: Nitrosamines and Perfluorochemicals.” PhD thesis, Stanford Univ., 2008. ProQuest Digital Library. Web. 22 July 2016.
The University of Mississippi: Landscape Services 2016. Web. 24 July 2016. <http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/landscape/money.html>.
U.S. EPA. “N-Nitrosodimethylamine (CASRN 62-75-9).” Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), 1993.
